Deep in the woods of the Appalachian Mountains sits a little cottage with a stone facade. The sprawling Woodvale Farm is just beyond the thick layer of trees. Moss grows up the cold rock around the pink door, reaching for the cabin's ridge. The house sits in a small keyhole in the trees. The sun shines perfectly in the backyard for the entire afternoon in the summer. The farm grows corn, tomatoes,...

“He’s taking you to the Marlin?” Jackson asks, incredulously. Wyatt looks at me in horror.

“Why are you two acting like it’s a slaughterhouse?” I sigh, putting on my gross lip as they gape at me. Being friends with boys is annoying.

“It’s a seafood place off the highway,” Wyatt says, and I balk slightly, but I won’t back down.

“I’m sure it’s fine, you two are so dramatic,” I say. Miller spins a...

The boardwalk was overrun by teenagers on skate boards and toddlers with ice cream cones. Wyatt comes up beside me, engulfing my hand in his, giving me a gentle squeeze before catching up with Jackson.

Emily is telling us about her latest date. Becky is luckily asking all the right questions which is good because all I can think about is where my hand tingles from Wyatt’s.

Joe playfully shoves...

I’d have to hire movers. There was too much furniture to do it on my own now.

I’m like the flat half inch of soda at the bottom of the can. I stare at my fridge. At some point during our lazy spin around the sun, my fridge that still hums went from bare to covered in a year of memories.

The menu for me and Wyatt’s favorite Chinese place hanging from the Dorothy-magnet from the Golden Girls set...

It’s too dark. He shouldn’t have to be in the dark. It’s scary and cold and he doesn’t deserve that.

Lighting two candles, all that I can carry, I make my way out the front door to the little family cemetery. Jack had wanted to fix it up. Said his family should spend eternity in comfort. He’d cleaned the rock wall, then all the head stones. Planting flowers all around the green plot, instead of ...

“I’m sorry sweetheart, Jack’s will isn’t registered with us,” Sharon—the town clerk office assistant—tells me. Her crows feet deepen in concern.

“I-uh what does that mean?” This was not how I was expecting today to go. The office was empty except for me, Sharon, and presumably Tucker Brown, the town manger but his door is closed with the blinds down.

“It means you’ve gotta go to the city to ha...

He looks at me hard, staring me down. Understanding starts to flicker in his eyes.

“Mari,” he grinds out. “Why don’t you want him to have the farm?” He’s trying to keep it contained but the anger oozes out of his seams.

“Jack wanted me to have it,” I say, but I can tell it comes out weakly, so can he. I watch his anger spike.

“What happened?” He asks through gritted teeth.

“Nothing!” I shout b...