Page 65 of Forget the Stars

“Okay,”I replied so casually, I scared myself.

“Fuckyou, Chad,” she snapped.

“Goodbye,Ali.” I hung up and laid the phone on the bed.

Iwas single for the first time in eight years. Just like that. There was nosense of displacement though. No sense of denial. We were done, and I wascompletely indifferent. Maybe I had felt for a long time that we were over.Maybe I realized the relationship was had been nothing more than an anchor,holding me down and away from what I really wanted. But whatever it was, Iwasn’t tied to her anymore, and I picked up my phone.

Me:Hey, you can come back.

Molly:That was quick.

Me:Yeah, we didn’t have much to say.

Molly:Well, you’regonnahave towait.

Molly:I took a walk to the cafeteria. I’m starving.

Me:Oh, sure. Rub it in. The nurse came in with my menu before.

Me: I’mgetting grilled chicken breast, white rice, and Jell-O. Yay me.

Molly:Exciting! Your parents bought me roasted veggie pizza. Would you believe theyhave vegan cheese here?

Me:Bitch. Even that garbage sounds good right now.

Molly:I’ll take it to go and eat upstairs with you.

Me:I hate you.

Molly:You love me.

Me:Yeah, maybe.

Me:Just hurry up.

Molly:Why? Miss me?

Me:I’ve always missed you.

21

GetAsked Out on a Date

MOLLY

CHADWAS RIGHT.I hated hospitals.

You’dthink that wouldn’t be something people would easily forget, but it’d beenyears since I’d been in one. Not since I’d broken my ankle, nearly twenty-twoyears ago. But now that I was back, spending my days within the walls of one, Ifelt on edge. Uncomfortable. Acutely aware of the different walks of lifehappening right this second, all under one roof, mere feet away from where Istood in the cafeteria.

“Veggiepizza with vegan cheese?” The cafeteria worker called out, and I raised my handbefore extending it to take the tray of food. “Have a nice day.”

Itseemed like a stupid, insensitive thing to say in a hospital. Sure, I could’vebeen on my way to see a friend’s brand-new baby, but what if my aunt was lyingupstairs, on the last leg of her battle with cancer? What if my best friend wasjust diagnosed with a life-altering, debilitating disease?

“Thanks,”I replied, mustering a smile. “You too.”

Iturned back to Connie and Mark. They sat at a booth, drinking tea and coffeeand eating muffins. I’m sure they wanted me to sit and keep them company, but Ihad already promised Chad I’d be back.

Conniesmiled at me. “You’reheadin’ back up, sweetie?”

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