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I left Nix and Elle to do the thing couples do when they’re completely in love—make out The third not-so-stealthy kiss between those tas o

Once off the bus, triple-checking that er was on and at full volu and I’d miss the call The call

Avery was calling tomorrow I did a little dance and my steps quickened

I stopped at the bottohts were on across the street in Berk’s room I looked up at hisand had to wrestle the nearly overpowering urge to run up there and tell hiood news Or head back inside and write him a note the way I used to

There was a hole ina cake for the mysterious Alexis last year, I’d had to cut myself off And I didn’t have the balls to ask hie football player, ordered a cake for soht to pry The Letter Girl would’ve deserved an explanation, but I was just his neighbor across the street That would’ve irl ay too into him

Obviously he cared about Alexis, even the other guys knew about her, although they didn’t really seelean any specifics

The thrown hands and glares when he’d mentioned her one day told me whoever she was, she was bad news—and she was here to stay And I didn’t need to put irl I wasn’t exactly the girl guys fought over I was the one they settled on dancing hen my much prettier sister or friend was taken The consolation prize But I couldn’t be that with hiaet pulverized

Protect ure out what the hell I wanted to do withthis weekend with Berk, especially while in a vulnerable place Actually, I should just cancel It was better to cancel on him than endure whatever my mom and sister had in store for me this weekend

Berk may not see me as an option, but I didn’t want him to see my mother and sister turnether

Hencethat as much as possible

What the hell had co Berk to come?

I spun on my heel to walk across the street I’d rather Berk not witness the i emotional blood bath I’d hidden from my mom and Laura for nearly six months—other than that drive-by invite The pent up shitty-things-to-say-to-Jules da Halfway across the street, my phone buzzed I whipped it out and answered it immediately, primed for Avery’s call

But that wasn’t until tomorrow

“Julia”

Molass of ice water to my face