d the windowsill behind them。 The window over…looked
the backyard and was open a bit； admitting a gentle evening breeze。 Down in the back garden a
group was huddled around a forlorn lilac bush； smoking。
？Things have really changed since graduation； huh？？ Dan reached out but put his hand down
before actually touching her。 ？I don？t know what？s happened this past couple of weeks。？
Cut off my fingers。 I can？t feel anymore。
Can？t feel you。 Or you。 You。
？I guess what？s happened；？ Vanessa began； sternly but not unkindly； ？is that you？ve met
someone else。 It？s okay。 I mean； I？m hurt； I guess。 But mostly I wish you hadn？t tried to keep it
from me； especially after you made that scene at Blair？s graduation party about staying with me
this fall？？
？Scene？？ Dan repeated。 ？I made a scene？？ He？d talked to her privately； in a corner。 There？d been
noscene 。 Okay； his graduation speech had been a scene； but thankfully she？d missed it。
？Anyway that？s not the point。 The point is；？ Vanessa continued； ？I haven？t been pletely
honest either。？
A facially unattractive drunk girl whom Vanessa remembered was an extra on the movie
stumbled up the stairs。 She was wearing a cherry red TEAMJOLIET…shirt and a million silver
bangles up her wrist。 She glanced at Vanessa but pretended not to recognize her。 Being at this
party was definitely not Vanessa？s idea of a good time。
Party pooper。
？You？re seeing someone？？ Dan looked like he was going to cry。
？No； of course not。？ She swatted at the air in front of her。 ？But I have some weird news： Your
dad said I could rent a room from him 。 。 。 even though we？re broken up。。。。？
Dan winced and rubbed the sol