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Mrs Boone’s life was slowing down, and forin hermy own It may have seemed sad to many the way she lived nowadays, but to ht’ve been lonely, but in her mind she was never truly alone

My memories were sparse, and some of them--maybe most--I was sure I had stolen frory about the way she pushed me, but another part knew I needed to be shoved She was part of the reason I had a to-do list at all Even when she was rude, she still believed ina future

Those who believed in you when you didn’t believe in yourself were the ones to hold close

"One, two, one, two, three, go!" Calvin chanted in the garage before rocking out on his bass guitar with Brooks and their band I sat on the kitchen floor, recording thee door, and whenever they’d break to talk, I’d go back to readingsuit, but as the years went by, it became the voice I had lost It was almost as if the characters lived inside hts with ht hundred books I’d lived over eight hundred once upon a times I’d fallen in love about six hundred and ninety times, fallen in lust maybe twenty tih those pages, I’d s I’ve been stabbed in the back by friends--both physically and emotionally--and mourned the loss of loved ones

I’d lived the lives of each character within the walls of ht me a new book--or five--every teeks on his payday I assumed he spent twenty percent of his life in bookstores, searching for my next read

My favorite time of each day hen the boys cae while I sat reading and listening in the kitchen I’d always take a break fro over lyrics, or chords, or Owen’s dru, Rudolph, you’re two counts off beat," Oliver, the keyboard player, said with a groan Oliver was a bigger guy eated more than he breathed Every shirt he wore had sweat stains to the max When he stood from his druuys always ry--all the ti He was a regular meatatarian who loved any kind of meatand love for steaks, Oliver was also the biggest teddy bear in the group and never fought over anything with anyone, except when it caht over anything and everything each day That day, the fight started because Rudolph o counts off; he was always two counts off

"You don’t knohat the heck you’re talking about, Oli You’re playing too fast You need to pull back" Rudolph was the coetarian, stick-thin, and always layered with clothes because noHe always had a red nose, thus the nickna about nothing You need--" Oliver started

Rudolph cut in "No, you need--"

"TO CLEAN OUT YOUR EARS!" Oliver and Rudolph both hollered in unison It only took seconds before they were standing face to face, pushing and poking each other while screa Oliver wrapped his arm around Rudolph’s neck and forced his head under Oliver’s arh! Gross Come on, Oli! No one deserves this!" Rudolph shouted, his face turning the sao!"

"Say it! Say it!" Oliver ordered "Say I’m the best at the keys!"

"You’re the best at the keys, okay, dickhead?"

"And say Mom loves me best because I was born first!" Oliver mocked