Chapter Twelve

The fire could not be contained. Firefighters dug trenches only to have flames fly overhead, singing as they danced out of reach and into the trees. The water sprayed from hoses, but the fire simply blazed higher. Mother Nature refused to cry, instead blowing hot wind across the arid landscape, feeding the fire.

***

The next two weeks were perfect. I lived on this wonderful high where everything seemed to be going my way. Andrew and I spent almost every day together, laughing, kissing, and daydreaming.

We started imagining what it would be like to go to go back to school, where we could be together without worrying about hurting our friends. My past felt so far behind me that it could never catch up. With Ray in the picture, Andrew's mom had almost stopped Andrew at work altogether. She was full of a self-confidence I had never seen, radiating happiness like a small sun.

With his mom finally behaving like an adult, I convinced Andrew to contact Colorado State University and tell them