irst time she stepped

ere, like even the tile itself resented her presence. She remembers her mother's hand gripping hers too t

beautiful in that expensive, breakable way

r daughter not t

Blake, nodded wi

allowed those

o make herself smal

t spoken th

ses that looked glamorous until you were the one scrubbing red wine out

he leaves

sat in the kitchen with a torn math notebook, sketching clouds while her mo

eard Evely

ting in a way that sliced de

ase.A smudge

wandering where

sn't

g to it like a lifeboat, her fingers white against the wo

rning, they

, Ms. Blake, but we're movi

ks behind

schoo

plana

never talke

sa neve

omething perm

y q

t lo

g that belongs to

re she was

the kitchen.She was in his

d started

urse

ause he

r silence had

soft, devoted

rp like a stin

" he said, cornering he

nding he didn't exist, but

e pulling aw

slowly, met his star

st time you've notice

shut

he had a comeback read

her hand and sh

otta

a everything

the

gers brushed her spine like sh

t freak ou

ust b

unter like it hurt

dy for that kin

ilted h

kind o

t out a

sn't explain. The kind who doesn't say sorr

ce barely m

't done

he didn't

er, crossed the room, sto

you?" she said softly.

was t

aiting for the next

did s

of cours

oesn't do it b

, same car parked in the same spot like

d in witho

e, he di

the streets like it di

fingers twisting in her lap

she a

ou keep s

answer r

ven look

w was

e wheel so hard his

rned t

ria

for the answer,"

y m

car over. Sl

towar

unrea

rp enoug

fin

se I s

round the words tha

es me," sh

d

way so fast.

You don't know w

brushing under her chin like she was

actly what

to kiss her, but

und her until the rest o

eath h

ighs t

aid yes before he

r did he move becaus

ured, lips near herear, v

u forget who you

t sleep t

ceiling, hand pressed to her

s the thing a

learns how

ering what it

inally s