Square.

Chapter One.

LAST DAY OF SUMMER VACATION

"One more." Keala's demanding brown eyes bore into mine. "Just one more try, and I'll be finished." She waved her hand impatiently in the direction of the rubber-duck-ring-toss game. She had been trying relentlessly to win one of those plush animals toys, and the result was my nearly-empty wallet.

I looked absently over her shoulder, watching the lights dancing on the ferris wheel and the hypnotic way it spun around. It stood out against the darkening sky, illuminating the vendors and people mulling around it. I drew in a long, shaky breath. My memory was instantly flooded with thousands of images of my past. Our past. Harry's and mine. 'Past' being the operative word.

I remembered, so heartbreakingly clearly, this time last summer when Harry had taken me to this very fair. He had dragged me onto the drop zone, won me dozens of stuffed prizes and fed me enough cotton candy to make me sick. He had held my hand the entire time, as he had done whenever we were together. He had been the best freaking boyfriend I'd ever had. And now he was gone.

"Hello-o-o-o!" Keala's hand flicked back and forth in front of my face, bringing me back to reality. "Earth the Hazel. Can you scrounge up five more bucks or not?"

I swallowed the sob that had been rising in my throat and fished my wallet out of my denim pocket. I thumbed through the few bills I had left, handing one of the fives to Keala. She squealed excitedly and thrust it at the bored-looking male running the game.

Turning my attention back to the ferris wheel, I tried, mentally, to gather up all the pieces of myself. I reminded myself that I was still a strong person, with or without Harry, and I could move on. I wouldn't let this small, unpleasant trip down memory lane ruin my last day of summer.

But that was easier said than done. How could I forget someone so perfect? It was like trying to forget your name. He was a part of me. I felt incomplete without him here by my side.

"Can we go now?" I opened my eyes again, and Keala was standing in front of me, looking expectant. I blinked a few times, getting my bearings. "What?"

Keala rolled her eyes. "I'm tired. It's cold. I want to go home. Kapeesh?"

I struggled to grasp words. "Um. . .yeah. Okay. Sure."

She arched one of her eyebrows, giving me a skeptical look. "You lead the way, then." She made a 'you first' gesture with her arms, waving me on.

Surfacing back to reality, I walked ahead of Keala, stumbling slightly. I wove my way through the thinning sea of people, muttering an occasional "Sorry" or "Excuse me". I distantly felt Keala's hand on my back, guiding me gently towards the exit.

Keala dragged me a few yards away from the small crowd of people hanging around the gates. Then she spun me around so we were facing.

"Is everything okay?" She asked. There was concern in her chestnut eyes.

I shrugged out of her grasp. "Mm-hmm."

"You just seem. . .distant." Her eyes flicked back and forth across my face, searching for some sign of emotion.

"I think it was all that cotton candy," I lied, brushing a strand of loose brown hair behind my ear. "Sugar rush."

She nodded somewhat sympathetically. "Gotcha. Well, call me in the morning?"

I tried a smile but felt it turn into more of a cringe on my face. " 'Course."

She eyes me suspiciously once more before turning on her heel and sashaying over towards the parking lot. I watched her go, a lump forming in my throat. Because I was in no way okay.

I missed Harry.

 

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