st six days, and it felt like time was running away from her. She sat at the kitchen table in her mom's house. Her hands held a warm mug of coffee. She looked out the window at the foggy

ouldn't stop th

a always teased, Lila adding, "Face card never declines." Nora wasn't stuck-up...she'd shrug it off but she knew she was pretty, her figure a constant chat in their group texts. Guys noticed her, but she'd stayed loyal to Caleb. So why her? Nora did

coffee, making little swirls. I

nstead like her mom's tight hugs that smelled like vanilla, Ellie's goofy self, her friend's silly text messages that made her giggle, or the smooth feel of her guitar when she played a song. Caleb used to be her whole world. Even tho

he beach. White lilies, his favorite flowers, would arrive at 10 a.m. A nice man named Reverend Patel would talk for a bit. Nora had called every single person twice to check everything was perfect. The day before, she'd made a h

got even smaller. "N

, trying to be nice. "The fire burn

just ashes, plus his pendant and a little note he wrote her once. It didn't feel real. She grabbed the pendant tight in her hand. She could still hear his loud laugh in her head

like a rock was sitting on it. "I need to do this alone," she texted back. "I love you both, and I'm okay." She got up and put on black jeans, a thick sweater that k

s so quiet her boots made a big thump-thump sound on the shiny floor. Nora felt too young to be there, picking out a coffin for the man she loved. At 23?? No she wasn't supposed to be here just that life doesn't seem to care.

ace. "Can I help you?" she asked in a quiet voice."I need a coffin," Nora said. Her

special. He played guitar in little bars, but he'd cry at sappy love movies. He loved simple stuff like wood, music, and the beach." Her

ome were shiny metal. Nora stopped when she saw one made of walnut wood. It looked

her pay for school, how he drove her to job interviews in his beat-up truck, and how he jumped up and down when she got her first job. Then she thought of those messages he

pretty. It sounds like he w

er sweater. "Until he wasn't." She felt mad all of a sudd

ing it to Golden Gate Cemetery by Friday," she said. "The s

eipt. "You're doing something good for him

r face. The city was loud...cars honking, people yelling, umbrellas popping open. She didn't not

wasn't sure. She turned on Bon Iver's Holocene, a slow song Caleb loved. It made her sad. She thought about eating tacos with him in the Mission, racing down twisty Lombard St

family. She couldn't leave them behind. She drove down Haight Street, past bright shops with tie-dye shirts and musicians playing drums on the sidewalk. She switched

heir house was painted teal, and tiny white lights hung outside like stars. Her legs wobbled as sh

d, grabbing her arm and pulling

uffy rug sat under her feet, and pictures of them hung on the walls. She flopped onto the couch and started crying hard. Lila wrappe

him, and I don't get why he picked her." Maya looked right at her.

, hugging her tighter. "We

fe. Maya grinned, trying to make her feel better. "Remember when

y. "He thought that burnt marshmallow

miling big. "And you ate it,

. Maya jumped up. "Let's eat! Chef Nora, can you cook somet

t supplies scattered on the counter. She made lemon herb chicken. She chopped the herbs fast, and the garlic popped and sizzled in the hot p

sign up for this class ASAP"

ing juice into glasses.

d, grinning. "Two hot chefs in the ho

on the floor to eat because the table wobbled too much. The chicken tasted ju

popped up, covered in white flour from baking. "Nora, you're doing okay! That

while belting out a Whitney Houston song, her arms waving like a bird. Lila danced to Single Ladies, tripping over her own feet, which made Nora laugh until her belly ached. "You'r

looking at Nora. "You're

atery. "I'm lucky

wing a pillow at her. "We

earned a new chord. "You're doing awesome," Lila said, sketching a quick drawing of Nora with her guitar. Nora fell asleep on the couch, Maya snor