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“I like listening to new stuff, so I’otten about” He held out the bud to me

My fingers itched to grab it and let ainst his, accidentally-on-purpose, but this was the time to put that friend barrier fir about you like that Don’t mistake his kindness, or even a se more than it is

“I’ to sleep” I stared down at the floor between our feet

“Was it the eggs? I don’t kno you eat them so runny”

“No, it’s probably just nerves I’ll sleep it off”

Concern wrinkled his brow and he ran his hand quickly over h

It was like a Pavlovian response I’d need to change ot back to the house

“Don’t worry about her on my head

A weak sainst ainst theAll the touches and quiet moments almost made it feel like ere a couple, but I’d learned never to read too far into things

Guys don’t see uy did, I’d wound up wanting to bury raduation As a o on the theater club’s weekend visit to a Broadway show back in high school

Dexter, the cutest guy in draether before the show and grabbed food together I was so giddy, I was seconds away fro Day parade balloons And when he said he needed to talk and told irl he really liked but was afraid to talk to, I was probably beaht as I inched closer to him

Maybe he saw the crazy look in ed, but his sht off his face “Oh, you don’t think I’ about you, do you? I meant your sister”

After the way I’d held it together in front of him, I’d deserved to be the lead in the school play “Of course, who else would you be talking about?” Not a strain ininto a pit of despair

Nope, notand niceness with hiain We’d roll back onto cas would be back as they should be Noin bed beside Berk And no

We got off the bus and Berk and I shared a taxi back to our street I fidgeted with the strap of lasses up In another world, this would be the big moment before our kiss, but this wasn’t that kind of world