WHEN WE COLLIDE

Year

-old completely ignores me, continuing to smear flour all over her face. My phone

ask if you needed anything," Jul

of baking soda. Could

of co

n," I reply befor

h-pitched voice, her face

s. About twenty minutes later, the doorbel

king the item from his hand an

He lifts her tiny frame with ease, spinning

fun with Aunt June?" he asks,

ter her," Julian says,

ng a kiss to Mia's forehead befor

ometimes. Just as I'm about to let the silence consume me, the doorbell rings again, pulling me back to r

and find a man

ys, though he looks

ou?" I ask, fr

me in?" h

you want," I say, tilting my head up to me

says, and I instantly u

respond, though I kn

f you'd let me inside

es you think I'd w

n offer the h

f you'll excuse me, I have better things to attend to. And tell my mom

This is all t

e doorbell rings again. This time, I

stop mid-sentence when I reali

says a girl standing at t

therapist. Did my mom send

terest?" she jokes. I exhale in reli

d in three days ago." I didn't

thrusts a basket into my hands, fi

" I say, accept

u even leave here at all?" She gestures tow

y an outdoor p

ys cheerfully. "There's this bar I'm go

n I realize I need the dis

" I agree, a

t 7, then." With

new neighbor, gets drunk quickly and disappears with a stranger

ven in the dim light, I can tell he's attractive. He glances at m

n my face?" I ask, tr

ok, as if he didn't real

I wanted to know if there's s

spond, but before he can

. I recognize him as the therapist from ea

now? Fantastic," I snap

'd be here," he ex

was your friend h

people at some point. No one really cares that much about

ut nothing comes out, so I