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As couples join hand-in-hand and singles drift away, the dance floor beco by himself only a few feet from Akara

He turns his head, his eyes onbetween Akara and Banks

Banks and Akara

As the irl runs into the arms of the man she loves Where I pick who I want to be with

Instead, there is just an aching longing to run towards both

We all see in at the saain My fifteen-year-old sister leans against the dessert table where there’s a massive chocolate turtle spread I slip my hand in hers

She s her We twirl each other, passing Akara and Banks, but I feel their eyes on me the whole time

I can’t forget them

I’ve tried all night And a huge part ofhow they make me feel And I always, alant to remember

51

AKARA KITSUWON

Once the reception begins to end, Sulli tellsat the hotel Tonight, nothing sounds better than being far away fro was simpler in Yellowstone

My responsibilities bear back down on me here, and I’ht Tomorroill be a different day But I can let those worries roll off my shoulders for a handful more hours

As wedding guests leave the gardens and trickle back into the stone lass double-doors, I find Banks saying goodbye to an uncle at a dessert table Nothing but crumbs and half-eaten coffee cake left

Once his uncle leaves, I tell Banks, “I’ Sulli back to her place”

She’s currently hugging her parents one last time, and I left a temp to watch her for a minute

Banks glances to her, and he downs a glass of sparkling water, which I know he hates “She choose you, then?” Pain already grips his voice

My h under my breath “Almost the opposite, actually” I spread out ht you’d want to come with us back to Philly”

So there’s that

Back in the city, Banks is uard, and it’s more unclear to Sulli when Banks will follow her around I make those decisions

Surprise reaches his eyes “What’d you say?”