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“There’s no way I can make it out unscathed”

He covered my hand on his chest with his own “Who said you had to? Who said any of us do?”

I looked up at him “I do” I pushed a little harder and he cleared the door Closing it behind hi my face in my knees

“Jules” Berk banged on the door “Jules, don’t run away fro in his words I was doing this again

Imy head under my pillow

I was a fucking coward and I’d lost the best thing that had ever happened to me Better that than have him realize over ti eyes and judge

33

Berk

Jules was The Letter Girl She was the woh her words and the one I’d slowly discovered ht across the street

The whole tis for her, it was because I’d been afraid of betraying—well, her She’d kept that from me The letters I’d read and re-read hundreds of tioodbye to in my last letter, she was Jules all this time

I wasn’t sure how long I’d stood on her porch, knocking and calling her naer and someone would probably call the cops on me for harassment The pain in her eyes made me want to tear the place apart and find out who exactly had hurt her—other than her own family

I walked back across the street in a daze A swell of eled and er than a second Crushing sadness, confusion, anger that she’d kept this from me, relief that I’d finally found TLG and then devastation at losing her again

And she was pushinglike ere so mismatched eren’t No one would think that—she was a That’s what they’d see No one who knew Jules could hate her… but she’d said her mom and sister were awful to her?

None of it ers’ opinions What was that about?

“Did you get any treats from Jules after you busted her?” LJ came down the steps