Page 79 of Feels Like Falling

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VIENNA: I hate that promise

MONTANA: Please?

ASPEN: I hate it more when he says please. I’m picturing the puppy dog eyes.

VIENNA: That’s the worst

MONTANA: Say it

ASPEN: Promise.

VIENNA: Promise big brother.

I letmy phone drop down beside me and close my eyes, a headache creeping into my brain.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

JENSEN: Are you okay?

MASON: Shit man—after all that nice stuff I said about forever and stages of love and life

JENSEN: Too soon man

MASON: Shit sorry

MONTANA: Do I even want to know how you fools know something even happened?

ARCHER: Probably not

ARCHER: But also are you okay?

BODHI: I held them off as long as I could

That last messagehas the ghost of a smile gracing my lips. The levity is appreciated.

JENSEN: I’m the sheriff—I know everything

ARCHER: Your sister texted Bea

MONTANA: Figures. Traitors—both of them.

ARCHER: They’re just worried about you and so are we

MONTANA: You can’t be that worried it’s been like an hour

MONTANA: And we’re gonna be fine

JENSEN: Want me to ticket her dad? Jaywalking? Failure to stop at a stop sign?

MASON: Blackstone Falls has a Jaywalking statute?

JENSEN: Of course it does, don’t be ridiculous

MASON: Well, then you must be writing tickets all day because I saw at least fifteen chickens swerving all over the downtown

ARCHER: Jamison’s cows too

JENSEN: Stay out of it

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