Page 33 of Rewriting the Story

“That’s the first time you’ve talked about him since we got here,” Paige tells me.

“I’ve had other things to talk about, but yeah, I pretty much knew he and I weren't going to last. It doesn't hurt to talk about him.”

It only ever hurts to talk about someone else, someone I’ve tried to purge from my mind, body, and soul. It hasn't worked. No matter how much I try to erase him, I can never outrun the feelings he breathed into me, the memories we created, how his skin felt on mine.

I remember it all—every piece of it, including his face when I ripped his heart out of his chest and stomped on it in front of all our friends.

“But I’m not marrying him,” I say, trying to diffuse the tension in the room. “In real life or in this game.”

“I am going to pretend the lead singer of my favorite band proposed to me while on-stage,” Ella says with a smile.

“I knew that was coming,” Paige tells her. “I’m going to marry my favorite morally gray villain from my favorite movie.”

“I think I’m going to marry the main male character from my favorite book series,” Hads says before she turns to me.

“Oh,” I say, thinking. “I guess I’ll marry a high up public official so I can blackmail him from the inside.”

The girls stare at me before they burst out in laughter, and I join them after a few seconds of confusion.

“And there’s the Amelia we know,” Hads says.

“I still have no idea how you come up with all those,” Ella says as she spins the wheel. “But hey, I won’t judge if you were to actually do that. Just don’t get caught.”

“Well, I’m not Oliver, so I won’t,” I say as Paige picks up two baby pieces and throws them at me.

“When are you all going to let that go?” she shouts at us all.

“Never,” we say at the same time.

We make it almost the entire way through the board, laughing and being delusional as we create fake versions of our lives. Paige has three kids—all girls. Hads ends up with one of each. Ella has two sons and two dogs, and I end up with two kids and a few cats. According to Ella, I have cat mom energy.

“I still can’t believe my mom is coming to my wedding. Little me dreamed of her being there, but I never thought we would be close enough for it to actually happen.” Paige smiles as she moves her car across the line for retirement.

“I'm really happy she’ll be here for you.” Hads grabs her hand.

“We’re glad she’s finally decided to show up for you,” Ella tells her. “You deserve the happiest wedding and life possible, Paige.”

“Oh, please.” Paige waves off all our comments.

“They’re right,” I say. “This is huge, and I’m excited she’s come to her senses and is trying to make up for lost time.” All my words come from my own experience, but I know how much Paige’s mom hurt her when she was a kid. We used to stay up late and talk about our respective families when we couldn't sleep.

She obviously had it way worse than I did, but she never judged me for saying what I did about my family. She never thought I was being dramatic when I said my family never really knew who I was, how I’ve spent my entire life running from them and their expectations.

“It’s all we really have when it comes down to it—time,” I say with a soft smile as I feel tears start to form.

“None of that anymore, please,” Hads says, her own voice strained. “We’ve all done enough crying for the past few days. Let's save our tears for the wedding. I’m sure we’re going to need them.”

“Everything is going to be perfect,” Ella says. “Your wedding is going to beperfect, Paige.”

“It’s already perfect,” she sniffles. “Because I’ve got you all around, my life is nothing short of perfect every single day.”

Hearing her say that makes my shoulders drop, my jaw unclench, and my bones settle. These girls are a once-in-a-lifetime group, and I’m somehow lucky enough to be part of it. I’ll never take that for granted ever again.

12

Best by Gracie Abrams

“ItwasHenry.”

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