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I remember the day I finally asked her about the sloth pins and buttons on her apron
She had said, “Sloths are my spirit animal”
When I’d asked why, she explained, “Sloths are very cluant Graceful, even Sort of like me I’ around But…” She’d hesitated, looked over her shoulder to be sure no one could hear, then continued in hushed tones, “I a teaer than everyone else, but I don’t care I love the water It et how clumsy I am”
Even so, I secretly love how clumsy she is
I love everything about her
Chapter 2
Lexi
“Seriously? He’s never kissed you? Never tried to feel you up? Nothing?” Heather pokes rin “Not even a peck right here?”
“Stop!” I swat her hand away Living and working together has made us like sisters “You don’t need to be all up in my Cheerios”
I reach around to untie ust The dandelion-yellow fabric is dotted with bits of today’s special: deep-fried stuffed spinach cayenne tofu balls with basil kefir drizzle The lady with too littery ball cap knocked it all overdown her plate Apparently, whatever she was talking about required soestures
I take a whiff of the apron and roll my eyes Lucky I have plenty of quarters for the laundry I wad it up, kefir side in, and stuff it intowith the “Live slow Die Whenever” sloth patch sewn onto the front
“What are you doing tonight?” I ask Heather as she followsit into her backpack
“Not sure” Heather tugs the rope on her raw cotton tunic tight at the waist then loops it into a loose bow “There’s a PBS Hitler documentary on It’s only a four-hour series, so after that…dunno” She reaches up to tighten her ut”
A single strand of golden hair hangs from the crown of her head, directly down her nose, and she does nothing about it It’s driving me mad But even so, I can’t help but think that hair like hers could send legions of a It’s that beautiful, hanging nearly to the center of her back in perfect Californian waves
Not that she’s ever set foot out of Portland Her parents were part of what’s known around here as a co-op Everyone else would call it a cult