Page 59 of Salto

“Jenny!” I snatched them from her and hugged them to my chest. “You’re gonna make me cry!”

“Don’t cry yet. Wait, and when you do, you can use these to make you feel better, okay?”

“Okay,” I said while pulling her into a hug. “Thanks for helping me move.”

“Of course,” she said as we pulled apart. “Do you need anything else before I leave?”

“No, I’ll be fine,” I said.

But I wasn’t so sure. I was still worried I was making some giant mistake. With Jenny about to leave, it was starting to feel all too real. My stomach felt hollow, and a lump formed in my throat.

“All right, well, you got my number. Call me if you need me.” She started for the door.

“Bye, Jenny.”

“Bye, Scar,” she said, waving, then shut the door behind her, leaving me alone in my apartment.

The silence was deafening.

The lump in my throat grew bigger and harder to swallow.

Don’t cry. Don’t you dare cry.

Because I was such a baby, I reached into my pocket for my phone and texted Mia and Laney in the group chat we had.

ME: Just moved in.

LANEY: AHHHHH it’s happening! We will have to come see the place in a few weeks!

MIA: I’m so excited for you, Scar.

ME: Thanks, I hope it all goes well. My first practice is on Monday.

LANEY: You were made for this.

MIA: Laney is right. You got this.

ME: Love you guys.

I read the texts through a shimmer of tears, somehow managing to blink them back.

With a sigh, I turned to the few boxes I had left to unpack. When I opened the one holding my Strawberry Shortcake lamp, a sad laugh escaped me.

Setting it on my new nightstand, I moved on to hanging up clothes, putting away toiletries, and organizing the last of my kitchenware.

Two hours later, everything had found its place.

By then, it was nearly eight o'clock. Drawn back to the window, I looked out at the ocean. Closer than it had ever been before, the sun was setting in a beautiful array of oranges and pinks.

It was breathtaking.

The sudden longing to go walk on the beach came over me, and I decided now was as good a time as any to become acquainted with that little walking path.

I grabbed my purse, slipped on my flip-flops, and headed out the door.

CHAPTER 23

Idreamed I was on a boat.