rc

as much as it usually does, so I'm crossing my fingers that exposure really is dulling the intensity of the association. The week after Ryan's death, I got my p

no sign of him. Just like every other class for the following two weeks. I've only barely seen him around campus. Ardent isn't exactly a small school, but it's not huge

ence and hop up. Phone, wallet, keys. I head out into the late afternoon sunshine and lock the door–then c

ar my surroundings, but it's enough to dampen my thoughts. I walk past the mailbox, and out onto the pale stone path tha

ight not have noticed her

o know what kind of docto

nd grabs my arm as I star

e Ben thing made us closer? Heather's basically my best friend, and a sma

t Alligators are going to crush the Bears, so Everett's already

m Heather spends more time with than a girl as smart as her really should. He's not a bad guy or anything, just

pleadingly. "Please? We can celebra

ay because otherwise I'm g

throw a parade for it. Way too excita

therapist who actually listened to me when I was institutionalized does private practice as well. I don't even

k of time?

position next to the arm of her long, dark le

notebook and sits down across from me as always. "I don't even

he only places in the world I actually feel comfortable. It's the

hat guest lecturer. Do you want to pick up ther

e." I wave the

Ben." She leans forwa

on the edge of the

purses her lips.

d. "Still no o

anxiety spikes when you have t

ion but... it was so intense, you know? He's so

an," Dana says g

I repeat a

me what you mean

ight through me. "So I was ge

no

coffee. "I headed over there, and... Ben was sitting inside. With the new lead editor." I recognized him instantly from Heather's descriptions, which have b

a pushes a lock of her

were right next to the window, and he was ges

o get coffee either, just stumbled to my next class half-asleep. But R

otebook around her pen. "I

hot with shame.

track to graduate in the spring. You're on the cusp of a new life, an even bigger fresh sta

sly. There's nothing i

. She doesn't have any personal pictures in her office, but I've often wondered about her spouse

ot more stable and even sillier about the coffeeshop thing than I did before walking in. It'

day. Why don't we cool down by talking about

d me to some homecoming

t?" Dan

fold myself around the pillow.

?" she s

alive. "And the drinking phase

Push yourself. Find out wha

er office, but for the first time, the par