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I restedhis skin Contentment settled in deep to the cracks in my soul I hadn’t knoere there There was no restlessness or worry that I needed to do so There was only the rise and fall of his chest and his complete possession of my heart

Leaning over the center console, I kissed Ford again He held on to the back of my neck and pulled me over onto his lap I jued into the steering wheel

“I’ht”

I grinned “You remembered”

“I could never forget”

“With everything that’s happened, I alirls re, and they already beat you to the punch—Mak and the guys invited o out with them When I turned my phone back on, Marisa was so pissed” I’d make it up to her

He tightened his aret to take you for your first drink”

I pecked hiing it open, I hopped out of the car If I didn’tout in the car “I’ll call you when I’m finished” I pushed the door closed, and he rolled down theLeaning in, I ran h his hair “Only a couple hours”

“You sure you don’t want me to ith you?”

I laughed and restedwith ht, like a phoenix reborn from the ashes” If I hadn’t been up late and smelled the smoke or had smelled it but had brushed it off like the other tiht I have been right then? Dread bubbled up, and I shoved it down The what-ifs would only drive me crazy They’d drivento do that to myself These were the first steps in my new life

“Go do your thing and I’ll be here when you’re finished”

I let go and stepped back onto the curb in front of , I waved to Ford He stared back at me as I climbed the steps This should’ve been scary It should’ve been insanity Changing majors at the end of junior year? Who does that? Me, that’s who

My leg bounced up and down in the waiting area This hat I wanted What was there to be nervous about?

My rabbed a paper cup and filled it to the top The receptionist calledit all overthem under a faucet

The dean opened his door and invited e of the chair Taking a deep breath, I word vo out before he could say a word