- Page 3 and 4:
Penelope DouglasCopyright © 2021 P
- Page 5 and 6:
Chapter 24Chapter 25Chapter 26Chapt
- Page 7 and 8:
Stream here“All The Things She Sa
- Page 9 and 10:
To Abigail
- Page 11 and 12:
“Yeah!” they cry out.“Then I
- Page 13 and 14:
“We love you, Clay!” some of my
- Page 15 and 16:
My mother rushes up to me as the ol
- Page 17 and 18:
happy when she’s out to hurt my f
- Page 19 and 20:
Kind of amused, but mostly a warnin
- Page 21 and 22:
The simple hoop skirt wraps around
- Page 23 and 24:
I rub my thumb over the small tatto
- Page 25 and 26:
I CLIMB OFF the back of the bike an
- Page 27 and 28:
the school. She’s only being nice
- Page 29 and 30:
into the trash can as I move ahead,
- Page 31 and 32:
smiles down at me, a clipboard in o
- Page 33 and 34:
A water bottle falls into the tin g
- Page 35 and 36:
I’m yelling at a teacher, but I
- Page 37 and 38:
changing audience. Firefights, car
- Page 39 and 40:
“If I consider your offer,” I a
- Page 41 and 42:
I RUN MY hands down my thighs, the
- Page 43 and 44:
can. Being that different from ever
- Page 45 and 46:
“I’ll be leaving again tomorrow
- Page 47 and 48:
her, my gaze catching the dimple on
- Page 49 and 50:
But she rises from her seat without
- Page 51 and 52:
that years ago when I first met her
- Page 53 and 54:
He bats his eyelashes, and I let ou
- Page 55 and 56:
He thinks theater is stupid. He thi
- Page 57 and 58:
“The hardest choices were never c
- Page 59 and 60:
promising more shitty weather to co
- Page 61 and 62:
She can protect her precious little
- Page 63 and 64:
my enjoyment as I lower my voice to
- Page 65 and 66:
overstock here for rehearsals when
- Page 67 and 68:
She stares at me, unblinking, and e
- Page 69 and 70:
I look at her through the water in
- Page 71 and 72:
“MISS CLAY?” BERNIE calls out.
- Page 73 and 74:
on my hand, I fist the underwear ag
- Page 75 and 76:
won’t fit like it’s supposed to
- Page 77 and 78:
don’t recognize coming into view.
- Page 79 and 80:
off you as soon as possible.”I lo
- Page 81 and 82: stomach as I watch her watch me rub
- Page 83 and 84: “What?” she taunts. “I just l
- Page 85 and 86: sit back, shaking my head.But my sm
- Page 87 and 88: My father, I only saw at the end of
- Page 89 and 90: me to Marymount, I didn’t want to
- Page 91 and 92: I thread her hair through my finger
- Page 93 and 94: “Olivia?” I hear the leather se
- Page 95 and 96: “Scared?” she whispers.I almost
- Page 97 and 98: before everything is gone.Clay hesi
- Page 99 and 100: I’m a little scared, but I’m a
- Page 101 and 102: watched Gates stitch a gash from a
- Page 103 and 104: I clutch the arms of the chair for
- Page 105 and 106: dropping it to the floor.I mean, if
- Page 107 and 108: “You wanted it up, so it’s back
- Page 109 and 110: I know, all right? I know. I wasn
- Page 111 and 112: She won’t meet my eyes.“Are you
- Page 113 and 114: are necessary to the success of the
- Page 115 and 116: heard of Biscayne Bay.Bay… Not Sa
- Page 117 and 118: I look back to Iron.“Don’t you
- Page 119 and 120: mumbles, more like she’s arguing
- Page 121 and 122: to the right and assume that’s wh
- Page 123 and 124: I stare at her, the world spinning
- Page 125 and 126: “MACON!” SANTOS CALLS out as if
- Page 127 and 128: move you.”Clay glances to me. A s
- Page 129 and 130: down next to her, pushing her fucki
- Page 131: “Fine,” I grit out, pushing awa
- Page 135 and 136: air boat, and one with Iron holding
- Page 137 and 138: I slip into the kitchen, Amy lurks
- Page 139 and 140: “What the hell?” someone bellow
- Page 141 and 142: time. Ask me.But she just shakes he
- Page 143 and 144: I SCROLL THOUGH Liv’s Twitter and
- Page 145 and 146: I walk away, looking back at the bo
- Page 147 and 148: So, she left. She let me win.She ju
- Page 149 and 150: But still, I don’t let her go, gr
- Page 151 and 152: needing to run to get rid of the ur
- Page 153 and 154: “DID YOU THINK I wasn’t going t
- Page 155 and 156: video of the assistant coach and me
- Page 157 and 158: happened?I’ll admit, the prospect
- Page 159 and 160: on.”Coomer always takes us out to
- Page 161 and 162: But Clay just sits, her elbows on h
- Page 163 and 164: I YANK MY rubber band out, letting
- Page 165 and 166: I almost smile. In her rush to leav
- Page 167 and 168: “I didn’t let you win,” she t
- Page 169 and 170: I CHEW THE pizza, glancing up at he
- Page 171 and 172: My mom had mental problems her whol
- Page 173 and 174: But the door falls shut, and Amy an
- Page 175 and 176: why hide anything else as if that w
- Page 177 and 178: panties, shivering when I feel the
- Page 179 and 180: between them. Our warmth seeps thro
- Page 181 and 182: she gasps, her hands immediately di
- Page 183 and 184:
WE JERK OUR heads, seeing someone
- Page 185 and 186:
And without a moment to lose, Liv d
- Page 187 and 188:
freefalling.I collapse on top of he
- Page 189 and 190:
orders.A shiver runs through me, an
- Page 191 and 192:
looks over his shoulder. “Amy! Ca
- Page 193 and 194:
SHE DOESN’T GET over it.I called.
- Page 195 and 196:
amicably.I grab my test and pencil
- Page 197 and 198:
Like it’s inevitable, because he
- Page 199 and 200:
as long I shut up about it.Maybe th
- Page 201 and 202:
The lighthouse rises above us, a co
- Page 203 and 204:
spilling over the rim of her cup. I
- Page 205 and 206:
Except for Archie.Old places have a
- Page 207 and 208:
“A friend.”“Someone you’ve
- Page 209 and 210:
few short nibbles. “I liked it wh
- Page 211 and 212:
venom, and sometimes you need poiso
- Page 213 and 214:
direction as they bump into each ot
- Page 215 and 216:
Clubhouse…“Fox Hill!” I shout
- Page 217 and 218:
But no one listens to me.The boys o
- Page 219 and 220:
of yours and your friends. This is
- Page 221 and 222:
the streetlights off, as well. The
- Page 223 and 224:
I can’t take my eyes off her, pai
- Page 225 and 226:
I push my finger a little more, her
- Page 227 and 228:
breathing hard as she loses her min
- Page 229 and 230:
in love. Jesus.”Clay stays silent
- Page 231 and 232:
“She was better than I’d dreame
- Page 233 and 234:
God, please.”I step back into the
- Page 235 and 236:
you weren’t happy. To support peo
- Page 237 and 238:
“Right.” I put my practice clot
- Page 239 and 240:
and from everyone except her who ti
- Page 241 and 242:
She leaves, and I bite my bottom li
- Page 243 and 244:
I don’t know if I’m relieved th
- Page 245 and 246:
We walk toward the dining room, dow
- Page 247 and 248:
bus here, but I’m filled with a s
- Page 249 and 250:
“I notice men.” I wave the air,
- Page 251 and 252:
minimum to get what she wants but n
- Page 253 and 254:
seems to close again, and she sits
- Page 255 and 256:
CAN’T WE JUST go park somewhere?
- Page 257 and 258:
Turning, she rounds the table and h
- Page 259 and 260:
can have problems.”I never though
- Page 261 and 262:
never getting away from me, Jaeger,
- Page 263 and 264:
I whimper, startled as she pushes u
- Page 265 and 266:
“Oh, God,” I moan.She grinds in
- Page 267 and 268:
“Don’t apologize, baby.” I ho
- Page 269 and 270:
“GOD, I NEED a shower,” Liv whi
- Page 271 and 272:
me understands why. And the other p
- Page 273 and 274:
appointments for mani-pedis next Fr
- Page 275 and 276:
Liv walks to the stationary bike, a
- Page 277 and 278:
the bleachers.The drumline beat fil
- Page 279 and 280:
gazing at her and seeing myself in
- Page 281 and 282:
call, jogging out of the workroom a
- Page 283 and 284:
not replying. She’s not even typi
- Page 285 and 286:
She gets me going, and while I may
- Page 287 and 288:
caressing me through my underwear.I
- Page 289 and 290:
I stop. Excuse me? I turn, glaring
- Page 291 and 292:
I check my face in my side mirror,
- Page 293 and 294:
tell her as I season two oysters.
- Page 295 and 296:
sociological, political, and theist
- Page 297 and 298:
eyeing my brothers. “Know anythin
- Page 299 and 300:
I whip the spoon, the glob slamming
- Page 301 and 302:
she peels off my tank top and helps
- Page 303 and 304:
God, she’s beautiful.Leaning down
- Page 305 and 306:
Wait…“You never did that with a
- Page 307 and 308:
“I’m…uh,” Clay stammers, br
- Page 309 and 310:
Amy adjusts her bra straps inside h
- Page 311 and 312:
Clay, I still wouldn’t have been
- Page 313 and 314:
and I lose sight of her, but my bod
- Page 315 and 316:
I smile. She must be eating dinner.
- Page 317 and 318:
Letters were how old people communi
- Page 319 and 320:
“SO, I WAS kind of thinking,” I
- Page 321 and 322:
heart.She stands there, her chin tr
- Page 323 and 324:
“Have you ever kissed a man?” h
- Page 325 and 326:
She hasn’t called. She didn’t a
- Page 327 and 328:
“You’re going to leave,” he g
- Page 329 and 330:
Oh, shut up.I walk away without say
- Page 331 and 332:
“Listen to me,” he says.But I d
- Page 333 and 334:
Like Henry.“His brother was makin
- Page 335 and 336:
NEW YORK. WHY does the idea of bein
- Page 337 and 338:
Does my mom know that’s how I see
- Page 339 and 340:
that I’m…”“Well, honey, we
- Page 341 and 342:
“YOU’RE NOT ACTUALLY dating Tra
- Page 343 and 344:
I hate it. I hate acting like this.
- Page 345 and 346:
But then I remember, I blocked her
- Page 347 and 348:
on.And then the door at the back op
- Page 349 and 350:
“YOU GIRLS LOOK beautiful,” my
- Page 351 and 352:
God, shut up. I squeeze my fists, s
- Page 353 and 354:
But my dad pulls her back around an
- Page 355 and 356:
face falls.“In or out, kid,” Ar
- Page 357 and 358:
What do you mean, what? I know what
- Page 359 and 360:
that.I’m still not apologizing, t
- Page 361 and 362:
value won’t always look like them
- Page 363 and 364:
My father steps up behind us and Kr
- Page 365 and 366:
starts.“Undo me,” Liv pants, gi
- Page 367 and 368:
I BREATHE HARD, sucking my hair int
- Page 369 and 370:
can track me, and there are four of
- Page 371 and 372:
you.”Milo pulls me back around, s
- Page 373 and 374:
“Come on, Milo!” someone shouts
- Page 375 and 376:
I glance after Dallas for less than
- Page 377 and 378:
“Not here,” I whisper to my bro
- Page 379 and 380:
I just laugh, climbing into the cab
- Page 381 and 382:
Dammit. I grab it off the floor, kn
- Page 383 and 384:
lot of trouble, but of course, he w
- Page 385 and 386:
One Month LaterCLAY RUNS PAST me, a
- Page 387 and 388:
Her mother’s help to protect the
- Page 389 and 390:
confection off the tray and let Cla
- Page 391 and 392:
Four Years LaterI’M GONNA BE sick
- Page 393 and 394:
He laughs, glancing to Army and the
- Page 395 and 396:
“Oh, I need a board, right? I don
- Page 397 and 398:
“What are we doing?” I ask.She
- Page 399 and 400:
Thank you so much for reading Tryst
- Page 401 and 402:
ErikaHE WON’T BE HERE.There’d b
- Page 403 and 404:
Trees rose above and all around me
- Page 405 and 406:
It was my fault I didn’t love him
- Page 407 and 408:
I tucked my hair behind my ear, not
- Page 409 and 410:
Other than that one night, he’d i
- Page 411 and 412:
smiled, pulling out a heavy steel D
- Page 413 and 414:
To the readers—Again, I want to t
- Page 415:
Penelope Douglas is a New York Time