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"That’s the les back and forth "If I wanted financial security, I would go into accounting Becoood with numbers, and businesses will always need auditors"

I open another door for her to the next exhibit "It sounds like there’s a ‘but’ co isn’t really me"

"What is ‘you,’ Ellie Haist Talk to people, help theh their probles in ood-hearted lass I want that for her; she deserves to be happy

Ellie stops walking and turns to the display in front of her It’s a bed--four-poster canopy, ornate and curtained with intricate, gold-trimmed, royal-blue and purple fabric She reads the description off the plaque on the wall "The bed of His Majesty King Reginald the Second and Queen Margaret Anastasia of Wessco That’s Queen Lenora’s parents, right?"

"Yeah"

She gazes back at the bed with a longing sigh "Wow I can’t i like this every day Servants and castles and crowns--how perfect would that be?" She points at the opulent bed "Queen Lenora could have been conceived on this bed, right here!"

I flinch at the thought

"Let’s not speak of it"

Ellie laughs--a twinkling kind of sound As we move on to the next display, she asks, "What’s the weather like in Wessco?"

I glance up at the glass ceiling where the rain still batters against the pane "Like this Mostly gray, kind of cool--it rains a lot"

"I love the rain," she says on a breath "It’s socozy Givein the fireplace, a soft blanket and a cup of tea in a sturdy brick house--I’d never want to leave"

She paints a very pretty picture

Ellie stops in front of a painting of the Crown Prince of Wessco, Prince Nicholas Arthur Frederick Edward Pembrook It’s his official portrait, co his nified But because I know hination in his expression and the flatness in his eyes

Like a hostage with no hope of being released

She stares at the portrait, and her voice turns hushed "He’s going to break my sister’s heart into a thousand pieces, isn’t he?"

I take a moment before I answer

"Not intentionally And not only her heart"

One week later

MY BRAIN HURTS

But it orth it The all-nighters The crarowth from too much caffeine--all worth it Because it’s over now

I’ve crossed the finish line Planted o into place

The only problem isthere’s no crowd to roar I have no one to share the neith Liv’s asleep on the other side of the world, Marty’s on a date, my dad’s "out," aka wasted at a bar sohborhood security detail for the night, was snoring away at the coffee-shop table

People probably can’t tell this about me, but I’m a sharer I need to spread the word, like I need water or air orstupid right now I didn’t even tell Marlow, though she would’ve totally approved, the vixen

I’an’s apartment I know it’s dunet can stop its stupid slide toward its one true opposite

A feeeks ago, at theA connection Logan wore ht?

Logan gave me the address to the apartuards in case I needed it And I’--no door too fancy, but not a dump, either I knock on the door of Apart s" by Fleetwood Mac in my head