anything else.
“Wait a flipping minute ; Karen's back in town? You and Micah? What in the hell's been going on around here?” Thank God I was a theater major. This weekend's going to suck big time.
Annie flopped back on the bed and started explaining everything that had happened since Julia had come back to town. Listening to her talk made Carly homesick. She wished she lived closer and could be going through all of this with her friends. There was no one in New York that she could fall into such a comfortable conversation with, not even her roommate because she was rarely ever home. Now, Annie and Julia were reconnecting and Carly would eventually be the odd man out.
“Oh, and the best part,” Annie squealed, “that first night... Julia thought Caleb was yours!”
Carly's hands dropped to her sides in shock. “You what?” She wondered how in the world Julia could have thought she would have stooped so low as to sleep with Micah.
After what he did to Julia the summer after graduation, no amount of alcohol or desperation could have made her do something like that. And if she had, Julia should have known better than to think she would have abandoned her child the way her own parents had abandoned her. That would never happen.
Julia sheepishly explained how she came to her assumption about Micah and Carly , and it made sense on some level. It was a bit odd to know that Gran took care of Caleb and had accepted him as her own grandchild. Now that Micah had grown up and proven himself a responsible adult, she was glad he was there to help Gran when she wasn't.
When Carly finished her makeup magic, no one could see the physical evidence of Julia's attack. She'd look a little out of place wearing long sleeves since it was supposed to be a warm night, but she didn't have to worry about anyone seeing the bruises.
As Carly bounded down the staircase with her two best friends, it was easy to remember the things she loved about living in Brooklyn. If there were more opportunities here to remain involved in theater and still pay the bills, then she could almost see herself drawn back to the small town life. As an eighteen year old, living in a town of five thousand seemed like a prison sentence. Now, there was something comforting about being home.
She knew she'd be lying to herself if she didn't admit Adam also played a part in her feelings. Being in Wisconsin would mean more time with him. It would mean having a better idea of when she would see him because he wouldn't have to work so hard to find reasons to get to her. It would mean doing something she swore she would never do, sacrificing her sense of self for someone else.
It was hard to maintain distance from Adam as everyone relaxed in Julia's living room. As much as she tried to stay involved in the conversation, she felt like the outsider. Everyone was talking about life in Wisconsin : who was seeing whom, who got a new job, who was getting married, who died. This type of conversation used to induce eye rolls when they were all kids, and it was the adults carrying on. Feeling like she was watching a group of strangers, Carly excused herself to the kitchen.
“Hey, you okay?” It didn't take thirty seconds for Adam to follow her into the other room. She could tell he was trying to keep his distance, and she hated it. She was being stupid and seeing him leaning against the doorframe when all she wanted was for him to wrap his strong arms around her solidified that point.
“Yeah, it's just a little weird.” She hated knowing that part of the tension was her own fault. She was the one who chose to keep the truth from her friends, meaning she had to keep her guard up so that she didn't slip.
Adam walked behind her and pressed his lips to her hair. “What's going on?” He reached for her shoulders, turning her to face him. It was hard to resist those expressive blue eyes, currently filled with worry and doubt. Carly hated knowing that she was the cause of at
“Wait a flipping minute ; Karen's back in town? You and Micah? What in the hell's been going on around here?” Thank God I was a theater major. This weekend's going to suck big time.
Annie flopped back on the bed and started explaining everything that had happened since Julia had come back to town. Listening to her talk made Carly homesick. She wished she lived closer and could be going through all of this with her friends. There was no one in New York that she could fall into such a comfortable conversation with, not even her roommate because she was rarely ever home. Now, Annie and Julia were reconnecting and Carly would eventually be the odd man out.
“Oh, and the best part,” Annie squealed, “that first night... Julia thought Caleb was yours!”
Carly's hands dropped to her sides in shock. “You what?” She wondered how in the world Julia could have thought she would have stooped so low as to sleep with Micah.
After what he did to Julia the summer after graduation, no amount of alcohol or desperation could have made her do something like that. And if she had, Julia should have known better than to think she would have abandoned her child the way her own parents had abandoned her. That would never happen.
Julia sheepishly explained how she came to her assumption about Micah and Carly , and it made sense on some level. It was a bit odd to know that Gran took care of Caleb and had accepted him as her own grandchild. Now that Micah had grown up and proven himself a responsible adult, she was glad he was there to help Gran when she wasn't.
When Carly finished her makeup magic, no one could see the physical evidence of Julia's attack. She'd look a little out of place wearing long sleeves since it was supposed to be a warm night, but she didn't have to worry about anyone seeing the bruises.
As Carly bounded down the staircase with her two best friends, it was easy to remember the things she loved about living in Brooklyn. If there were more opportunities here to remain involved in theater and still pay the bills, then she could almost see herself drawn back to the small town life. As an eighteen year old, living in a town of five thousand seemed like a prison sentence. Now, there was something comforting about being home.
She knew she'd be lying to herself if she didn't admit Adam also played a part in her feelings. Being in Wisconsin would mean more time with him. It would mean having a better idea of when she would see him because he wouldn't have to work so hard to find reasons to get to her. It would mean doing something she swore she would never do, sacrificing her sense of self for someone else.
It was hard to maintain distance from Adam as everyone relaxed in Julia's living room. As much as she tried to stay involved in the conversation, she felt like the outsider. Everyone was talking about life in Wisconsin : who was seeing whom, who got a new job, who was getting married, who died. This type of conversation used to induce eye rolls when they were all kids, and it was the adults carrying on. Feeling like she was watching a group of strangers, Carly excused herself to the kitchen.
“Hey, you okay?” It didn't take thirty seconds for Adam to follow her into the other room. She could tell he was trying to keep his distance, and she hated it. She was being stupid and seeing him leaning against the doorframe when all she wanted was for him to wrap his strong arms around her solidified that point.
“Yeah, it's just a little weird.” She hated knowing that part of the tension was her own fault. She was the one who chose to keep the truth from her friends, meaning she had to keep her guard up so that she didn't slip.
Adam walked behind her and pressed his lips to her hair. “What's going on?” He reached for her shoulders, turning her to face him. It was hard to resist those expressive blue eyes, currently filled with worry and doubt. Carly hated knowing that she was the cause of at
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