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El último adiós de stella ESP - Película completa 🌹😢🌙
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00:06The summer I turned 18, Asher made me cross a line I could never take back.
00:10I bit my lip through the ache, glowing secretly all night,
00:13convinced that six long years of loving him from a distance had finally, finally paid off.
00:18Then the next morning, I heard his friend laughing outside the classroom door.
00:22Okay, okay. Got the nerd to give it up, huh?
00:25My face burned, and I turned to slip away before anyone saw me.
00:29I'm trying to get with Chloe, but she'd think I was too inexperienced.
00:33So I used Stella to get some practice in first.
00:35I didn't say a single word.
00:36I just quietly changed my college application from NYU to a school thousand miles away in California.
00:43His words hit me like a thunderclap out of a cloudless summer sky.
00:46No warning at all. My mind went completely blank.
00:49It was a scorching July afternoon, but I felt like ice was spreading through every inch of my body.
00:54The guys inside kept talking, pausing only for a half second before someone else piped up.
01:01Classic Ashen. Even Stella was just a warm-up for him.
01:04Everyone knows how hard it is to get into her pants.
01:09So what does that make her? Like, a practice dully?
01:13Asher just laughed it off.
01:16Relax. She got something out of it, too.
01:18I mean, Stella's cute and all, but compared to Chloe, yeah, no contest.
01:22Right.
01:24Asher threw a textbook at him to shut him up.
01:27It was just a vibe, okay? The moment happened, and honestly, she seemed like she was enjoying herself.
01:33The guys all exchanged knowing looks and started roasting him.
01:36Who knew the Bookberg was that freaky under all those cardigans?
01:40Bro, Asher's just built different.
01:42Why leave free food on the table, right?
01:44She's been chasing him for years.
01:46Technically, she got what she wanted.
01:47The laughter inside the room got noticeably louder.
01:51I pressed my teeth into my lower lips so hard I tasted copper.
01:54Both hands balled into white-knuckled fists.
01:57It took every single ounce of willpower I had to stay upright,
02:00to not just crumple right there in the doorway.
02:02Footsteps echoed down the hall toward me.
02:04I snapped back to reality and bolted,
02:07shoving my way blindly through the corridor.
02:09In my panic, I threw myself into the nearest bathroom stall
02:12and locked the door behind me.
02:18The tears came like a dam breaking.
02:20Grief and humiliation pouring out all at once.
02:23Asher's words played on a loop inside my head.
02:25Every single syllable.
02:27They shredded what little self-worth I had left.
02:29If I hadn't heard it with my own ears,
02:31I never could have believed that the guy talking in there
02:34was the same one who had held me like I was something precious just last night.
02:38Turns out you don't actually need to love someone to do that with them.
02:41Turns out you can look a girl dead in the eyes,
02:44make her feel everything,
02:46and still be lying through every single second of it.
02:49The thing I thought was my happily ever after
02:51was just a punchline someone else got to laugh at.
02:54The more I cried, the worse it got.
02:56But I couldn't make a sound.
02:58My whole body was shaking so hard I could barely breathe.
03:01A long time passed.
03:02My phone buzzed.
03:04It was Asher.
03:05Just grab an Uber back.
03:06My crew's got a party tonight, and it'd be awkward to bring you.
03:09I didn't reply.
03:10He sent a follow-up.
03:11Also, pick up a morning after pill yourself.
03:14I'm busy today.
03:15Don't forget to take it.
03:16Good girl.
03:16I stared at those two texts for a very, very long time without moving.
03:21From dusk until nearly sunrise,
03:23Asher had been relentless, like he had a point to prove.
03:26By the end, we were both completely wrecked,
03:28and right before he drifted off with his arms around me,
03:31he'd murmured the same thing twice.
03:33We weren't really prepared for your first time.
03:38I'll get you the pill first thing tomorrow morning.
03:41He'd even given me this little lecture about how girls needed to take care of themselves,
03:45said the morning-after pill was really important,
03:48and that skipping it could mess up my body.
03:50And I had actually thought,
03:51This is it.
03:52He's the one.
03:53He's being so responsible.
03:55I finally got my person.
03:57And now, the clarity hit me like a slap.
03:59I dug my nails into my own palm until the pain forced the tears to stop.
04:04I wiped my face,
04:06straightened my glasses,
04:07and walked out of that bathroom like nothing had happened.
04:10I was too embarrassed to go to a real pharmacy,
04:12so I ordered the pill online instead.
04:14When the delivery guy left the package at my door,
04:17I waited another long stretch before I could even bring myself to go get it.
04:21I swallowed it with a mouthful of my own tears,
04:23and then I just sat down on the floor,
04:26staring at nothing,
04:27completely empty.
04:31Ever since Asher's family had moved next door to mine,
04:34I'd trailed after him like a shadow,
04:36and that had been 10 years of my life.
04:38I had genuinely never stopped to think about what a world without him would even look like.
04:43I couldn't picture it,
04:44but starting right now,
04:45I was going to have to figure it out alone.
04:47Outside the floor-to-ceiling window,
04:49the neighborhood lights blinked on,
04:51one by one,
04:52and then off again.
04:53At some point,
04:54I really didn't know how long I'd been sitting there,
04:57Mia called me on FaceTime.
05:10In the dark corner of the VIP booth,
05:14Asher and Chloe were sitting so close together,
05:16their thighs were touching.
05:17Chloe had worn a crop top and a curve-hugging miniskirt,
05:21long tan legs,
05:22tiny waist.
05:23Even the way they were talking looked more like whispering secrets than having a conversation.
05:28I could feel the charged energy between them through the screen.
05:31Something in my chest locked up.
05:33He'd only said he wanted to chase her this afternoon,
05:35and apparently,
05:37tonight was all the time he needed.
05:39The game switched to truth or dare,
05:41and Chloe drew a card that said,
05:45Do a push-up challenge with a guy hovering over me.
05:50Predictably,
05:51Asher volunteered before anyone else could open their mouth.
05:54Chloe blushed bright pink and lay back against the couch cushions.
05:57Asher planted his hands on either side of her.
06:00He was controlled the whole time,
06:02deliberately keeping his body from making contact with hers,
06:05until the very last one.
06:07His arms gave out,
06:08and his entire weight came down directly on top of her.
06:11The room erupted.
06:13Everyone screaming so loud,
06:15the walls practically shook.
06:16Asher's and Chloe's faces went even redder.
06:19With the whole crowd going absolutely feral around them,
06:22Asher just tilted his head down and kissed her.
06:24Not a quick peck,
06:25a full, deep,
06:27for the whole room to see kiss.
06:29Three full minutes before they finally pulled apart.
06:31For all three of those minutes,
06:33I sat completely frozen,
06:35eyes locked on the screen,
06:36barely remembering to breathe.
06:38I wanted to cry so badly.
06:41Oh my god,
06:42Stella,
06:42did you see that?
06:44He literally kissed her in front of everyone.
06:46He is so into her.
06:49Mia shook her head and stepped out of the booth,
06:51turning the camera as she went.
06:52Don't be mad at me.
06:53If I hadn't shown you,
06:55you never would have let yourself move on.
06:57I'm not mad at you.
06:59I'm only mad at myself for wasting so many years.
07:02I had always assumed that the spot beside Asher was mine,
07:05that it would always be mine.
07:07I am so done with him,
07:08Stella.
07:08Who does he think he is,
07:10watching you love him for years,
07:11acting all innocent like he had no idea,
07:12just letting you fall deeper and deeper?
07:14You saw what I showed you.
07:16I'm not giving myself the chance.
07:18Mia,
07:19I've already decided I'm going to California with you.
07:22But you have to promise me you'll keep it quiet for now.
07:25Right after I said it,
07:26I flipped open my laptop right in front of her.
07:29Without a single second of hesitation,
07:31I changed my first choice school to the one in California,
07:34one minute before the deadline.
07:36Mia basically levitated off the ground.
07:38She'd been begging me for months to apply to the same school as her.
07:42But back when we started high school,
07:44Asher and I had made this pact.
07:45We'd work hard together and go to his dream school up in Boston after graduation.
07:50It had his aerospace engineering program,
07:52the one he'd been obsessed with since we were kids.
07:55So even though I didn't particularly love the idea of brutal winters,
07:58and even though that school was a technical institute that didn't even have my major,
08:02I'd spent three years treating it like my only option.
08:06Our families had lived next door to each other for so long
08:09that both sets of parents thought it was basically a done deal we'd end up at the same school.
08:13Everyone, including me,
08:15assumed Asher and I would just naturally become official once we got to college.
08:19But right now,
08:20I couldn't think of a single reason to still go to Boston.
08:23Because honestly,
08:24after today,
08:25if I kept following Asher around the way I always had,
08:28I would never be able to look myself in the mirror again.
08:31I just needed to go somewhere far away.
08:33It didn't even matter where,
08:35as long as he wasn't there.
08:36He was going east,
08:37so I was going west.
08:39Before bed,
08:40I filled the entire bathtub.
08:42I needed to scrub every inch of myself clean.
08:45But when I took off my clothes,
08:46the bruises on my skin were still so vivid,
08:49it made me flinch.
08:51The memories from last night rushed back before I could stop them.
08:54The burning heat of his skin pressed against mine.
08:57The sound of his breath ragged and warm against my ear.
09:01The ghost of it all still seemed to linger in the air around me.
09:04I shook my head hard,
09:06physically trying to shake myself free of it.
09:08Then,
09:08I grabbed the roughest loofah I owned
09:10and scrubbed myself raw,
09:12over and over,
09:14until my whole body was flushed pink from singing.
09:17I was trying,
09:18clumsily,
09:19desperately,
09:20to erase what was officially the worst night of my entire life.
09:24The result was that the pain kept me awake the whole night
09:27anyway.
09:28Asher didn't text.
09:29For the first time in six years,
09:31ever since we both got phones,
09:33we didn't say goodnight to each other.
09:34That was fine.
09:35It was going to happen eventually anyway.
09:37Tonight was as good a time as any to start letting go.
09:40I didn't fall asleep until just before sunrise,
09:43drifting in and out of exhaustion.
09:45Early the next morning,
09:47while I was still buried in sleep,
09:48I felt,
09:49in that foggy space between dream and awake,
09:52the soft press of lips against my forehead.
09:55I jolted awake.
09:56The first thing my eyes landed on was a jaw I knew too well,
10:00and the soft dip of a throat right above me.
10:02The scent hit me next.
10:04Cedarwood.
10:04That cologne he always wore.
10:06And underneath it,
10:07the faintest trace of something new.
10:09Something citrusy that wasn't his.
10:11Right.
10:12I'd completely forgotten that Asher still knew my front door code.
10:16Seeing me awake,
10:17he shifted lower
10:18and tilted his face down toward my lips.
10:20I shoved him back with both hands
10:22and scrambled to the far edge of the bed.
10:24He blinked,
10:24then let out a short laugh like I'd surprised him.
10:29Since when are you shy?
10:31I didn't answer.
10:32I just yanked the blanket over my head
10:34and disappeared under it.
10:35Asher started talking.
10:39Stella, seriously.
10:40You didn't say goodnight,
10:41you turned your phone off
10:42and now you're hiding under a blanket?
10:45Still avoiding me?
10:46Then he just lifted the blanket
10:48and slid himself right in.
10:51Hey, how many times have I told you
10:53you can't skip breakfast?
10:55I ran half a mile to get you those croissants
10:58from your favorite place
10:59and I stood in line forever.
11:01Wanna get up and eat now?
11:03Or get eaten?
11:07Reality crashed back in
11:09and I fought like my life depended on it.
11:11But I'm 5'2 in sneakers
11:12and Asher is literally 6'2 of solid muscle.
11:16I honestly could not figure out
11:17what game he was playing.
11:18He had Chloe now,
11:19so what was he even doing in my bed?
11:22I tried to push him away
11:23only to be held even tighter.
11:25Let go of me!
11:27After what felt like forever
11:28of thrashing around,
11:30I was panting
11:30and had accomplished nothing
11:32except being held even tighter.
11:34What's the tantrum about?
11:36You're mad because I didn't bring you
11:38to the party last night?
11:39Over something that small?
11:41I said nothing.
11:41He buried his face
11:43in the curve of my neck
11:44and actually laughed.
11:45Let me guess.
11:47Mia told you something?
11:48It was a party game, Stella.
11:50Is it really worth getting jealous over?
11:52You're doing that thing you always do.
11:55I get slightly close to another girl
11:57and you go all silent and sulky.
11:59I was so furious
12:01I couldn't even form a sentence.
12:02I dredged up something
12:03from a self-defense unit in gym class,
12:06snapped my knee up hard between us,
12:07and the second he doubled over,
12:09I launched myself out of that bed.
12:11Stella.
12:12Asher's jaw went tight,
12:13his whole face going red.
12:15I grabbed a hoodie off the floor
12:16and yanked it on over my pajamas.
12:19I did not want to be in any room with him
12:22and especially not my bedroom.
12:33Hey, you took that pill yesterday, right?
12:36Because I really don't need that kind of drama
12:37and I definitely don't want to have
12:39that conversation with your parents.
12:48Come on, be reasonable.
12:50Eat something before you pick a fight.
12:57Come on, be reasonable.
13:04What is actually going on?
13:07Stella, even a tantrum needs a reason.
13:09There have to be some limits here.
13:11I kept my voice ice cold and set it flat.
13:14I don't deserve to have any say.
13:17Asher snapped.
13:18He slammed the cup down on the coffee table
13:20so hard it cracked.
13:22The plastic split
13:23and the smoothie spilled out in a wave,
13:25soaking into the rug.
13:26What is that supposed to mean?
13:29Who do you think you are, Stella?
13:32Who do you think you are?
13:36We slept together once.
13:37It was consensual.
13:39And now you think you own me?
13:41Do you know how suffocating that is?
13:44His voice had a viciousness to it
13:46I had never heard before.
13:47The second he finished speaking,
13:49my eyes flooded.
13:50No warning, no buildup,
13:52just instant tears.
13:54Yesterday's humiliation
13:55came crashing back,
13:56hitting me all over again
13:57like a fresh wound.
13:59Asher clearly hadn't expected me
14:01to cry this hard this fast.
14:02He looked genuinely thrown,
14:04scrambling for what to do.
14:05He crouched down and said he was sorry.
14:08I'm sorry.
14:09I drank too much last night
14:11and I was out of line just now.
14:12He reached out to wipe my face,
14:14but I twisted away,
14:15putting distance between us.
14:16His hand froze in midair,
14:18hovering there.
14:18He opened his mouth to keep trying,
14:20but his phone buzzed.
14:21He glanced at the screen once
14:23and his entire expression shifted
14:25and he stood up
14:26and moved toward the door.
14:27I've got something urgent.
14:28Take a minute to calm down.
14:30We're going to college soon.
14:32You can't keep throwing fits
14:34like a little kid.
14:35Who's going to put up with that?
14:42He hadn't been gone 30 minutes
14:44when Mia sent me a screenshot.
14:46Chloe's Instagram story
14:47just said I'm hungry
14:49and breakfast appeared like magic.
14:51Pretty sure this is mutual now
14:52with a little heart.
14:53The photo was of the exact same croissants
14:56that were sitting on my kitchen counter.
14:58I didn't respond.
14:59I just quietly wiped my eyes,
15:01got on my hands and knees
15:02and started cleaning up the smoothie
15:04Asher had spilled.
15:05I scrubbed for a long time
15:07before I accepted
15:08with a hollow feeling in my chest
15:10that the stain had soaked
15:11all the way through the wool rug
15:12and wasn't coming out.
15:14So I just threw the whole rug in the trash.
15:16It didn't matter anyway.
15:18That rug was something
15:19Asher and his parents
15:20had spent an entire afternoon
15:21picking out on a family trip
15:23and he'd lugged it home
15:24in his carry-on himself.
15:25Then I went through everything else.
15:27Every single thing
15:29Asher had ever left at my place.
15:31Every gift he'd given me over the years.
15:33Every photo of the two of us.
15:34Every small souvenir and keepsake.
15:37It took the rest of the day
15:38but I packed every last bit of it up
15:40and threw it all out.
15:45I doubted he'd want any of it back anyway.
15:47After he left that day
15:48the silence stretched.
15:50Days went by
15:51and he didn't reach out at all.
15:52Things with Chloe were probably going great.
15:54Or maybe he was waiting for me
15:56to be the one who caved first.
15:57In every fight we'd ever had
15:59I was always the one who broke first.
16:01Every single time.
16:03No exceptions.
16:04But this time I didn't go looking for him
16:06and I didn't have any reason to.
16:07I blocked him on everything.
16:09Text all social media,
16:11changed my front door code
16:12and deleted every account
16:13he might use to find me.
16:15After that
16:15I called my parents
16:17who are both traveling for work.
16:18I told them I wanted to spend the summer
16:20visiting my aunt
16:21on the other side of the country.
16:22My plan was to stay there
16:24until school started
16:25then head straight to California with Mia
16:27instead of coming home.
16:28Other than Mia
16:29no one else knew yet
16:30that I'd changed my application.
16:32This plan should work perfectly.
16:34There was basically zero chance
16:36I'd run into Asher
16:37if I pulled this off right.
16:38My mom actually laughed over the phone.
16:42Ooh, so you and Ashler
16:44are taking a vacation together?
16:46I made up a quick excuse
16:47and didn't go into detail.
16:48I just told her I wanted to visit
16:50my aunt and grandma.
16:51I begged my dad to book me
16:52the first available flight
16:54and I was ready to leave
16:55that same night.
16:56Of course
16:57because the universe has no chill
16:59I ran into Asher's mom
17:00right at our front door
17:02on my way out.
17:03She grabbed my arm warmly
17:04and started chattering.
17:06Stella, honey
17:07where's Asher?
17:08He's not coming to pick you up?
17:09Didn't he say he was taking you
17:11on that ski trip?
17:13Go have fun.
17:15I am 100% behind you two.
17:18I was confused.
17:19I had mentioned once
17:21during senior year
17:22that I'd always wanted
17:23to try skiing in Colorado
17:24just offhand.
17:26But given everything
17:27that had happened between us
17:28the idea of going on a trip together
17:30seemed completely impossible.
17:32I was running out of time though
17:34so I said something vague
17:35and non-committal
17:36and slipped away.
17:37What I never expected
17:38was that at the airport
17:39I would come face to face
17:41with Asher.
17:44He was with a group of friends.
17:46Chloe was there too.
17:47Asher had her designer bag
17:48in one hand
17:49and his other arm
17:50slung around her shoulder.
17:51They were trailing
17:52at the back of the group.
17:53Every so often
17:54Chloe would lean her head
17:55toward him to say something
17:57and every single time
17:58without any hesitation
18:00he would bend down to listen.
18:02He never did that with me.
18:03Asher had always been taller than me
18:05and the gap had only gotten bigger
18:07over the years.
18:08When it was the two of us
18:09I was always the one
18:10bouncing on my toes
18:11craning my neck up
18:12just to catch his eyes.
18:14Turns out
18:14for the right person
18:15he would be the one who bends.
18:18I breathed in slowly.
18:19I told myself
18:20I needed to have
18:21some dignity about this.
18:23Whatever he did
18:23was none of my business.
18:25If I let myself overthink it
18:26I deserve to be slapped.
18:28But there seemed to be
18:29only one path to the gate.
18:31All I could do
18:31was stay far enough behind
18:33that he wouldn't notice me.
18:34By some miracle
18:35we eventually reached a fork
18:37in the terminal
18:38where the path split.
18:39Asher seemed to get
18:40distracted around then.
18:41He made a bunch of calls
18:42none of which seemed to go through
18:44and then spent a long time
18:45staring at his phone.
18:47Eventually
18:47he borrowed someone else's phone
18:49his face dark and unreadable
18:50and disappeared
18:51into a nearby bathroom.
18:53A moment later
18:54my phone rang
18:55unknown number.
18:57So you've got a real attitude
18:59on you this time.
19:00You're just not going to
19:01come to me first?
19:02You actually blocked me?
19:05Fine.
19:06Keep it up.
19:06See how great you do
19:08when we're both in Boston
19:09and you don't know anyone
19:10and there's no one
19:10to look out for you.
19:11Asher came out swinging
19:12rattling off complaints
19:14in one long
19:15irritated breath.
19:16I had absolutely
19:17nothing to say
19:18to any of that
19:19but Asher seemed
19:20to get angrier
19:21at my silence.
19:22I'm done talking
19:23about this
19:23just unblock me.
19:25I'm heading out
19:26of the country
19:26for a couple days
19:27with some friends
19:28probably won't
19:29have great reception.
19:32Don't get all
19:33weepy about it.
19:34I couldn't even
19:35be bothered
19:35to say a single
19:36word back.
19:37I hung up
19:37and turned
19:38my phone off.
19:39From across
19:39the terminal
19:40I watched Asher
19:41stalk back to his group
19:42his expression
19:43stormy.
19:44He grabbed
19:45Chloe's hand
19:45didn't hesitate
19:46for a second
19:47and walked
19:48toward the left gate.
19:49I let out
19:49a long breath
19:50turned around
19:51and headed right.
19:54With my family
19:55I performed
19:56happiness
19:56and honestly
19:57I got pretty
19:58good at it.
19:59I deliberately
19:59kept myself
20:00slammed with plans
20:01filling every
20:02gap in the day
20:03so I had no
20:04room to spiral.
20:05I definitely
20:05didn't add Asher
20:06back the way
20:07he demanded
20:08but Mia
20:08and some others
20:09kept me updated
20:10on his life
20:11anyway.
20:11Asher and his
20:12friends had
20:13apparently been
20:13screaming Colorado
20:14for days.
20:15For some reason
20:16he was suddenly
20:17posting on social
20:18media every
20:18single day
20:19which was
20:20completely unlike
20:21the version of him
20:22who used to go
20:22months without
20:23posting anything.
20:24Sometimes it was
20:25slow motion clips
20:26of him carving
20:27down the slopes.
20:28Sometimes it was
20:28food and late
20:29night parties
20:30but mostly it was
20:31big group shots
20:32of everyone
20:32clowning around
20:33in the snow
20:34even though I
20:35genuinely didn't
20:36want to see it.
20:37Somehow people
20:37kept sending it
20:38to me unprompted.
20:39Everyone was
20:40very casually
20:41curious about
20:42why I hadn't
20:42gone with Asher.
20:43I didn't know
20:44what to say
20:44so I just told
20:45people I had
20:46family stuff going
20:47on.
20:48Mia was the
20:48only one who
20:49openly called him
20:50a trash human.
20:51Everyone else
20:51around me
20:52seemed to be
20:52constantly stopping
20:53themselves from
20:54saying something.
20:55I knew
20:55they'd probably
20:56figured out
20:57something was
20:57wrong.
20:59In every single
21:00group photo
21:01Asher posted
21:02he and Chloe
21:02were glued together
21:03inseparable
21:04but that spot
21:05beside him
21:06had been mine
21:06for years
21:07just mine.
21:08Every time I
21:09saw one of those
21:09photos my face
21:10stayed completely
21:11neutral but
21:12something deep
21:13in my chest
21:13would clench.
21:14He was the
21:14first person
21:15I ever fell for
21:16someone I had
21:17genuinely
21:17completely
21:19embarrassingly
21:19loved for
21:20such a long
21:21time.
21:21In the middle
21:22of the night
21:22alone I would
21:23fall apart a
21:24little and
21:25sometimes I felt
21:25this stubborn
21:26stupid feeling
21:27that I wasn't
21:28ready to let go
21:29but every time
21:30that feeling
21:30started rising
21:31I'd replay his
21:32words and give
21:33myself a mental
21:34slap.
21:34I'd repeat it
21:35to myself over
21:36and over
21:36Stella don't
21:38be pathetic
21:38that's the
21:39fastest way
21:39to make yourself
21:40even less
21:41worth respecting
21:41just hold on
21:42a little longer
21:43once the detox
21:44period was over
21:45everything would
21:46be fine
21:46we went a full
21:47month without
21:48any contact
21:49the longest we'd
21:50ever gone since
21:50the day we met
21:51distance and time
21:52turned out to be
21:53the best medicine
21:54I ground through
21:55the worst of it
21:55and came out
21:56the other side
21:57just when I'd
21:58reached the point
21:58where I didn't
21:59think about him
21:59every hour of
22:00every day
22:01he switched to
22:02a new number
22:02and called me
22:03from across the
22:04country
22:07so you're just
22:08that bold
22:09running off
22:10without me
22:10and staying
22:11this long
22:13summer's almost
22:13over Stella
22:16did you forget
22:16you promised
22:17to go on a
22:17trip with me
22:18maybe it was
22:19because we'd
22:19gone so long
22:20without talking
22:21but underneath
22:22all the complaints
22:23his voice had
22:24this edge to it
22:25almost careful
22:26I still didn't
22:26want to talk to
22:27him
22:27I was about to
22:28hang up when
22:29his mom snatched
22:30the phone
22:30Stella
22:31sweetheart
22:32are you having
22:33fun out there
22:34this boy won't
22:35tell me anything
22:36I only just found
22:37out you two had
22:38a fight
22:39don't be too
22:40hard on him
22:40honey
22:41when you come
22:42back
22:42I'll make him
22:43apologize to
22:44your face
22:45oh and Ashler
22:46just got his
22:47acceptance letter
22:47today
22:48yours should come
22:49soon too
22:49have you thought
22:51about when you'll
22:51come home for
22:52your going away
22:53party
22:54I've got a little
22:55surprise planned
22:56Asher's mom had
22:57been like a second
22:58family to me
22:58since I was little
22:59I couldn't bring
23:00myself to hang
23:01up on her
23:01so I stayed on
23:02and let her talk
23:03I'm not really
23:04planning to have
23:04a party
23:05my parents are
23:06always traveling
23:07and honestly
23:08we can just do
23:09a video call
23:09thing with family
23:10I probably won't
23:11be back before
23:12school starts
23:13anyway
23:13I'll just come
23:14home right before
23:15move in
23:15I didn't even
23:16finish the sentence
23:17before Asher took
23:18the phone back
23:18his breathing was
23:19heavy
23:20I could feel
23:20the anger
23:21coming through
23:21from 3,000
23:23miles away
23:25Stella
23:26I'm literally
23:27the one reaching
23:27out first here
23:28how much longer
23:29are you going
23:30to keep this up
23:31if you don't
23:32come back
23:32don't expect
23:33me to wait
23:33for you
23:34I'll head
23:35to Boston
23:35without you
23:36he delivered
23:37the threat
23:37in this cold
23:38flat voice
23:39waited
23:40and waited
23:41without getting
23:42the answer
23:42he wanted
23:43my acceptance
23:43letter had
23:44already arrived
23:45at home
23:45when they saw
23:46the school name
23:47on the letter
23:47my parents
23:48finally found out
23:49I'd changed
23:50my application
23:51my mom video
23:52called me
23:52hi baby
23:54why didn't you
23:54talk to us
23:55before changing
23:56your application
23:57does Asher know
23:58his mom called
23:59this morning
24:00asking if your
24:01letter had come
24:01yet
24:02I had no words
24:07baby
24:07how are we supposed
24:08to feel okay
24:09about you going
24:09all the way
24:09to California
24:10alone
24:10aren't you
24:11the kid
24:12who's terrified
24:12of bugs
24:13and can't
24:14handle heat
24:15you really
24:16think you
24:16can manage
24:17don't call
24:17me to come
24:18deal with it
24:18for you
24:19that school
24:20has a lot
24:20to offer
24:21and Mia
24:22will be going
24:22there too
24:23you don't
24:24have to worry
24:25is this about
24:25a fight
24:26with Asher
24:27because
24:28that's not
24:29a reason
24:29to switch
24:29schools
24:30across the
24:30country
24:32what if
24:33you change
24:33your mind
24:34in a week
24:34and want
24:35him back
24:35then what
24:36it's
24:37heart your
24:37caption
24:37I just
24:39decided
24:39to say
24:40it straight
24:41Asher has
24:42a girlfriend
24:43mom
24:44dad
24:44I have
24:46my own
24:46life
24:47and I
24:47don't want
24:48to just
24:48orbit around
24:49his forever
24:50so please
24:51support my
24:52choice
24:52and please
24:53keep it
24:53between us
24:54for now
24:55my parents
24:56looked at
24:56each other
24:57for a long
24:57time
24:58without speaking
24:59the only thing
25:00they asked
25:00was that
25:01I come
25:01home
25:01sooner
25:02rather
25:02than
25:03later
25:03school
25:03was
25:04starting
25:04soon
25:04and
25:05they
25:05wanted
25:05time
25:06with
25:06me
25:06my mom
25:07mentioned
25:07that
25:07Asher
25:07had
25:08gone
25:08off
25:08on
25:08another
25:08trip
25:09with
25:09friends
25:09the very
25:10next
25:10day
25:10after
25:11getting
25:11his
25:11acceptance
25:11letter
25:12he'd been
25:12gone
25:13for days
25:13his mom
25:14was
25:14apparently
25:15calling
25:15my mom
25:16regularly
25:16asking
25:17when I
25:17was flying
25:18back
25:18on the
25:19day
25:19I
25:19landed
25:19my
25:20parents
25:20showed
25:20up
25:20at
25:20the
25:21airport
25:21dressed
25:21like
25:22they
25:22were
25:22going
25:22somewhere
25:22formal
25:23I
25:23woke
25:23up
25:24from
25:24my
25:24nap
25:24on
25:24the
25:24drive
25:25I
25:25realized
25:26they'd
25:26pulled
25:27up
25:27to
25:27a
25:27five
25:28star
25:28hotel
25:28I
25:29was
25:29still
25:29half
25:29asleep
25:30when
25:30my
25:30mom
25:31grabbed
25:31my
25:31arm
25:32and
25:32steered
25:32me
25:32through
25:33the
25:33lobby
25:33and
25:33right
25:34there
25:34standing
25:35in
25:35the
25:35middle
25:35of
25:35it
25:36was
25:36Asher
25:36who
25:37I
25:37hadn't
25:37seen
25:38in
25:38months
25:38my
25:39feet
25:39stopped
25:40moving
25:40on
25:41their
25:41own
25:41Asher
25:42was
25:42in a
25:42perfectly
25:43fitted
25:43black
25:43suit
25:44leaning
25:44casually
25:45beside
25:45the
25:45lobby
25:46fountain
25:53of
25:54him
25:54I
25:54used
25:54to
25:54imagine
25:55when
25:55I
25:55tried
25:56to
25:56picture
25:56him
25:56grown
25:56up
25:57something
25:57complicated
25:58twisted
25:58in
25:59my
25:59chest
25:59I'd
26:00avoided
26:00this
26:00moment
26:00for
26:01months
26:01and
26:01now
26:01here
26:02it
26:02was
26:02sprung
26:03on
26:03me
26:03with
26:03no
26:03warning
26:04Asher
26:19seemed
26:19to
26:20sense
26:20something
26:20because
26:21right
26:21then
26:21he
26:22casually
26:22glanced
26:23over
26:23and
26:23his
26:23gaze
26:24landed
26:24directly
26:25on
26:25mine
26:25my
26:26heart
26:26lurched
26:27sideways
26:27still
26:28felt
26:28like
26:28the
26:28floor
26:29dropped
26:29out
26:29but
26:30Asher
26:30moved
26:30first
26:31he
26:31took
26:31one
26:32step
26:32toward
26:32us
26:32and
26:33then
26:33Chloe
26:33appeared
26:33out
26:34of
26:34nowhere
26:34and
26:35slipped
26:35her
26:35arm
26:35through
26:35his
26:36she
26:36pulled
26:37him
26:37along
26:37with
26:37her
26:37smiling
26:38wide
26:39and
26:39walked
26:39right
26:40over
26:40to
26:40us
26:40oh
26:42my
26:42gosh
26:42Stella
26:43you're
26:43back
26:44I've
26:44been
26:45wanting
26:45to
26:45properly
26:45meet
26:46you
26:46forever
26:47I
26:48always
26:48saw
26:49you
26:49around
26:49with
26:49Asher
26:51I'm
26:51from
26:51the
26:51AP
26:52track
26:52so
26:52we
26:53never
26:53officially
26:53met
26:54and
26:55I'm
26:56genuinely
26:56sad
26:57about
26:57that
26:58yeah
26:59Asher
26:59looked
27:00vaguely
27:00uncomfortable
27:00why
27:01would
27:01you
27:01want
27:01to
27:02get
27:02to
27:02know
27:02her
27:03she's
27:03just
27:04a
27:04drama
27:04queen
27:05who
27:05throws
27:05fits
27:06I
27:07honestly
27:07thought
27:08she'd
27:08stayed
27:08in her
27:08aunt
27:09state
27:09forever
27:09the
27:10world
27:10will
27:10keep
27:11on
27:11turning
27:11and
27:11your
27:12name
27:12will
27:12be
27:12forgotten
27:12I
27:13had
27:13nothing
27:14to
27:14say
27:14to
27:14that
27:14there
27:15was
27:15genuinely
27:15no
27:16response
27:16Chloe's
27:17silver
27:17bodycon
27:18dress
27:18was
27:19covered
27:19in
27:19tiny
27:19crystals
27:20that
27:20caught
27:20every
27:21bit
27:21of
27:21light
27:21in
27:22the
27:22room
27:22I
27:22glanced
27:22down
27:23at
27:23myself
27:23white
27:24tea
27:24jeans
27:25sneakers
27:25hair
27:26that
27:26still
27:26had
27:26a
27:26slight
27:27slept
27:27on
27:27way
27:27from
27:28the
27:28plane
27:28I
27:29looked
27:29like
27:29I'd
27:29made
27:29a
27:29wrong
27:30turn
27:30on
27:30the
27:30way
27:30to
27:30a
27:31convenience
27:31store
27:31I
27:32brought
27:32a
27:32dress
27:32for
27:32you
27:33baby
27:33you
27:33can
27:33go
27:33change
27:34in
27:34the
27:34powder
27:34room
27:34I
27:35nodded
27:35then
27:35shook
27:36my
27:36head
27:36there
27:37was
27:37no
27:37point
27:37this
27:38wasn't
27:38my
27:38party
27:39Asher
27:39kept
27:39staring
27:40at
27:40me
27:40with
27:40this
27:40unreadable
27:41expression
27:42Chloe's
27:42eyes
27:43kept
27:43flicking
27:43back
27:43and
27:44forth
27:44between
27:44the
27:44two
27:45of
27:45us
27:45luckily
27:46a
27:46few
27:46more
27:46guests
27:46arrived
27:47just
27:47then
27:47and
27:48Chloe
27:48immediately
27:49pulled
27:49Asher
27:49over
27:50to
27:50greet
27:50them
27:50like
27:51she
27:51was
27:51already
27:51the
27:52hostess
27:52mom
27:52let's
27:53go
27:53in
27:53I'm
27:53a
27:53little
27:54hungry
27:56it
27:57was
27:57a
27:57small
27:57gathering
27:58Asher
27:58had
27:58only
27:59invited
27:59close
27:59family
28:00and
28:00a
28:00handful
28:00of
28:01friends
28:01every
28:01single
28:02person
28:02I
28:02knew
28:03looked
28:03visibly
28:03shocked
28:04when
28:04they
28:04saw
28:05me
28:05walk
28:05in
28:05I
28:06just
28:06smiled
28:06and
28:07said
28:07hello
28:07and
28:07acted
28:08like
28:21I
28:27why
28:28is
28:28she
28:28here
28:28did
28:28she
28:28come
28:28crawling
28:29back
28:30she's
28:31just
28:31quick
28:31tempered
28:32and
28:32in
28:32a
28:32mood
28:32she
28:32always
28:33comes
28:33around
28:33after
28:33a
28:33couple
28:34of
28:34days
28:34we've
28:34known
28:34each
28:34other
28:35our
28:35whole
28:35lives
28:35she's
28:35not
28:36actually
28:36gonna
28:36cut
28:36me
28:36off
28:37I
28:37mean
28:37Stella's
28:38genuinely
28:38great
28:38she's
28:39been
28:39ride
28:39or
28:39died
28:39for
28:39you
28:39for
28:40years
28:40all
28:40of
28:40us
28:40are
28:40low-key
28:41jealous
28:41of
28:41how
28:41she
28:41treats
28:42you
28:42but
28:42like
28:43one
28:43is
28:43your
28:43best
28:44friend
28:45honestly
28:45Stella's
28:46amazing
28:46but
28:47it
28:47also
28:47feels
28:48kind
28:48of
28:49limiting
28:49I'm
28:50young
28:50I
28:50don't
28:50want
28:50to
28:51only
28:51ever
28:51have
28:51one
28:51person
28:52that's
28:52too
28:53predictable
28:53I
28:54need
28:54to
28:54see
28:54what
28:54else
28:54is
28:54out
28:55there
28:55but
28:56that
28:56doesn't
28:56mean
28:56anything
28:56has
28:57to
28:57end
28:57as
28:57long
28:57as
28:58I
28:58know
28:58there's
28:58always
28:58a
28:58light
28:59on
28:59at
28:59home
28:59for
28:59me
29:01you're
29:01such
29:01a
29:01player
29:02I'd
29:02heard
29:02enough
29:03I
29:03backed
29:03away
29:04as
29:04quietly
29:04as
29:05could
29:05the
29:05evening
29:06breeze
29:06hit
29:06my
29:07face
29:07and
29:07I
29:07felt
29:08my
29:08eyes
29:08go
29:08hot
29:09I
29:09just
29:09hated
29:10myself
29:10for
29:10spending
29:11so
29:11many
29:11years
29:12being
29:12blind
29:12to
29:13who
29:13he
29:13actually
29:14was
29:14I
29:15was
29:15in
29:16absolutely
29:16the
29:17worst
29:17mood
29:17of the
29:18entire
29:18summer
29:19but
29:19Asher's
29:20mom
29:20was
29:20thrilled
29:21to
29:21see
29:21me
29:21and
29:22spent
29:22most
29:22of
29:23dinner
29:23doting
29:23on
29:23me
29:24refusing
29:24to
29:24let
29:24go
29:25of
29:25my
29:25hand
29:25Stella
29:26Boston
29:26can
29:27get
29:27really
29:27dry
29:27in
29:28winter
29:28let
29:29Asher
29:29take
29:29your
29:29shopping
29:30tomorrow
29:30and
29:30stock
29:31up
29:31on
29:31some
29:31good
29:31moisturizers
29:32oh
29:32it's
29:33fine
29:33there
29:33are
29:34plenty
29:34of
29:34shops
29:34out
29:34there
29:35and
29:35online
29:35shopping
29:36is
29:36so
29:36easy
29:36she
29:37nodded
29:37warmly
29:37and
29:38turned
29:38to
29:38my
29:38mom
29:38I
29:39already
29:39picked
29:40out
29:40all
29:40the
29:40bedding
29:41for
29:41the
29:41dorms
29:41got a
29:42set
29:42for
29:42Asher
29:43and
29:43one
29:43for
29:43Stella
29:43at
29:44the
29:44same
29:44time
29:44all
29:44four
29:45seasons
29:45covered
29:45Boston
29:46winters
29:46are
29:47brutal
29:47I
29:48went
29:48with
29:48really
29:48thick
29:49comforters
29:49and
29:50got
29:50a
29:50few
29:50winter
29:50coats
29:51for
29:51Stella
29:51too
29:51don't
29:52you
29:52worry
29:52about
29:52a
29:53thing
29:53my
29:53mom
29:54made
29:54a
29:54face
29:54like
29:54she'd
29:55swallowed
29:55something
29:55all of
29:56that
29:56would
29:56be
29:57completely
29:57useless
29:58in
29:58California
29:58but
29:59she
29:59didn't
29:59want
29:59to
29:59embarrass
30:00anyone
30:00so
30:01she
30:01thanked
30:01her
30:01graciously
30:02Chloe
30:02sitting
30:03nearby
30:03looked
30:04like
30:04she
30:19threw
30:20a
30:20glance
30:20my
30:20way
30:20with
30:21zero
30:21expression
30:23she
30:23doesn't
30:23need
30:24anyone
30:24to
30:24look
30:24after
30:24her
30:25she's
30:25perfectly
30:25capable
30:26of
30:26flying
30:26on
30:26her
30:26own
30:27the
30:27table
30:27got
30:28a
30:28little
30:28stiff
30:28and
30:29that's
30:29when
30:29Chloe
30:29smoothly
30:30cut
30:30in
30:30oh
30:31don't
30:31worry
30:31my
30:31school
30:32is
30:32in
30:32Boston
30:32too
30:33I'll
30:33be
30:33there
30:33to
30:33look
30:33after
30:34Asher
30:34and
30:35Stella
30:35will
30:35be
30:35all
30:36the
30:36way
30:36in
30:36California
30:36anyway
30:37so
30:37it's
30:38not
30:38really
30:38practical
30:40before
30:40she
30:40even
30:41finished
30:41the
30:41sentence
30:42Asher
30:42and
30:42his
30:43parents
30:43faces
30:43changed
30:44California
30:45every
30:46single
30:46one
30:47of
30:47them
30:47looked
30:48at
30:48me
30:48and
30:48asked
30:49it
30:49at
30:49the
30:49same
30:49time
30:51Asher
30:51you
30:51didn't
30:52know
30:52it's
30:53been
30:53on
30:53the
30:53school's
30:54honor
30:54board
30:54oh
30:55wait
30:55you
30:55haven't
30:56been
30:56back
30:56to
30:56campus
30:57every
30:57pair
30:57of
30:58eyes
30:58at
30:58the
30:58table
30:58swiveled
30:59to
30:59me
30:59under
31:00the
31:00weight
31:00of
31:00all
31:01that
31:01attention
31:01I
31:02quietly
31:02nodded
31:03my
31:03mom
31:03stepped
31:04in
31:04to
31:04explain
31:05Stella
31:11California
31:12and
31:13it's
31:13actually
31:13the
31:14perfect
31:14program
31:14for her
31:15Asher
31:15didn't
31:15believe
31:16it
31:16he
31:16grabbed
31:16my
31:17hand
31:17and
31:17made
31:17me
31:17look
31:18at
31:18him
31:19Stella
31:20I
31:20literally
31:21watched
31:21you
31:21fill
31:22out
31:22that
31:22application
31:23we
31:23were
31:24going
31:24to
31:24the
31:24same
31:24school
31:25his
31:25grip
31:25was
31:26tight
31:26enough
31:26to
31:26actually
31:27hurt
31:27and
31:27it
31:28pushed
31:28me
31:28over
31:28the
31:28edge
31:29yeah
31:30I
31:30changed
31:30it
31:31what
31:31does
31:31it
31:31have
31:32to
31:32do
31:32with
31:32you
31:32Asher
31:33looked
31:33stunned
31:33for a
31:34second
31:34then
31:35started
31:46I pulled
31:47out
31:47my
31:47phone
31:47found
31:48the
31:48crystal
31:48clear
31:49photo
31:49of
31:49my
31:50acceptance
31:50letter
31:50and
31:51held
31:51it
31:51up
31:51in
31:51his
31:52face
31:52Asher
31:52took
31:52the
31:53phone
31:53zoomed
31:54in
31:54zoomed
31:55out
31:55read
31:55it
31:56over
31:56and
31:56over
31:57and
31:57finally
31:58let
31:58out
31:58a
31:58laugh
31:58that
31:59had
31:59no
31:59humor
32:00in
32:00it
32:00at
32:00all
32:00in
32:01the
32:01middle
32:01of
32:01everyone's
32:02gasps
32:02he
32:03grabbed
32:03my
32:03wrist
32:03and
32:04pulled
32:04me
32:04out
32:04of
32:04the
32:05dining
32:05room
32:07he
32:08pulled
32:08me
32:08into
32:08a
32:08side
32:09room
32:09and
32:09locked
32:09the
32:09door
32:10behind
32:10us
32:10Asher
32:11planted
32:11himself
32:11against
32:12it
32:12cutting
32:12off
32:12any
32:13escape
32:13and
32:13came
32:14at
32:14me
32:14hard
32:14I
32:20lifted
32:22my
32:23head
32:23I
32:23took
32:24a
32:24breath
32:24and
32:24made
32:24myself
32:25look him
32:25straight
32:25in
32:26the
32:26eye
32:26I
32:26have
32:26my
32:27own
32:27plans
32:28since
32:29when
32:29do
32:29I
32:29have
32:29to
32:30build
32:30my
32:30entire
32:30future
32:31around
32:31what
32:31you
32:31want
32:32Asher
32:33be
32:33honest
32:33with
32:33yourself
32:34are
32:35you
32:35actually
32:35upset
32:36about
32:36the
32:36plan
32:37or
32:37are
32:38you
32:38upset
32:38because
32:38I'm
32:39not
32:39available
32:39to
32:39be
32:40your
32:40fallback
32:40girl
32:40anymore
32:41the
32:41color
32:41drained
32:42from
32:42his
32:42face
32:42what
32:43is
32:43that
32:43supposed
32:43to
32:44mean
32:44could
32:44you
32:44not
32:45phrase
32:45things
32:45like
32:45that
32:46we're
32:47adults
32:47that
32:48night
32:48was
32:48completely
32:49mutual
32:49are
32:49you
32:50seriously
32:50still
32:50bringing
32:50that
32:51up
32:51I
32:51was
32:51embarrassed
32:52but
32:52I
32:52held
32:52his
32:53gaze
32:53anyway
32:53Asher
32:54if
32:54you
32:54like
32:54someone
32:55else
32:55you
32:55could
32:55have
32:55just
32:56said
32:56so
32:56I'm
32:57not
32:57so
32:57shameless
32:57that
32:58I
32:58would
32:58have
32:58kept
32:58throwing
32:58myself
32:59at
32:59you
32:59but
33:00you
33:00knew
33:00you
33:00didn't
33:00like
33:01me
33:01back
33:01and
33:01you
33:01just
33:01watched
33:02me
33:02walk
33:02straight
33:02into
33:03the
33:03flame
33:03that
33:03was
33:03fun
33:04for
33:04you
33:04wasn't
33:04it
33:04even
33:05now
33:05he
33:05still
33:05didn't
33:06get
33:06it
33:06people
33:06don't
33:07say
33:07goodbye
33:07until
33:08they've
33:08completely
33:08run
33:09out
33:09of
33:09hope
33:09he
33:10flushed
33:10something
33:11in
33:11what
33:11I
33:11said
33:11hit
33:12his
33:12face
33:12went
33:13from
33:13white
33:13to
33:13red
33:13and
33:14he
33:14visibly
33:14swayed
33:15what
33:15do
33:15you
33:15even
33:16listen
33:17to
33:17what
33:17you
33:17saying
33:18you
33:18he
33:18couldn't
33:19finish
33:19the
33:19sentence
33:22stella
33:22we've
33:22known
33:23each
33:23other
33:23since
33:23we
33:23were
33:23eight
33:23years
33:24old
33:24and
33:24we're
33:2418
33:24now
33:26if
33:26you're
33:26choosing
33:26to
33:27walk
33:27away
33:27from
33:27what
33:27we
33:27have
33:28then
33:29we
33:29don't
33:29have
33:29to
33:29be
33:29friends
33:30either
33:30and
33:30with
33:30just
33:31that
33:31he
33:31turned
33:32and
33:32walked
33:32out
33:32of
33:32the
33:33hotel
33:40from
33:41that
33:41day
33:41until
33:42the
33:42day
33:42I
33:42left
33:42for
33:43school
33:43I
33:43never
33:43saw
33:44Asher
33:44again
33:44Mia
33:45sent me
33:45a
33:46screenshot
33:46of
33:46his
33:46official
33:47couple's
33:47post
33:48with
33:48Chloe
33:48I
33:48deleted
33:49it
33:49without
33:49even
33:50opening
33:50it
33:50every
33:51mutual
33:51friend
33:51connected
33:52to
33:52him
33:52I
33:53blocked
33:53there
33:53was
33:54genuinely
33:54no
33:54point
33:55in
33:55following
33:55any
33:56of
33:56it
33:56anymore
33:59the
34:00only
34:00exception
34:00was
34:01the
34:01day
34:01I
34:01flew
34:01out
34:02to
34:02California
34:02of
34:03course
34:03because
34:03the
34:04universe
34:04has
34:04a
34:04terrible
34:05sense
34:05of
34:05humor
34:05I
34:06walked
34:06straight
34:06into
34:07Asher
34:07at
34:07the
34:07airport
34:08again
34:08with
34:08Chloe
34:09still
34:09glued
34:10to
34:10his
34:15still
34:15angry
34:16he
34:16didn't
34:16look
34:17at
34:17me
34:17once
34:17we
34:17scattered
34:18in
34:18different
34:18directions
34:19and
34:19neither
34:20of
34:20us
34:20looked
34:20back
34:20right
34:21before
34:21I
34:21got
34:22to
34:22the
34:22security
34:22line
34:22I
34:23glanced
34:23over
34:24and
34:24caught
34:24Asher
34:24at
34:25his
34:25gate
34:25about
34:25to
34:26board
34:26he
34:26gave
34:26me
34:27one
34:27cold
34:28flat
34:28look
34:28and
34:29then
34:29disappeared
34:29through
34:29the
34:30door
34:30without
34:30turning
34:31around
34:31the
34:31person
34:32who
34:32had
34:32been
34:32part
34:32of
34:33every
34:33chapter
34:33of
34:34my
34:34growing
34:34up
34:34we
34:35were
34:35finally
34:35completely
34:36done
34:45either
34:45of
34:45us
34:46hearing
34:46a
34:46single
34:46thing
34:47about
34:47the
34:47other
34:47I
34:48specifically
34:48asked
34:49my
34:49parents
34:49not
34:50to
34:50bring
34:50up
34:50anything
34:51related
34:51to
34:51Asher
34:52or
34:52his
34:52family
34:53in
34:53front
34:53of
34:53me
34:53over
34:54New
34:54Year's
34:54break
34:55a
34:55girl
34:55from
34:55our
34:55high
34:56school
34:56came
34:56to
34:56visit
34:57he's
34:57nothing
34:57like
34:58that
34:58cold
34:58focused
34:59straight
35:00A
35:00guy
35:00he
35:00was
35:00in
35:01high
35:01school
35:01he's
35:02completely
35:02different
35:05honestly
35:06if you
35:06ran
35:06into him
35:07now
35:07you
35:08might
35:08not
35:08even
35:08recognize
35:09him
35:14I
35:15dropped
35:15it
35:15we
35:16did
35:16the
35:16New
35:16Year's
35:17countdown
35:17by
35:17the
35:17water
35:18and
35:18Mia
35:18told
35:19me
35:19to
35:19make
35:19a
35:19wish
35:20hope
35:21new
35:21year
35:21Syria
35:22parent
35:22healthy
35:22can
35:23keating
35:23under
35:23the
35:23world
35:24I
35:24realized
35:25it
35:25was
35:25the
35:25first
35:25wish
35:26I'd
35:26ever
35:26made
35:26that
35:27had
35:27absolutely
35:27nothing
35:27to do
35:28with
35:28him
35:28for
35:29a
35:29full
35:29six
35:30years
35:30of
35:30my
35:30life
35:31every
35:31single
35:31wish
35:32I
35:32made
35:32had
35:32involved
35:33Asher
35:33in
35:33some
35:33way
35:36Mia
35:36happy
35:37new
35:37year
35:37I
35:38felt
35:38genuinely
35:39happy
35:39I
35:40knew
35:40I
35:40had
35:40finally
35:41actually
35:41completely
35:42let go
35:43the
35:44first
35:44winter
35:45break
35:45of
35:45college
35:45I
35:46missed
35:46my
35:46parents
35:47so
35:47badly
35:48I
35:48couldn't
35:48stand
35:48it
35:49the
35:49second
35:49my
35:49last
35:50exam
35:50was
35:50done
35:50I
35:51was
35:51on
35:51the
35:51first
35:52flight
35:52home
35:52what
35:53I
35:53didn't
35:53expect
35:53was
35:54that
35:54Asher
35:54had
35:55come
35:55to
35:55the
35:55airport
35:55with
35:56my
35:56parents
35:56to
35:56pick
35:57me
35:57up
35:57after
35:58half
35:58a
35:58year
35:58apart
35:59we
35:59had
35:59both
35:59changed
36:00he
36:00was
36:00thinner
36:01had
36:01dyed
36:01his
36:02hair
36:02but
36:02was
36:03still
36:03honestly
36:04annoyingly
36:05good
36:05looking
36:05I've
36:06always
36:06had
36:06terrible
36:06judgment
36:07about
36:07people
36:08but
36:08my
36:08taste
36:08has
36:09never
36:09been
36:09the
36:09problem
36:10why
36:10else
36:10would
36:11I
36:11have
36:11been
36:11trailing
36:11after
36:12him
36:12since
36:12we
36:12were
36:12five
36:13hey
36:13there
36:13big
36:14bro
36:14Asher
36:14he
36:15stared
36:15at
36:15me
36:15like
36:15I
36:15had
36:15spoken
36:16a
36:16different
36:16language
36:19I
36:22smiled
36:22and waved
36:23her
36:23off
36:23it
36:31the
36:31whole
36:32ride
36:32no
36:33one
36:33was
36:33paying
36:33any
36:34attention
36:34to
36:34Asher
36:36you've
36:37worked
36:37hard
36:37please
36:38send
36:38our
36:38regards
36:39to
36:39your
36:39parents
36:39he
36:39seemed
36:39like
36:40he
36:40wanted
36:40to
36:40come
36:40inside
36:41when
36:41we
36:41got
36:41home
36:41but
36:42all
36:42three
36:42of
36:42us
36:42politely
36:43turned
36:43him
36:43down
36:44together
36:44my
36:44grandma
36:45and
36:45my
36:45aunt
36:46had
36:46both
36:46come
36:46back
36:46to
36:47celebrate
36:47the
36:47holidays
36:47that
36:48year
36:48New
36:48year's
36:49eve
36:49was
36:49loud
36:50and
36:50packed
36:50with
36:50family
36:51after
36:51the
36:51big
36:52dinner
36:52the
36:52older
36:52relatives
36:53parked
36:53themselves
36:54in front
36:54of
36:54the
36:54TV
36:55while
36:55the
36:55rest
36:55of
36:55us
36:56were
36:56teaching
36:56each
36:56other
36:56card
36:57games
36:57that's
36:58when
36:58Asher
36:58showed
36:58up
36:59at
36:59the
36:59door
36:59with
36:59his
36:59parents
37:00arms
37:00full
37:00of
37:01bags
37:01our
37:01house
37:02is
37:02too
37:02quiet
37:02tonight
37:03hope
37:04you
37:04don't
37:04mind
37:04us
37:04crashing
37:05your
37:05game
37:09our
37:10house
37:10is
37:10too
37:10quiet
37:11tonight
37:11hope
37:11you
37:11don't
37:12mind
37:12us
37:12crashing
37:12your
37:12game
37:13Asher
37:13mom
37:13laughed
37:14as
37:14she
37:14walked
37:14in
37:15every
37:15year
37:15growing
37:22the
37:22invitation
37:23to
37:23share
37:23the
37:23big
37:23dinner
37:24but
37:25you
37:25can't
37:25exactly
37:25turn
37:26people
37:26away
37:26once
37:27they're
37:27at
37:27your
37:27door
37:28Asher
37:28settled
37:29himself
37:29naturally
37:30my
37:30cousins
37:30had
37:30no
37:31idea
37:31about
37:31any
37:31of
37:32the
37:32drama
37:32and
37:32kept
37:33teasing
37:33us
37:33like
37:33they
37:33always
37:34had
37:34I
37:35laughed
37:35it
37:35off
37:36it's
37:37not
37:37what
37:37you
37:37think
37:38Asher
37:38Asher's
37:39expression
37:39went
37:39a
37:39little
37:39flat
37:40when
37:40midnight
37:41came
37:41and
37:41we
37:41all
37:41went
37:42outside
37:42for
37:42sparklers
37:44he
37:45caught
37:45my
37:45arm
37:46and
37:46looked
37:46like
37:47he
37:47was
37:47working
37:47up
37:47to
37:47say
37:48something
37:48my
37:49phone
37:49rang
37:49my
37:50face
37:50went
37:50a
37:50little
37:50warm
37:51it
37:51was
37:51a
37:51guy
37:52from
37:52one
37:52of
37:52my
37:52clubs
37:52at
37:53school
37:54Hi
37:55Stella
37:56I'm
37:56just
37:56a bit
37:57bored
37:57and
37:57wanted
37:57to
37:58say
37:58happy
37:58new
37:58year
37:58to
37:58you
37:59a
37:59local
38:00California
38:00boy
38:00named
38:01Jake
38:01he
38:01was
38:01good
38:02looking
38:02too
38:02not
38:03in
38:03that
38:03cold
38:04aloof
38:04way
38:05more
38:05like
38:05the
38:05guy
38:06who's
38:06always
38:06laughing
38:06at
38:07everything
38:07and
38:07making
38:08you
38:08laugh
38:08right
38:08along
38:09with
38:09him
38:09he
38:10never
38:10ran
38:10out
38:10of
38:10things
38:10to
38:11say
38:11and
38:11he
38:11had
38:12a
38:12way
38:12of
38:12making
38:12me
38:12completely
38:13lose
38:13it
38:14at
38:14the
38:14most
38:14random
38:14things
38:15we
38:15talked
38:15for a
38:16while
38:16longer
38:16and
38:17when
38:17he
38:17finally
38:17hung
38:18up
38:18Asher
38:18was
38:19standing
38:19right
38:19behind
38:19me
38:20with
38:20a
38:20face
38:20like
38:21a
38:21thundercloud
38:23boyfriend
38:25not
38:26yet
38:26I guess
38:30not
38:30yet
38:30I guess
38:31I
38:31thought
38:32about
38:32it
38:32and
38:32answered
38:33honestly
38:33I
38:34assumed
38:34he
38:34was
38:34done
38:34but
38:35then
38:35he
38:35spoke
38:35again
38:36long
38:37distance
38:37guys
38:37aren't
38:38always
38:38reliable
38:39you
38:39should
38:39find
38:40someone
38:40local
38:40someone
38:41you
38:41actually
38:41know
38:44I
38:45nodded
38:45something
38:46in that
38:46seemed
38:46to land
38:47somewhere
38:47tender
38:48you're
38:48right
38:48you
38:49really
38:49can't
38:49tell
38:49with
38:49people
38:50I'll
38:50keep
38:50my
38:50guard
38:51up
38:52Asher
38:52went
38:52quiet
38:53for a
38:53very
38:53long
38:54time
38:54I
38:54assumed
38:55he
38:55was
38:55done
38:55I
38:56didn't
38:57think
38:57too
38:57hard
38:57about
38:57it
38:58thanks
38:59for
38:59the
38:59advice
39:00big
39:00bro
39:00you
39:01should
39:01figure
39:01out
39:01your
39:01own
39:01situation
39:02too
39:02he'd
39:03always
39:03been
39:03unpredictable
39:04like
39:04that
39:05after
39:05that
39:05I
39:06spent
39:06the
39:06rest
39:06of
39:06break
39:07bouncing
39:07around
39:07visiting
39:08relatives
39:08with my
39:09grandma
39:09and parents
39:10and then
39:10we did
39:10a little
39:11road trip
39:11I was
39:12barely
39:12home
39:12I
39:13didn't
39:13run
39:13into
39:13Asher
39:14once
39:14the
39:14break
39:15was
39:15short
39:15and
39:15soon
39:16enough
39:16I
39:16was
39:16back
39:16at
39:17school
39:17but
39:17the
39:18very
39:18next
39:18day
39:18after
39:19I
39:19arrived
39:19Asher
39:20was
39:20standing
39:20outside
39:21my
39:21campus
39:21gate
39:23Asher
39:24what
39:24are
39:32really
39:32well
39:33actually
39:33the
39:34food
39:34here
39:34is
39:34amazing
39:35you
39:35should
39:35look
39:35up
39:35some
39:36spots
39:36and
39:36try
39:36them
39:36Stella
39:38can't
39:39you
39:39come
39:39eat
39:39with
39:39me
39:40just
39:40once
39:43sorry
39:44about
39:44that
39:44man
39:44I've
39:45already
39:45got
39:45Stella
39:45booked
39:46you'll
39:46have
39:46to
39:46get
39:46in
39:46line
39:47Stella
39:49you
39:49came
39:49back
39:50to
39:50school
39:50this
39:51early
39:51for
39:51him
39:54sorry
39:54Asher
39:55we're
39:55heading
39:56out
39:56to
39:56eat
39:56I'll
39:56see
39:56you
39:57let's
39:58go
39:58didn't
39:58you
39:59say
39:59the
39:59place
39:59was
39:59far
39:59stop
40:00standing
40:00there
40:00Asher
40:01was
40:02still
40:02standing
40:02at
40:02the
40:02campus
40:03gate
40:03watching
40:03us
40:04and
40:04under
40:04the
40:04shadow
40:05of
40:05the
40:05trees
40:05he
40:06looked
40:06incredibly
40:07alone
40:08he
40:08suddenly
40:09started
40:09showing up
40:10in my
40:10world
40:10constantly
40:11I never
40:12found out
40:12what excuse
40:13he gave
40:13his school
40:13but he kept
40:14appearing in
40:15California
40:15out of
40:16nowhere
40:16he started
40:17showing up
40:17with gifts
40:18flowers
40:18bags
40:19jewelry
40:20and I
40:20turned
40:20every single
40:21one
40:21down
40:22when there
40:22was
40:22nothing
40:23else
40:23to do
40:23he'd
40:24just
40:24sit
40:24outside
40:25my
40:25dorm
40:25building
40:25and
40:26refused
40:26to
40:27leave
40:27no
40:27matter
40:27how
40:27many
40:28times
40:28I
40:28asked
40:29whenever
40:29he
40:29managed
40:30to
40:30catch
40:30me
40:30he'd
40:31fallen
40:31to
40:31step
40:31beside
40:32me
40:32to
40:32every
40:32single
40:33class
40:33then
40:34follow
40:34me
40:34to
40:34the
40:34dining
40:35hall
40:35Jake
40:35was
40:36visibly
40:36miserable
40:36about
40:37the
40:37whole
40:37thing
40:37Asher's
40:38mom
40:38had
40:38been
40:39calling
40:39and
40:39messaging
40:40me
40:40from
40:40multiple
40:40angles
40:41she
40:41begged
40:42me
40:42to
40:42please
40:42talk
40:42some
40:43sense
40:43into
40:43him
40:43I
40:44was
40:44beyond
40:44done
40:45I
40:45genuinely
40:46could
40:46not
40:46figure
40:47out
40:47what
40:47Asher
40:47thought
40:48he
40:48was
40:48doing
40:50Stella
40:51why
40:51does
40:51Jake
40:52get
40:52to
40:52pursue
40:52you
40:52but
40:53I
40:53don't
40:54son
40:54a
40:54white
40:55to
40:55stas
40:56he's
40:57known
40:57you
40:57for
40:57what
40:57a
40:58few
40:58months
40:58how
40:59many
40:59years
40:59have
41:00I
41:00known
41:00you
41:02no
41:02one
41:02in
41:02this
41:03world
41:03understands
41:03you
41:04the
41:04way
41:04I
41:04do
41:04not
41:05even
41:05your
41:05parents
41:06and
41:06no
41:06one
41:07is
41:07better
41:07for
41:07you
41:07than
41:07me
41:13Ashler
41:14do
41:15you
41:15genuinely
41:15not
41:15remember
41:16what
41:16you
41:16did
41:18ask
41:18yourself
41:18honestly
41:20did
41:20you
41:20ever
41:21actually
41:21treat
41:21my
41:22feelings
41:22like
41:22they
41:22mattered
41:25you
41:25just
41:25liked
41:26the
41:26ego
41:26boost
41:26of
41:27having
41:27me
41:27chase
41:27after
41:28you
41:28you
41:28knew
41:29no
41:29matter
41:29what
41:29you
41:29did
41:30I
41:30wouldn't
41:31leave
41:31so
41:31you
41:31just
41:31did
41:32whatever
41:32you
41:32felt
41:33like
41:33with
41:33my
41:33heart
41:35yeah
41:35I
41:35did
41:36some
41:36things
41:36wrong
41:36back
41:36then
41:37I
41:38was
41:38young
41:38I
41:38thought
41:39the
41:39whole
41:39world
41:39was
41:39waiting
41:40for
41:40me
41:40and
41:41I
41:41didn't
41:41want
41:41to
41:41feel
41:41like
41:41I
41:42was
41:42tied
41:42to
41:42any
41:42one
41:42person
41:43I
41:44owe
41:44you
41:44a
41:44real
41:44apology
41:45Stella
41:46I'm
41:46sorry
41:48but
41:48even
41:48if
41:49you
41:49treat
41:49me
41:49like
41:49a
41:49stranger
41:50can
41:50I
41:50at
41:50least
41:51have
41:51the
41:51chance
41:51to
41:51start
41:51over
41:52and
41:52earn
41:52it
41:52back
41:52after
41:53you
41:53left
41:54I
41:54realized
41:54I
41:54don't
41:55know
41:55how
41:55to
41:55live
41:55without
41:55you
41:56in
41:56it
41:57I
41:57can't
41:58imagine
41:58going
41:58forward
41:59and
41:59not
41:59having
41:59anyone
42:00to
42:00share
42:00everything
42:00with
42:01honestly
42:02since
42:02leaving
42:02you
42:03I
42:03figured
42:11else's
42:12and
42:12when
42:12I
42:12realized
42:13that
42:14I
42:14started
42:14to
42:15wonder
42:15if
42:15what
42:15I
42:15felt
42:16back
42:16then
42:16was
42:16ever
42:16real
42:17love
42:17or
42:18just
42:18something
42:18a
42:18younger
42:19more
42:19naive
42:19version
42:20of
42:20me
42:20invented
42:23but
42:24but
42:26we
42:27made
42:27promises
42:30we
42:30said
42:30we'd
42:30go to
42:31college
42:31together
42:31study
42:32abroad
42:32together
42:33travel
42:33the
42:33whole
42:33world
42:34together
42:34are
42:34you
42:34gonna
42:34walk
42:35away
42:35from
42:35all
42:35of
42:35that
42:35too
42:37Stella
42:37are
42:37you
42:37gonna
42:38leave
42:38all
42:38this
42:38behind
42:38too
42:40you
42:40broke
42:40the
42:41first
42:42and
42:43I
42:43already
42:43found
42:44someone
42:44I
42:44want
42:45to
42:45do
42:45all
42:45of
42:45those
42:45things
42:46with
42:48stop
42:49Stella
42:49please
42:50just
42:50stop
42:55maybe
42:56you're
42:56not
42:56actually
42:57in
42:57love
42:57with
42:57me
42:57maybe
42:58you
42:58just
42:59can't
42:59stand
42:59the
42:59idea
43:00of
43:00losing
43:01Asher
43:01honestly
43:02it's
43:03time
43:03for
43:03you
43:03to
43:04move
43:04on
43:04too
43:07I
43:08didn't
43:08wait
43:08for
43:08a
43:08response
43:09Jake
43:09had
43:09been
43:09waiting
43:10across
43:10the
43:10street
43:10for
43:11a
43:11while
43:11I
43:11jogged
43:12over
43:12and
43:12he
43:12immediately
43:13reached
43:13down
43:14and
43:14took
43:14my
43:14hand
43:17finally
43:17shook
43:17the
43:18X
43:20did
43:20you
43:20tell
43:20him
43:21I've
43:21got
43:21full
43:21bug
43:21patrol
43:22rights
43:22now
43:22he
43:22doesn't
43:23get
43:23a
43:23single
43:23one
43:25everyone
43:26is
43:26going
43:26through
43:26their
43:27own
43:27goodbyes
43:28as
43:29for
43:29us
43:30it's
43:30finally
43:30completely
43:31over
43:33fading
43:33away
43:33like
43:34the
43:34rain
43:34everyone
43:35in
43:35the
43:35middle
43:35of
43:35their
43:35own
43:36goodbye
43:36and
43:37just
43:37like
43:37that
43:37the
43:38two
43:38of
43:38us
43:38were
43:38finally
43:39completely
43:40over
43:41like
43:41rain
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