thing.</p>

”thebeer,ifherparentsarethere.”</p>

”yeah,buttherthoughtherparentsobethereall</p>

along,sorouble.besides,theyllstayinthe</p>

otherrooitbesobad.”</p>

”oh,yukyoureaspatheticaslydiais.”hingtosay</p>

aboutthat,shedeagutturalsound.”thisprosgoingtobe</p>

totallyb.iotsureitogo.”heforalong</p>

nute.”ean””iynotgo.”heshouldhave</p>

protested.ifithadbeenher,shethatwasasking</p>

toochofbrendan.instead,afteranothersilence,hesaid,”</p>

about””ithinkyoushouldtakejana,”shedecided.</p>

”youdo””yes.”shep.</p>

”youreallydonttogo””ireallydont.calljana.”he</p>

uldntthinkofathingtosaytothatbutaweak”oh.okay.see</p>

youtorroanthahungupthephoneandfud.shehadbeen</p>

,forlisandallnightpartiesandbeer.</p>

shehadbeentoazilliondances.ifshedthoughtthiso</p>

beanotherone,shedhaveboughtthedorkybluedressherfather</p>

liked.butthis.</p>

itobedifferent.</p>

<ou,brendaheroftheadanyguts.</p>

heroftheadasenseofadveheywerebigbabies.</p>

heonlyone</p>

shekneherperson.pigupthephone,she</p>

pressedinhisnuer.shekneany</p>

tis.</p>

before,shehadntdohingbutlistentohisvoice.</p>

herpulseracedetoheoeen</p>

yearold”lo””hi,teague.itssantha.youknothe</p>

sootharoundasle.”ithinkiknow</p>

santhafroheschoolbus,onlyshehashereallweek.</p>

””beensieup.hohings</p>

””betteoe.”she</p>

grinned.”iean,igotodad,ireally</p>

totakethebus,andhegoes,butitodriveyoursister,andshe</p>

stuthecar.”</p>

”hey.ontha</p>

said,feelingiortant.”sheeleone</p>

hither.thecarofftheroadahecliff.shewas</p>

undererfes.</p>

theygotherbreathingagain,butshesinaa,andtheydontknow</p>

ifshesgoingtoinuteanin</p>

herhospitalroo”</p>

”isitgross”santhastraightenedhershoulders.”itsactually</p>

fieraaesandtubes.they</p>

ustotalkhher,sothatsheysayshehearsus</p>

andthatifanythingbringherback,itsourvoices.”</p>

”ol.”</p>

”thethingisthativebeensoobsessedyndthehospital</p>

thatihavehinkingaboutanythingelse,butdadsaidthat</p>

togotoprotssaturdaynightnlyi</p>

haventaskeda.so.doyouthinktogoh</p>

”””herheartfell.</p>

teagueel.</p>

”itsatsurredandra,”butthethingisthatwe</p>

donthavetostaytherelong.ian,itsgoingtobeadulittle</p>

probutifthere,ithinkishouldgo.ihavea</p>

geousblaeoneage,</p>

w</p>

...</p>