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And then I go back inside, close the door, lock it, and slump down to the cool tile floor and let the tears out

After ale over and over and over again I read it thirty ti froe h I want to save it so I can read it again, I erase thethe phone There are no calls or contacts But there’s one picture in the photo albuain, but not out of happiness

At first glance it just looks like a picture of Nick and I, playing on a beach I know the beach, not the exact name, but I knohere it was The Caribbean Which means it was our birthday Because we spent every birthday in the Caribbean until ere sixteen

But in this picture we are young Six I know this because there’s balloons tied to the thatched-roof cabana in the background and they all have sixes on them

Sixes

Which is funny, ale Ja a Hello Kitty notebook in his hand as I bury his feet in the sand

I get up and dart to the kitchen where I left the notebook I can’t take my eyes off it for a fewin

How in the world did I not recognize hi the pink notebook so the sand doesn’t get all over it

I just s him in the sand

"What’s your nauess That’s the rules"

"Jane," he says

I just laugh

"Pete"

This tiirl!"

"Just tell me, no one will know"