Chapter Twenty Two: The Party
Eli almost doesn’t go. He sits on the edge of his bed for longer than necessary, phone in his hand, the screen lighting up with another message from Dinah. Dinah: You’re still coming, right? Dinah: Don’t make me look stupid. He exhales. It isn’t pressure. Not really. Dinah doesn’t demand things. She invites them. Warmly. Confidently. Like she already assumes the answer will be yes. That’s what makes it harder to say no. Across the hall, he can hear Nora moving around in her room. A drawer closing. Soft music playing. The familiar rhythm of her being home. He stares at his closet. This shouldn’t feel like a decision. It’s a party. He stands up anyway. The house is already loud when he arrives. Music vibrating through the walls, laughter spilling into the driveway. Someone shouts
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