I took a deep breath. “Did you really sleep with all those girls?” “Which girls? I don’t understand.” “In anatomy lab. Legend has it, there’ve been six.” “Oh.” He nodded as if he was processing the question, but said nothing. “Please don’t be offended I asked.” “I’m not. It’s just…” As his eyes darted around [...]

“You can just drop me off,” I say. “There’s no need to deal with parking or anything. It’s not as if you can wait at the gate with me, and I know it will get complicated if anyone sees you–” “I don’t care about that.” “–and I don’t want you to see me cry.” “Bella.” [...]

“Dinner was amazing….No, Daddy,” Alice says, laughing. “Of course I wasn’t the person who cooked it. You remember Izzy, don’t you? Anyway, she flew out from Chicago earlier this week, and she made dinner for us. Are you familiar with the restaurant Un Souvenir Léger? Oh…Well, Izzy’s their sommelier. It’s been a very nice Thanksgiving. [...]

“Nothing in the world matters less to me than my father’s opinion.” I return the dress to the rack. The metal part of the hanger drags across the metal display fixture, causing a screech. It’s an everyday noise made by an everyday thing, but in the contrived refinement of the boutique, it sounds as out [...]

It’s been a while,  I know. Sorry it’s taking longer than usual; last week was a killer. Hope to have an update soon, in the interim, please accept this (unbeta’d) teaser and know I’m good for it. xoxo. C. “What was it like?” “What?” “The first time you had sex.” He stiffens in my arms. [...]

“Hello, Mrs. Clearwater.” I force a smile. “Thank you for having me.” “We’re family, Izzy. Now that I’m marrying your father, don’t you think you should call me Sue?” My eyes fill up with tears. How could he not tell me? I turn to my dad and whisper, “I thought it ‘wasn’t like that’.” “It [...]

“I called you just now, but you didn’t answer.” “I must not have heard you over Alice’s jingle-hell rock.” “I meant your phone.” “That I should have felt—it’s on vibrate in my pocket.  I’m sorry if you thought I was ignoring you.” “I didn’t. Anyway, it went directly to voicemail.” “Are you sure you dialed [...]

There’s a beep, then nothing. When I remain silent, the call disconnects on its own. I stare at my phone, thinking maybe I’m imagining this, that it can’t be real. One way or the other, I need to know. I press the Send button and close my eyes, expecting to hear the three shrill tones [...]

“I’ve never done this,” I say, studying my reflection in the bathroom mirror. “At my age, it feels kind of ridiculous.” “Done what?” “The walk of shame. You know, when you’re forced to go home in yesterday’s clothes with sex hair and smudged eye make-up, and everyone who looks at you just knows.” He leans [...]

When  I pick up the beige plastic receiver and dial Edward’s number, he answers right away.  I know he’s probably sitting at his desk,  barefoot and still wearing the jeans and flannel shirt he had on when he brought me back to my dorm. I haven’t missed anything—more than likely, he’s just studying—but it seems [...]