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Uncle Bruno nods back, barely acknowledging his son Soe

Jared stands then “You need to change or anything?” he asks me

I look down at my shorts and tank top “Yeah I’ll put on some jeans”

I hurry to the guest room and ditch my cutoffs for a pair of low-cut Calvins The tank is a crop, so about three inches of my belly are on display

I wonder if any of Jared and Tony’s friends are cute? I haven’t seen any of them for the last couple of years Not since they were still playing stickball in the street or eating the hot dogs Aunt Agnes hborhood kids at lunchtime

A knock on the door “Yeah, come in”

Jared enters “You ready?”

“Yeah” I grab my purse and strap it across my body

“Good Let’s go” Jared’s voice cracks a little

Weird According to Aunt Agnes, his voice changed two su?

I stop in the kitchen to say goodbye to Aunt Agnes

“Have a good time, sweetie,” she says

Jared and I leave the brownstone

“Where’re Tony and the others?” I ask

“They’re waiting for us around the corner”

“Okay”

When I turn the corner, though, Tony isn’t there

No one is

“Where is— No!”

Strong hands grab ainst a brick wall

Then a prick in my neck

Everything goes black as words make it to my ears

Sorry, Katie We need the money

20

Luke

I go to a

My name is Luke, and I’m an alcoholic

My sponsor isn’t here He’s in Phoenix, where I went through rehab But I’ve roup who I can call if I feel like I’m ready to break

“Welcos, says “It’s a sroup today, so there’s ti to share?”

“I alht,” Barone says

“But you didn’t?”

“No”

“Good for you You stayed strong What happened?”

“I got a call from my ex…”

Barone drones on Same old sa Barone and her ex She needs to move far away from that man