LOGINBefore the car door closed, he looked at me.“Have a safe trip, Mia.”I waved.“You too.”—When I got to the dorm, Mom pulled a box from the very bottom of my suitcase.It was packed with food.The crackers Nina had slipped in.An apple from the girl who used to collect our math homework.A bag of
My cousin immediately ducked under my arm.“I can eat two!”I snatched the wrap back.“You’re still growing, but you don’t need to grow into a ball.”Julian came back the next day.And the day after that.Sometimes he brought breakfast.Sometimes he helped Dad carry new deliveries into the stockroom
“I know.”“And I’m still not going to Boston with you.”“I know.”“We might go a long time without seeing each other after this.”“I know.”I couldn’t help looking at him.“Then what exactly are you trying to do?”Julian took one of the peaches out of the container.“Would you let me try to win you
I stared at the number for a long time.My first thought was to mourn the chicken leg on the floor.Then, belatedly, I burst into tears.Mom cried even harder than I did over video call.Dad walked around the entire grocery store holding up his phone and telling anyone who would listen,“My daughter
“It wasn’t just the peaches.”He went silent.Maybe he had finally realized it too.There were too many things to apologize for.So many that by the time my instructor called my name a third time, he still hadn’t figured out what to say next.Finally, he said quietly,“I’m sorry.“Can you come back?
I put my phone away and didn’t answer.Ten minutes later, the screen lit up again.'Mia, this joke isn’t funny.'I turned my phone off again.Not everyone had to believe me.My art teacher believed me.Mom and Dad believed me.I believed myself.That was enough.Summer break before senior year was s







