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“No, ma’am, I’m not” I chuckle There’s barely a shred of that kid left inside me This year has beat him down, kicked hia, I’ down

“Good” She smirks and closes the bathroom door behind her “I didn’t trust him”

“He was a dick I wouldn’t have trusted hirin then take the ten steps fro it open,of the bass vibrates through me I miss the quietness of Landon’s almost soundproof room Loud noises make me anxious, which is why I used to drink so much Nowadays, I try to stay outside where the music is barely more than a quiet hum

“Wow, that’s loud!” Layla yells She h a crowd I follow her

Sam is nowhere to be seen, thank fuck, but that doesn’teyes I step closer and shoot a back off glare at anyone who stares too long

We step out onto the front porch, closing the door behind us and she sighs “That’s better”

Laughter carries from the backyard I look over at the sound andaround a small fire Silhouettesto the hu I don’t want to go over there I don’t want to sreat It’s not But I don’t want to leave Layla either “Do you want a drink or so?”

“We have to go back inside for that, don’t we?”

“My truck’s over there I’ve got a bottle of whiskey in rassy knoll towards the Baptist church I took ht number three, the last paved spot in their lot

“Is that the same church where Sam and Kelly screwed?”

“Yup” I rub at the back of ht have been a bad idea I may have just shot myself in the foot

Layla looks up at the stars Her hair falls further down her back, leaving a wet trail everywhere it touches After a et a good look at her eyes I thought they were blue last year, but tonight they seem almost white

“I’ve never drank whiskey before Is it good?”

The night is waroosebuainst my arms Josh notices and drapes his arainst mine All too quickly, I’m hot Too hot Unreasonably hot The kind of hot thatthis close, I don’t want him to think I smell bad

Josh’s truck is at the end of the vacant lot, al, but I think he’s in the same spot I first met him