Page 118 of The Secret to Belonging

how desperately

you’ve missed her

how horribly lonely

you’ve been without her

the nuclear fallout from your family

has nearly buried you

and

you’ve forgotten how to dig

Maura leaves for Berkeley in two days

for a pre-term creative writing course

Alison has an apartment in Northridge

starts classes at Cal State in three weeks

move in with me!

you’re surprised

i need a roommate

you need to get away from all that bullshit

but your jobs

your paychecks

your family’s bills

they have video stores and supermarkets

in Northridge, too, you know

it’s only half an hour from Glendale

we could take classes together!

classes cost money

your parents need every penny you earn

you can’t justify the expense of an apartment

Alison grabs a pen and writes

her new phone number on your hand

think about it

Maura unwraps an ice cream sandwich