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think about all the times they’d gone to corner stores as kids

and then as teenagers and Dallas always got the pack of hard

toffees.

“Nice button!” The girl scooping the ice cream, she looked

to be about fifteen and was probably one of the owner’s

daughters or a friend of the family, stared at Quinn’s chest.

“Oh. Yeah.” She held up her sweater so the girl could see

the button better. “I just got it.”

“I love it. It’s awesome!”

Quinn smiled back. The girl was tall, with strawberry

blonde hair pulled into a scrunchie and topped with a hair net.

&

nbsp; She wore the bright purple t-shirt and black pants that seemed

to be the store’s uniform combo.

“Is the special of the day good? The gumball grape?”

The girl stared at the button a little harder and nodded.

“Yeah. It’s good. It’s my favorite. I actually picked it today.”

“Hmm. Alright. That sounds good. I’ll get a double scoop

in a waffle cone.”

The girl’s broad smile was a confirmation that Quinn had

made a good choice. She hoped it didn’t taste like grape cough

syrup and was heavier on the bubble gum side. That was the

only flavor her mom ever bought and she couldn’t stand most

grape as a result. She didn’t really know what she was doing

taking a chance with this one, but maybe living dangerously

was what made life exciting.

Danica would firmly tell her that no, it did not make life

exciting, it made life complicated and no one needed any more

complications. Generally. Complications usually sucked.

Quinn knew that Danica had every right to be concerned. She