|| — me from wishin’ a many nights that I hadn’t been born into it, but I remembered words that #Gabrielle always said patiently in that —

|| — voice of soft husk, “If wishes were quarters and farewells were dollars, then we’d all be so much richer on the outside than we are —

|| — on the inside. They have no value, Michi, except that of the weight which holds you back. Never wish and never say farewell.” I —

|| — held onto those words, and it was that which kept me from growin’ wistful, emotional, lookin’ back over my shoulder and reminiscin’ —

|| — about the past and all the happiness we’d had in that house. Because there’d been more before it, and there’d undoubtedly be more —

|| — after it. Nothin’ was permanent…. Not even life. So I simply carried the last couple of bags to the SUV and packed them with the —

|| — rest before makin’ sure Dante and @MoldedDisaster knew the restin’ points along the way and rendezvous points in case we got —

|| — separated. Jazmine Edwards was already openin’ the door to get in when I started back towards the vehicle, and I smiled as she —

|| — glanced up at me. I could feel her sadness, and somethin’ else that lay beneath the surface. A type of edge that she seemed to now —

|| — wear like a second skin, body tense and rigid.\\ Hey, you alright? //Her smile was too quick, an almost practiced response, as she —

|| — nodded, expression shiftin’ to one that was bright, open, carefree. “Yeah, I’m good. You know I’m as used to this as you are. —

|| — Why?” My brows pinched slightly, but my answering smile was soft as I lifted a shoulder in a shrug.\\ I dunno, you just —

|| — seem….tense. //Jazmine Edwards rolled her eyes as she climbed in, swingin’ the cascadin’ onyx of her hair into a ponytail as she —

|| — replied, “Of course I’m tense. Dante and @MoldedDisaster drank all the damn coffee. Please tell me we’re stoppin’ at Starbucks at —

|| — some point in the near future, or me being tense will be the least of your worries.” Considering how she got when she didn’t have —

|| — caffeine, I thought no more on it except to chuckle as I closed her door, openin’ my own on the driver’s side to climb in, eyes —

|| — meeting carrιe вell’s who was already reaching a thermos she’d prepared especially for Jazmine Edwards, which drew a near moan —

|| — from the backseat. “Ugh, this is why I love you.” Starting the engine, I pulled out of the driveway, and without lookin’ back I —

|| — sped off towards the next chapter of our lives… And what would hopefully not be the last of mine…\\

If Wishes Were Quarters and Farewells were Dollars Read: tl.gd/n_1sorb88