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Instinctively I turn toward the stands, searching for Ophelia She and Caet to , but all I can hear is ets to me just as the score is announced It’s perfect A perfect fking score

I won

Holy shit I won Everyone has one more shot, but there hasn’t been another perfect score this whole co nuts, and so are we--Luc and Ash, Caer, but it’s no use I can’t stop s anybody, and you knohat? For the first tiirl is in my arms

My friends are all aroundscore on that board up there

If I never have another day like this, it’ll be okay Because I have this nore it Nothing and no one is as io," Luc says after a couple of et back up there before we’re all DQ’d"

"I know, I know," I tell him, then lean down and kiss Ophelia one ainst her lips "Thank you for giving me this"

She shakes her head and cups my face in her hands as tears roll down her face Before she can say anything, though, Ash grabs me by the collar and pulls me toward the lift "Later," I ht that I’ic carpet when Ash’s phone rings "It’s probably Mitch," he says as he reaches for it "Wanting to congratulate you since you won’t answer your phone"

But he looks confused when he sees the nuh I don’t knohy

He shrugs "I don’t know"

"Don’t answer If it’s important, they’ll call back"

But it’s too late He’s already dragging the phone open "Hello?"

He doesn’t say anything else for long seconds, but his face slowly drains of color

"Ash? Man? What’s wrong?"

Luc crowds in, too, looking as worried as I feel

He doesn’t answer, but the phone slips froround, hard Seconds later he does the salance at Luc, but he’s as baffled as I aain as I crouch down next to hi?"

"My family," he croaks

"What?"

"Accident on the way up here Logan’s in surgery and my mom and dad … My mom and dad are dead"