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Lexi headed down to the beach and sat in the sand, waiting

“There you are,” Zach said a fewall over for you ”

“Where’s Mia? She went looking for you ”

Zach shrugged and handed her a bottle of rum “Here ”

“Hey, you’re not supposed to be drinking,” Lexi said

“Last one, I promise Here ”

She hated to drink like this, without , but she didn’t want to upset him, so she took a sip

“She doesn’t give a shit about what I want,” he said and lifted the bottle to his ain

Lexi didn’t know if he was talking about his mother or his sister, but it didn’t really matter either way “Yes, she does ”

He took another long drink, handed it to her “Maybe I don’t give a shit what she wants ”

Lexi sighed “Yes, you do ”

He looked at her, his eyes wild “I love you so much ”

She knew exactly what he was feeling: it was the universe of her own eo; he was afraid of letting her stay “I knoas all she could say She believed hi

They needed to be strong for each other, and she would be the one to start “I’ll never stop loving you, Zach ”

In a taut voice, he said, “Come here,” and took her hand and led her deep into the woods