Page 58 of With Us

“They’re raspberry jalapeño,” I finally said. “With big chunks of sweetened cream cheese throughout.”

“That sounds… odd.” Luc’s lips pressed into a thin line before he smiled. “I’ll be in at open to get one.”

Everyone sat, Luc and his parents taking the empty seats halfway down the table. They fell into easy enough conversation with Theo’s family to show they were a regular part of the get-togethers.

Rachelle came out a moment later, holding another bowl. “I almost forgot this was still in the oven.” She held it out to me. “Theo said you love cheese, so I made it extra cheesy.”

I was tempted to hug her as I took the bowl of mac and cheese. I loved the box stuff just fine, but nothing topped the creamy homemade kind. “Thank you,” I said, taking a huge helping before passing it over to Theo.

Savoring each delicious and thoughtfully made bite, I glanced around the table again. There was something familiar about it that I couldn’t put my finger on.

Theo draped his arm across the back of my chair, his fingertips drawing small patterns on my back.

Why do I have déjà vu?

“Wake up, Dahlia.”

The dream.

Heart pounding, I turned to Theo. “Sorry, what’d you say?”

“I asked if you wanted one,” he said, holding up a biscuit, “but you didn’t answer. You falling asleep?”

“No, of course not.” I accepted the biscuit. “Just listening to everyone.”

Only instead of the conversation around me, all I could hear was my mom from my dream.

‘Stop hiding and have it all. All you have to do is wake up, Dahlia.’

I looked around the thirty-person table, filled with people laughing and making noise.

I wasn’t alone anymore.

Chapter Nine

Big Plans

Dahlia

“Shh,” I said to Theo as we approached my apartment building after dinner with his family.

He looked around before looking down at me. “Why?”

“Mrs. Giovanni has been a terror lately. She’s the one with bionic hearing and the building manager on speed dial. Maybe even the mayor. She’s very against loud noises. And quiet ones. Laughter. Smiles too, I think.”

Chuckling, he lowered his voice. “Noted.”

I punched in the building passcode, and slowly opened the door. Once we were inside, I slowly eased it closed behind us, the latch barely making a click.

It was all for nothing, however, because I yelped loudly when we turned back around.

“Really, is all that noise necessary?” Mrs. Giovanni asked, glaring up at me. When she shifted her glare to Theo, her eyes widened.

He seemed to have that effect on people, but I was surprised Mrs. Giovanni wasn’t immune.

“Sorry, you startled me,” I said.

I thought Death was lurking the hall in a housecoat.

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