Somehow, I managed to get back to Laura without showing any signs of falling apart at the seams. I came up with some lie about Vanessa getting school notes, being embarrassed about asking up-front, and then continued searching for a costume like my world hadn’t just shattered to pieces.
Again.
I wasn’t entirely aware of the conversations we had afterwards. Something about the library get-together, about up-and-coming school projects and the quick arrival of Autumn Break. Maybe Laura and I had gotten into a heated discussion over the best Halloween candy, over the joys of fall and delighting over the full swing of sweater weather. I was on autopilot, mentally checked out while some semblance of my social life took control and kept the facade up.
But once I left that store, handing my
