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Withinside the open door staring after me

Snap

7

ROMAN

Should I text her, or should I not text her? That is the question

I pace aroundback and forth fro whether or not to send Lilly an invitation to have Sunday dinner with ain—and my mother followed up after our FaceTime chat in the student union the other day by continuously asking after Lilly Constantly berating irl to dinner

It can’t hurt to reach out, right?

She said we’re friends, and this is what friends do—feed one another food Introduce them to family

It’s been a long tiirl friend I had was Ariel Sanders back in third grade She was very interested in biology and frogs and wanted to be a ist at the time; we spent hours upon hours in the pond behind her house with small nets and microscopes

Lilly said ‘next time’

Tonight is technically next time

Would I be rude not invitingalso? My parents haven’ton an entire crew at the house She uests

Best to keep it small, I rationalize

Sticking ive a listen to see where the sound is coers that person is Jack

“Jack?” My inquiry is hesitant, just loud enough to be heard without straining

“Yeah?”

Great—it’s hi I want to do is ask Eliza for her best friend’s phone nu idea…

Jack appears in the doorway holding a shirt but not wearing one

“Do you happen to have Lilly’s phone nu to ask her”

“Sure do, mate” He fishes a phone out of the pocket of his track pants, thu off a number “I’ll send you the contact, eh? Easier”

My phone pings a few seconds later “Thanks”

“No proble-sleeved tee—but stops short “You going to be ’round for supper? Eliza and I are off to the cinema if you want to join Popcorn, crisps, and the like?”