Page 3 of Dear Rosie

My feet stop.

I shake my head. I didn’t hear him right. “What?”

“I wanted to tell you.” Nathan’s brows push together like he’s in pain. “I just didn’t know how.”

Panic starts to well up inside me.

Move?

Nathan’s going to move?

“Off our street?” I ask.

Nathan keeps his lips pressed together as he nods.

We won’t be able to meet in the woods anymore.

My heart beats faster. “Out… out of town?”

Nathan nods again.

My knees tremble.

Out of town means I won’t even see him on the bus.

I clench my hands into fists. “Are you still going to be in Wisconsin?”

Maybe if he’s still in the state, I could see him at football games or something. He’ll be in high school soon. And I know he’ll play varsity.

But then Nathan makes it worse. “We’re going to Ohio.”

The backs of my legs bump into the log.

I hadn’t even realized I was backing away from him.

Ohio.

I don’t know how far away Ohio is from Wisconsin. But I know it’s far. Far enough that if he goes… I’ll never see him again.

A weight presses down on my chest.

“When?” I choke out.

Maybe… maybe if I have enough time, I can convince his mom to bring me with them.

If I can just meet her, let her get to know me, she might like me.

And then his mom will want me to come.

Even if it’s just for a little bit.

“Tomorrow.”

Nathan’s reply pierces straight into my heart.

Tomorrow.

That panic inside me flares into an inferno.

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