t a destination. My mind was a blank slate, scrubbed clean by grie

h school. The red brick building looked smaller than I remembered.

h glasses too big for my face. A girl who lived in

. He was the star quarterback, the student council presiden

est. I memorized his schedule, his favorite lunch, the w

was a supernova, and I was jus

memory away. It hurt too much to re

anor Hester,

wrinkled face was smiling at me from the window of the small diner next

ight. I couldn't

s a ghost. Come on in,

oth in the farthest corner. It was the same booth I used to

I haven't seen you since your wedding. You and that boy, Cole.

her, shocked

, you wore your heart on your sleeve. The way you

since he graduated. "Heard he ma

l those "accidental" meetings I'd engineered, the books I started reading because I saw hi

ever once talked about our

the taste was like ash in

was now, but for that hopeful, foolish girl. Both of

he shall appear!" Mrs. Gable'

. I looked up tow

in, his arm wrapped tig

ed. "And this must be your lovely

stifle a sob. Mrs. Gable,

smate Eleanor is here to

erate. I threw some bills on the table an

rd Mrs. Gable mutter as the

ing Karma into the boo

across the street

ble said to Cole, obviously talking about K

d against Cole's shoulder

ghost outside, watching my husband bu

ward. I couldn'

marriage, if he wanted to visit our old hi

asked, his brow furrowed. "

ant to be reminded of the pla

ards the window, his eyes scanning the street. He couldn'

a asked, feeding h

ad. "Just... for a second, I thoug

stant. "I was getting beat up pretty bad by th

ow. "One of them had a pipe. He hit me

someone yell, 'Hey! Leave him

rry. But I saw a figure, a girl in a school uniform, standing at the end of

of adoration. "Then I woke up in

ce. "I saw them ganging up on you. I was s

id, his voice thick. "You

s her eyes darted towards the alley he mentioned. It

me who called the police from a payphone and ran back, telling him to hold on. I was the