Christina Lauren

“Favorite word?” he whispers.

I don’t even hesitate: “You.”

Angela I got to see every day at work, but Alice, whom I’d been best friends with since Jr. High, had

He’s engaged to Chloe’s friend, Alice, the one that works for Gucci

you’d dusted Evie for my fingerprints, she would’ve looked like a powdered doughnut.

But you’re nicer.”

That guy over there… It’s Elliot.”

This time, her “Oh” is meaningful

I exhaled, giving him a begrudging smile. “If we buy this house you can come over and read if you want.”

He grinned, so wide I could count his teeth. “Maybe all this time I was just getting it warmed up for you.”

He’s my person. He’s always been my person. My best friend, my confidant, probably the love of my life. And I’ve spent the last eleven years being angry and self-righteous. But at the end of the day, he tore a hole in us, and fate ripped it wide open

I could feel him looking up and watching me, tiny flashes of stolen glances.

I pretended I didn’t notice

And because when I find that book that makes me lose myself for just one hour, maybe more, I forget.

And because my dad thinks of Mom every time he buys me a book.

And because you’re here and I feel about a thousand times less lonely with you.