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She drew in another long breath, staring out at the cabins She supposed there was soot one shot at this crazy thing called life Maybe it was ti that made her happy “Ever wonder ould have happened if I hadn’t been ripped away that day?” she asked him

He wrapped his arm around her “I wondered that every day the whole rest of the suh I’m ashamed to admit it, sometimes even when I ith Nat”

Somehow, she didn’t need to hear ed that night he kissed her The life she had was forever different in so many ways What she believed of love and loyalty was tossed away And she was left to glue her own self together But she never forgot the kiss or the guy anted to be her first everything

Darryl

She dropped her head on his shoulder “You did it, you know”

“What did I do?”

“You totally are better than a Christmas movie”

His laughter echoed across the lake, and she s like it was perhaps the most honest smile she?

?d had in ten years

Chapter Six

The ride back to the cabin had been bitterly cold with the brisk wind hitting Darryl’s face Penelope hung on tight, thankfully blocked by his torso She’d been quiet for a while at the lake, and he’d wondered eighed so heavily on herparents They didn’t deserve her He barely knew her and still could figure that out When they finally made it back to the cabin, she’d remained closed off, and even after he built a fire, she sat on the couch, staring at the flames, silently in her own mind

He couldn’t take it any, he turned to her and asked gently, “Why so quiet?”

She drew in a long deep breath before looking away from the fire toward hi”

“About?” he pressed

“About how different life e had those five days together,” she eventually said “We were so young, so free, all of our dreams ahead of us”