Page 75 of Rewriting the Story

“I’m proud of you. The Amelia I knew in college would have run the opposite direction from a therapist's office. I know that was a big step for you. I can’t imagine what it must have felt like getting the diagnosis.”

“Part of me was relieved to have a name for it. I had been wrestling my own mind for my entire life. The last year has been a good step in the right direction.”

He smiles at me, one I’ve never seen before. It seems I’ve unlocked a new version of Henry. I try to take a mental picture of this moment, knowing I’m probably not going to get many more of them.

“That’s good, Amelia. Really good.”

“Thanks,” I say, taking another sip of my tea. “You know what I think about a lot?”

“What?”

“That maybe we were just too young back then. Maybe we met a bit too soon.”

He tilts his head at me. “Is that so?”

“Well, young and confused is still the story of my life, but when I think about the girl I used to be, I wish I could tell her so many things I know now.”

He clears his throat. “That’s the good thing about growing up.” He smiles to himself. “You’re always learning and growing through your experiences. You never have to know who you are so completely that you can’t change. You have a lifetime to figure out who you want to be and the life you want to live.”

I sit with his words for a moment. “Wow, that was beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

“You should be a writer or something.”

He laughs again, the sound music to my ears. “You always did believe I’d make something of myself.”

“Of course I did.” I still do. I still think he’s on his way to fame. The way he writes, the way he explains emotions, God, all of it—he’s talented. Anyone who reads a single page of what he wrote knows that.

“It just sucks that you could have been beside me for all of it like we planned.”

My eyes fill with tears at the picture coming together in my mind. Henry and I at an apartment that’s ours. Pages of his manuscript all over the bed as he watches me read it. Happiness. Pure happiness floats through my mind at what could have been.

“Henry, I—”

I hear him sniffle as he grabs his bag. “I have to go.” He doesn't even bother dusting the sand off himself before he walks away, getting smaller and smaller as he heads for the hotel.

27

I Told You Things by Gracie Abrams

Usgirlsgetreadyin Paige’s giant bathroom, music playing over her speaker as we all get ready for a night on the town. It feels like just yesterday the four of us were getting ready for some party or night out at the Hidden Bear back in college, when Ella used to drag us out of our dorms to socialize.

God, nostalgia has been punching me in the face all throughout this trip, and I can't believe Paige is getting married at the end of the week.

“Is another glass a good idea, Ames? We are going to a club, and I know drinks are expensive, but I’ve never seen you pregame so much,” Hads says as she notices my full glassagain.

“Drinking when you’re stressed about…” Paige pauses to think of the right words. “When you’re stressed about certain things is not the best idea.”

“Take it from me,” Ella says. “The first time I fucked Leo, I was tipsy, and I swear, he put some sort of horny spell on me. It was not my finest hour.”

The three of us look at her like she’s crazy, because we all know she loves the guy.

“Back then, it was,” she reiterates. “I almost missed my weekly coffee chat with Hads because I was too busy sleeping on his stupid chest.”

“Iknewit was Leo you had that regrettable hookup with, and now I wish I asked you more about it. I would have loved to know all the details back then. It would have been a great distraction from what was happening with Grant.” Hads swipes some blush onto her face, and the three of us look at her confused.

“It’s sparkling juice,” I tell them. “Ella grabbed some for me after I told you guys I was on medication.”

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