a's

e door shut behind me, shrugging off my co

iving room with my older brother, Drew. Once she got into that

my room, letting myself fl

with each passing day now th

the winter break, especiall

y bed, my fingers finding the cool, s

an old music box, a gi

d on one leg, began to twirl as the faint

r ring, which meant muc

ntil a voice mad

?" I whisper

r the bed, shut it quickly

al thick coat with a brown

ith the Monroes," I s

ng at me. "Be grateful,

. It's my time, my schedule. You can't just volunteer me for

se your vo

anger, and retreated to the kitchen where

d, grabbing the

er was safer than

h setting the table wh

etings f

ter of me, so I peeke

nd laughing with my dad. He was tall, with brig

waved me closer. "Aria, com

st my grinning brother, who lean

ssed back, e

d me a small bag and s

plied, match

"It's a bit early to ask, but there's a

n. "Oh, um... I d

"No one 'just' has a so

inned slowly. "I'l

out his phone. "Can

t like maybe my life didn't completely suck. I could make

ll standing there, giddy, when I wh

s she picked up, "you will no

🏒

ne... badly, I might add, when I finally gave up, dropped t

" I mumbled to myself, draggin

ent directions as if they

, and just fluffed the ends, hoping t

a pants and ankle boots. Comfortable and cosy...

ng from downstairs. "Y

ted him earlier to come pick me up. I checked my breath before r

" I bl

hip as she stepped into the ha

earing that,"

. "Um... I was

h boys. And possibly... Kevin boys." She dropped her purse

otest, but she was already f

el," she muttered, flipping through hangers.

pair of high-waisted jeans that had just enough rip to toe the line bet

ing up the outfit

d, already plugging

ir. It never holds,

already sectioning my hair with her skilled fin

at's not why

ure. You're goin

she curled my hair into waves and dus

isfied. "Now let's put some glo

a different person, but like a more confident ver

through the mirro

knock downstairs. This ti

aned casually against the porch rail, his hood down. His hands were tucked into the

d. "You look.

different or 'you

hed. "Good. De

blushing, and I knew it. Behind me, Lily let o

, and shut the door behind me. "Kevi

meet you,

e he was going to pick you up. Anyway, text me if you

gay." Kevin said,