Page 145 of What I Like About You

Mom

Just submitted the waiver for Ollie. I can’t take him to LA with us just because I miss him. You’re right. Thanks for making me listen last night.

4:39 PM

Mom! I’m SO glad.

4:47 PM

it’ll also selfishly be nice that ollie will only be a train ride away. i wish you were only a train ride away …

4:48 PM

Mom

I know, babe. But you’ll be thanking me in December when you’re visiting us during winter break!!!

4:49pm

Dad

4:50pm

that’s definitely true

4:52pm

Mom

we’ll celebrate when we see you! two more weeks until graduation. i cannot wait to give you a hug! warning: i might never let go.

4:53pm

Dad

4:55pm

???

4:57pm

TWENTY-SIX

So.” Elle taps absentmindedly on her desk. “What are we going to do about Nash?”

It’s the fifth time I’ve talked to my friends—and each time we feel closer to okay. I wish I had joined the video chatsyearsago. I hate how much I’ve missed. Amy’s had to cut back on the booktubing, because as it turns out, biochemistry is a ridiculous major. She spends most of her time in the library studying, and can’t remember the last time she’s read a book for fun. Elle’s currently working on an R&R, a revise and resubmit, for an editor at a major publishing house—which is taking up all her free time. Samira has won some local photography awards for the pictures she’s taken for her school newspaper.

It’s so nice, this new normal: sitting back and listening to my friends talk about their own lives and their own drama. Until it inevitably circles back to me.

“I don’t know,” I admit. “He’s so mad.”

“He’s mad because he’s heartbroken!” Amy says.

“It’s been almost six weeks, Amy,” I say. “I miss him so much. But he still won’t evenlookat me. I might have to accept that it’s over.”

“I refuse to believe that,” Samira says.

“Not that we’d know,” Elle says.

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