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“Trent!” she yells She never yells

I halt Maybe even cease breathing altogether My pulse thru up with me in one fell swoop I wait for her to finish

“Your father is dead”

1

Payton

My flip-flops slap the paveood choice for footwear, but I was running late this , and they were still out from the weekend beach trip

Lucky for me, it’s only a few blocks to school

It’s the reason Ronald picked it forfactors e signed the lease

Four years ago

Most freshmen at Ludlow University lived in the dorms the first year of school, but not me My sister’s boyfriend at the ti me the perfect house

Erin’s dating history could fill a yearbook Jocks, goths, rockers She’d done theh men faster than a deck of cards But with Ronald, it lasted longer than ether for what see happened and, like the rest, he was gone

I still love him like my own brother Father, actually He’s way older than Erin, who’s way older than ether and has always been good to me, which is why I humored him and let him rent this palace

Because that’s what it is

A beautiful hoh to the school that rateful for given the heavy coursework in business

I never want to go back to the way my life was before Ronald

At the crosswalk, I pale, then delete it My teeth sink intoErin is an adult Thirteen years older than me I shouldn’t be worried about her, but ever since Ronald cut her off, she’s been needier than usual

The air is warmer than I expected for this time of year

Despite being fall, it still srass New Yorkers are trying to squeeze the e soon To cold air, burning leaves, and roasted nuts that will invade my nostrils on my walk to school

The light signalset about my sister Erin can take care of herself