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Dex doesn't say anything to that.

“I'm not gonna be another thing she has to figure out.” I look back at her. “If friendship is all she ever wants from me, then friendship is what she gets.”

“And you're okay with that?”

No.

“Yep.”

Dex huffs beside me. “Fucking liar.”

I smile a little. “You asked.”

“Yeah.” He bumps his shoulder against mine. “Should've known better.”

We stand there for a while without saying anything.

Nora looks over and finds me almost immediately.

Then she smiles.

Just at me.

My fucking chest aches.

I smile back, and Dex sees that too.

Of course he fucking does.

“The boxing ring's still there when we get home.”

I shove his shoulder. “Fuck off.”

He laughs.

Eleonora

I dive under the water and let the coolness wash over me before coming back up, pushing my hair away from my face.

God, I missed this.

The sea, the salt on my lips, the sun warming my shoulders.

Chiara is laughing beside me while Lexy squeals because something touched her foot and she's convinced she's about to be eaten by a shark.

I laugh. “What kind of shark do you think is swimming in the Mediterranean?”

“I don't know what lives in the Mediterranean!”

“Everything,” Chiara says seriously.

Lexy freezes, and I splash my sister. “Stop it!”

She laughs and swims away while Lexy starts threatening both of us.

I'm still laughing when I look toward the beach and find Jude.

Oh. My. God.