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“Do you not look at the people who follow you?” Hattie chuckles and shoves her phone into her back pocket

I shakefor five s to do on ed

I’veFor one, being in a controlled situation has helped easeme out of uide the conversations, and have the excuse of needing to help if I get overwhel people in the process

“I can’t believe I ran into you,” Hattie says, ht?”

“Oh, ule et back to work She nods, sht about attending tonight’s event”

“Oh” Hattie frowns and pulls a rubber band off her wrist and ties up her long blue strands “That sucks I was hoping you’d ride back to Vero with me It’s Landon’s twenty-fourth birthday He’s been celebrating all week, but the actual party is…” She looks at her watch and chuckles “Well, now, but the party is going to last all night He probably hasn’t even noticed I’m not there yet”

“Layla!” my aunt barks and the muscles in h, lips pressed tight “Have you finished that list?”

I clutch the clipboard to ain and shake my head “Not yet, but I’m close”

Aunt Tricia’s lips tilt down into a frown She doesn’t like leaving things to the last minute We still have just under an hour until the event starts, but if things aren’t finished at least a half-hour before the start time, she freaks out “That’s not like you, child”

“I’ll get it done before I leave, I promise, even if it’s on my own time”

“Of course you will” Aunt Tricia turns her attention to Hattie “Who are you?”

“Hattie Reynolds, ma’am” Hattie holds out her hand

Aunt Tricia takes it and forces a smile “Of course you are” She turns back to me and points

her red painted nail at my clipboard “I don’t pay you to talk with your friends Finish that list in the next fifteen minutes or you’re fired”

Shit I’ve worked my ass off all summer I’m not about to screw up reed to pay for two classes, to start I have to finish with straight As if I want another tuition stipend next seet fired today “Yes, ma’am”