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Struck with just how much I was going to miss this, I sniffed, refusing to cry, but moisture gathered in my tear ducts anyway, threatening to spill over. I quickly sat forward and took another slug of Dr. Pepper. That way, if my eyes watered, I could blame it on the strong carbonation in my drink and not weepy, pitiful tears.

“It’s not fair society puts this kind of pressure and stigma on us youth.” Bridget was still on a roll. “We always have to have our slumber parties at Schy and Adam’s place because there’s no way our parents would let Adam stay over, not even in a separate room.”

Adam shifted in his seat and made a pained face. “You know, I’m not sure I’m very comfortable with this conversation.”

“And it’s all because of sex,” Bridget said, not even hearing him. “If movie makers didn’t sensationalize the topic so much, it probably wouldn’t be that big of a deal.”

“It’s not just movie makers,” I said. “TV shows and commercials do it too. Books, magazines—”

“Grace! What are you doing?” Schy asked from between gritted teeth. “Stop encouraging her.”

“Oh, hey, look.” Adam brightened and sat up as a server approached with four steaming plates. “Our food’s here.” He grinned at us girls, looking all too pleased something had arrived to divert our attention from the subject at hand.

I threw back my head and laughed. It was either that or bawl. But honestly, how could I move away and miss this? This was my group. My people. I didn’t want to leave them.

Adam, Bridget and Schy stared at me as if I’d lost my mind. I think I had too. The nerd herd was my sanity, my life support. What was I going to be without them? How was I going to survive?

“I’m going to miss you guys so much,” I said, wishing the words back as soon as they passed my voice box.

Bridget’s face crinkled with misery. Adam’s shoulders deflated and his features fell. Schy reached out to cover my hand.

I opened my mouth to apologize. This was supposed to be a happy, memory-making night full of fun and laughter.

A party.

Not a funeral.

“Who had the barbecue wings and fries?” the server asked, fortunately diverting another touchy topic. She flipped out a stand and set down the large, round serving tray to form a makeshift table. Then she passed the plate of wings to Bridget when she lifted her hand.

Methodically, the server distributed our orders and then scooped up the empty tray and stand before she whisked them both away after asking if we needed anything else. All too soon, she was gone, leaving only silence in her wake.

I stared down at my potato skins and quesadillas, too chicken to risk a glance at my friends. Upset at myself for disturbing the light mood we’d had going before I had opened my big mouth, I lifted my fork and knife, inhaling the spicy aroma of my meal.

“We’re going to miss you too,” Bridget said.

I peeked an eye up. Bridget, Schy, and Adam hadn’t touched their meals but were staring at me with sympathetic gazes that made my gut hurt.

“It’s not going to be the same without you,” Adam added.

Schy sniffed out a sound of annoyance. “You can’t leave, Grace. You just can’t. We should all talk to your mom together, convince her you need to stay at Hillsburg. That’s just all there is to it.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but Schy wasn’t finished. “If it makes her feel better, Adam and I could even offer to come and pick you up in Osage each morning for school. We’ll take you every day.”

Bridget nodded vigorously. “That’s a great idea. Adam’s a really safe driver. Even your mom can’t argue that point.”

My eyes flooded with tears. “You guys are too wonderful.” I wiped at the monsoon pouring down my cheeks. “But you can’t do that. Do you know how much gas it would cost to—”

“We don’t mind,” Adam said. “Really, Grace. We’re a foursome. The group can’t be split apart.”

I moaned out my misery. “I’ll see you as often as I can. And we’ll talk on the phone, like, every night, and Facebook each other constantly.”

Another miserable silence ensued before Bridget spoke. “There’s only one good thing about this.”

“What’s that?” I had to ask, though my tone held no semblance of hope.

She wiggled her brows. “You’ll get to see Ryder Yates again.”

As I blushed, Schy brightened. “That’s right. You have to tell us everything that happens when you see him. Everything.”