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Oh, damn I start to choke On what, I don’t know, but I’ to catch my breath like an idiot when I shouldn’t be surprised This is Pris and she doesn’t hold back But still, we’ve never talked about the al like this to me before and damn if it isn’t hot Not that I should think that, but I do

She starts to pound on my back "Come on, pretty boy Breathe Let’s not pretend you didn’t know"

Once I’ like a psychopath, I look at her Take in her slightly round face, plump lips, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I feel like she’s really looking at ht you hated me now"

There’s a part of ht you hated me no needy can I sound? But there’s another part of ht just be as needy as I sound I’m not proud of that part I actually want to lock it deep inside and forget it’s there, kind of like how otten about ht Mike said he didn’t want hs It’s crazy because she’s always so fierce So strong that it makes me feel like crap that I may have dented her armor

"I think I diddono I did, a little bit I’ry or hurt But I’ht It shouldn’t be like this I don’t want to fight with you any" I wink at her

"Oh, I know I still think you’re in idiota, but I’ hurt"

"Shit," I groan, rubbing a hand over my face "You’re the last person I want to hurt, Priscilla"

"I know that"

More circles with her feet They look wobbly through the water I can’t helplooks unstable under the water, like it’s , but this is part of Priscilla which irl? She’s probably the strongest person I know

"That doesn’t uess it wasn’t all your fault, either You can’t help how you feel Or don’t feel, for that matter"

I do feel it I shouldn’t, but I do

"No," I shake my head "It’s my fault After we almost kissed last su I knoas the alcohol or whatever, but I could have handled it better Should have handled it better"

It had been so crazy, standing behind that house with her I’d found a way to wipe her tears Neither of us spoke and then ere just heading toward each other Like fucking beacons or soot so close I smelled her breath and felt its heat onon and I’d pulled back

And of course, the next day we bla like we had in forever, but yeah Things changed e got home I realized how I’d al farther and farther way

"That doesn’t really o, and I have to I’ on I just want"

For a minute I’ If so on from me I want to tell her that she can’t She’s ed to each other Since that hair pulling incident in kindergarten our lives have been so intertwined: Me, Priscilla, Bastian and Aspen, but now she’son And they’vetoward so farther behind "I don’t want to lose you," I blurt out

"You’ll never lose us, Jay What is it you guys always say? We’re a package deal or whatever? I just want to get back to ere I want to be cool, you know? I don’t want to have to yell at you for eating ht to find my voice It’s like it’s locked in that piece of , but I can’t say why Instead, when I open my mouth, the words, "They’re Cheetos Not chips," fall out

Priscilla shakes her head "Stupido"

Does itme that? "Drama Queen"

She doesn’t reply so we sit there in silence, her feet dancing in the water The sun is starting to go do Like a red, fireball being extinguished by the desert Finally, I nudge her with my elbow "So, a truce, huh?"

"Yeah A truce" And then, "I’o to Texas I really want the next few days to be perfect"

I turn to look at her; a piece of her dark hair is now flying in the slight breeze, s are in the water And man do I want to kiss her and touch her Me to miss you, too"

I can’t make myself tell her even if the next few days aren’t perfect, thiswith in Texas?"

"My uncle He’s--"

"He helped you get the beater, right?"

"Yeah" I s soft I don’t even knohy I’ht now "He owns a junkyard" I shake hetto I’irl with a District Attorney for a dad and I’ to live at a junkyard?

I don’t knohat e the subject orI would have done before, without a thought, orrab her My arms slip around her before I push off the concrete and throw us both in the water

Surprised, Pris goes easily when I pull us under It’s only a second before she’s twisting and turning and just like she should be, she’s out of rasp

When I break the surface, I shakeall over the place At first, her eyes are narrow and I know I’m in trouble, but then a wave of water flies and hitsdown, Mendoza" I pushthe e used to before everything got screwed up It’s cool because she’s happy and she’s sood to be the one to

Later, we’re still laughing as we stu wet Aspen and Bastian are laying on one of the beds

"What the hell happened to you guys?" he asks