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Tessa:All of my dreams are coming true!

Lenore:Girl, you gotta get bigger dreams

Tessa:I knew this would happen! It’s what you need after that douchebag Jay!!

Tessa:A little summer fling before college. YOU DESERVE!

That word makes me bristle a little—“fling.” I really think what Alex and I have is... more than that. And Tessa’s always talking about true love, it’s what all of her stories are about. Why is this big news I’m telling her automatically downgraded to a fling?

Lenore:The thing is, it’s not just a fling

The three dots appear, telling me that she’s typing. And they’re there for a long time, so I’m expecting a novel. But finally, all that appears is:

Tessa:Of course!! I’m sorry!

Lenore:It’s fine!

Tessa:Where is he going to school? New York?

Lenore:No, UCLA

It doesn’t feel right to tell her all the things I decided on last night. Not yet.

Tessa:Oh well, long distance relationships can totally work out!

Tessa:I can’t believe all of this has happened in like a week! Wow!

And I know that tone gets lost in messages, when I can’t see her face or hear her voice. Plus, she doesn’t even have all of the information. Alex and Iwon’thave a long-distance relationship if everything goes according to plan. But still, her words hit me as... patronizing. They make me feel silly and small. Which is stupid, because isn’t she the one always trying to push these ridiculous love stories on me? Not that what me and Alex have is love... but still.

Lenore:Well, I need to run! We’re going to Cinque Terre today

Tessa:OMG YOUR LIFE

Tessa:Take pictures! I love you!

I push down the weird feelings about Tessa’s comments and head out to the main deck to find Alex. We planned to meet up twenty minutes before our families, so we could strategize a way to sneak away to one of Cinque Terre’s villages on our own, without their prying eyes. The deck is crowded though, so it takes me a while to spot him. And when I finally do, my brain rushes to catch up, to process what I’m seeing.

There’s Alex, wearing seersucker swim trunks and a crisp white shirt that makes his brown skin glow. He looks tired and his curls are all messy, like he just rolled out of bed, but it only makes him even more gorgeous.

Except he’s not alone. There’s a girl standing next to him,standing close, and I realize I recognize that shiny black hair and super thin figure. It’s Natalia.

Natalia has her hand on his. Natalia is saying something that makes him throw his head back and laugh, just once, like I love. Natalia is the one now leaning in for a hug, tight, her head resting on his shoulder. Natalia is murmuring something in his ear.

I should walk away. I should cut my losses. It’s so obvious what this is.

But something reckless inside of me makes me Nancy Drew it and creep closer, even though I know I’m not going to like anything I find. I need to know for sure.

It’s really loud out here, with families calling to each other andMediterranean Majestyemployees trying to wrangle their tour groups, so it’s hard to make out what they’re saying. But when I’m just a few feet away, hidden behind a couple with matching neon fanny packs, I hear Alex’s voice, loud and clear. “Lenore.”

He hasn’t seen me though. He’s still talking to Natalia. And then, a few seconds later: “—just until we get home.”

I squeeze my eyes shut and look down. I don’t need to hear anything else to understand what’s going on.

My throat is tight and thick. I feel my face burn.

I’m surprised, but do I have a right to be? This has happened to me enough that I shouldn’t even be able to claim shock anymore. I’ve always just been the waiting room some guy ishanging out in until he finds his real love. I mean, if every time I put my trust in a guy, he chooses someone else... well, only a fool would keep jumping in for more. Only a fool expects different outcomes.

And I’m a fucking fool.