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By the time we arrived home from breakfast, a heaviness had settled on my shoulders I was pretty sure Mom’s talk was supposed to reassure me, but it somehow made me all the more anxious At any second, my world could be flipped upside down

I just wished they’d get it over with

I hopped out of the car and walked next to e box sat on the front porch Taped to the top of it was a card with nized as Carson’s handwriting

“What’s this?” Mo up the card

I yanked it from her hands, then blushed “Sorry Um, I think it’s from Carson”

“Brooks?” Her eyes widened, conveying her surprise

Welcome to the club

“Uh, yeah,” I said, avoiding her gaze

She crossed her aroing? Good, I take it?”

“Yeah, good” I nodded My fingers itched to open the box All I wanted to do was take it up to my room so I could see as inside

“Good,” Molad,” she said with a knowing sht have a crush on you When you guys were kids, he used to watch you and Ethan at the beach playing He was always trying to get your attention”

I grinned To think all these years, all I had to do to get Carson to stop antagonizing me was to pay him attention

“Well, go on I know you’re dying to open it” She shooed me inside “I won’t hover”

“Thanks, Mom,” I called out as I picked up the box Then proceeded up the stairs, the box balanced in front of me