Page 27 (1/2)

Do you want to come live with me?

I’m serious Seems like your family still has some friends left because it’s been taken care of, as they say

You can’t tell anyone where you’re going and you’ll have to change your na we’ll call you Lucas Willia, doesn’t it?

I have enough money for us to live a decent life You could apply to the college and who knows? Or you can get a job

I’ll explain everything if you coet on the train Just come Trust me Please

Love,

The Girlfriend Formerly Known As Erin

I run back into the kitchen and say, "What is this? Is this for real?"

"It’s a chance to get out of here and start fresh," Dad says "Free and clear of your family history It’s a chance at life"

"Where did this note come from?" I ask

"Don’t ask questions," Pop says "This is the real deal A true chance No strings attached"

"Hoe know it’s not a trap?"

"A trap? You’ve been watching too many movies," Pop says "If they wanted to hurt you, they’d come to the house and hurt you They wouldn’t buy you a train ticket and hurt you in New Hampshire"

"What did you have to do to ," Dad says "Except promise silence"

"I’m not stupid," I say

Dad and Pop look at each other

"Let’s just say," Pop says, "souys still feel bad about what happened to you when you were a kid, but they respected the fact that we kept ourquestions all those years ago There are rules, but we’re not all uys do what they can when they can"

"The train leaves in two hours, so you have to o, you can’t come back to Bell us They’ll explain the rules to you and you’ll have no choice but to obey every one"

"Why?"

"Those are the teret to ask why"

I re able to knohy

I sit at the table opposite Pop and Dad and notice that their physical si I look like a younger version of the away onaway," Pop says "You’re not going to be taken care of for life You’re just getting a ticket out of here and a chance to start over someplace better"

I think about it and wonder about ethics Do I really want to accept mob money, even if it’s only a little to help me relocate? Could I live with myself? After all they’ve done to o?" I say

Dad shrugs "Then you go to coe and live in Bellmont for another two years, minimum And maybe you lose your best friend forever This is most likely a one-shot chance here"

"Will Rod be up there? Mr and Mrs Quinn?"

"Don’t know," Pop says

I absolutely want to see Erin But I don’t know about the rest How can I choose between the two irl who’s been at my side since elementary school? It’s easy to choose between Bellmont and anywhere else, because I don’t want to end up alone rotting away in a row ho myself to death I definitely want out of this town, but I don’t want to leave Pop and Dad behind

"What do you think I should do?"

They look at their hands Their eyes are welling up They’ve already decided what I should do, which is why they gave me the envelope But the final choice is s

"That’s Russ," I say

"Don’t tell hi

When I open the door, Russ peers through the screen and says, "What’s up?"

"I’raduation"

"Why not? You sick?"

I don’t want to lie to Russ, especially since I know thison, ht?"