page。 ？The day we 。 。 。？ Nate knew before she？d even said the words。 It was a photograph from
the night they？d lost their virginity to each other； more than two years ago。 He couldn？t help
thinking about her soft skin and the fun they？d had。 Some documentary about the Ten
mandments was on TV that night； and when they？d turned it on after they？d made love for
the very first time； Serena had yelled out； ？You parted my red sea！？ He smiled； remembering how
happy they were； how they？d stayed in each other？s arms until the sun rose。
？I don？t even remember taking it；？ Serena added with a shrug of her shoulders before she
reached out and started to flip to another page in the album。
？Me neither；？ Nate said； reluctant to let go of the page。 Why couldn？t happiness just stay like
that？trapped under plastic and hermetically sealed？ Why did everything have to get
soplicated ？ He wished more than anything that he could just go back in time to that night and
start all over again。
Serena grabbed the book away from him； closed it； and sat up； crossing her legs Indian style。 She
was wearing a pair of ridiculously tiny white shorts under her cotton dress。 It almost hurt Nate？s
eyes to look at her。
Sounds like he was thinking with； ahem；something now。 ？Nate；？ she began； taking a deep
breath； ？I need to ask you something。 I 。 。 。 I really need to know the truth。？ ？What？？ His heart
stopped for a second。 Serena？s almost navy blue eyes were so serious that he found himself
reaching over and grabbing her hand； squeezing her soft palm in his own to fort her。
She squirmed unfortably and swallowed hard。 ？Did you ever get my letter？？Letter？ Nate
shook his head slowly。
Serena took another deep breath and looked straight at him。 ？I wrote you a letter to tell you that I
love you；？ she said quietly。 ？I always have。？ The room was so quiet that Nate didn？t know
whether the sound of breathing in his ears was his or hers。 Sitting there with Serena； on the floor
of her room； everything felt right。 Andsimple 。 In fact； when he really thought about it； things
between him and Serena had always been simple？it waslife that had plicated them。
And somehow it felt totally right for him to kiss her。 He leaned forward； his bare knees sinking
into the carpet； and pressed his lips to hers。 As he breathed in the scent of her； he felt his limbs
relax； his body going limp with relief and happiness。
Kissing Serena was the exactopposite of having a pair of stilettos thrown at his head？it was
absolutely effortless。 They staggered to their feet and she pushed him down on the bed； kissing
him back eagerly。
And the rest is history； repeating itself。
TO： DHump18@gmail。
FROM： perma_green420@hotmail。
Subject： Changes
Hey Dan；
Dude。 I guess you and me are going to be roommates at Evergreen。 I don？t know about you； but
I？m totally stoked on going out to Washington。 I？m from this shit…ass town in the boondocks of
Idaho； and after eighteen goddamn years here Ineed to get the fuck out。
It？s not just that living here bores me to tears； but the people here just have no respect for the
earth； right？ If the kids I grew up with spent a quarter of the time they spend cooking meth in their
basements focusing on the fucking earth； we？d have solved global warming by now。 Honestly。 It？s
like with smokers？why do they do it？ I can？t stand people who damage themselves and others for
no fucking reason； you know？ It？s all about respect。
So what about you； bro？ You stoked for school？ I hope you？re not bringing too much
stuff； ？cause I hear our rooms are pretty small。 I？m pretty neat； mostly because I don？t have a lot？I
try to simplify； stick to the basics； you know。 The only thing about me that？s high maintenance is
my allergies？I？m allergic to coffee beans and will go into anaphylactic shock if I？m even near a
coffee ground。 Trust me； it？s not as cool as it sounds。
Are you signing up for that frosh orientation camping trip？ Sounds pretty fucking sweet to me。
Getting to know our classmates； spending some time out in the open country； living off the
earth？way it should be； man。 Way it should be。
Peace； love； and unity；
Urth Greenberg
breaking up isn？t all that hard to do
Dan sat on the curb outside the Strand； a cigarette in one hand and a cup of weak； tepid black
coffee in the other。 Taxis rumbled down Broadway； pouring black smoke out of their tailpipes。 A
stream of tourists flooded the sidewalks； mopping their sweaty brows and looking questioningly
into the musty old bookstore as if trying to gauge the strength of its air…conditioning。 The heat
shimmered off the pavement in waves and Dan pushed his long； straggly brown hair back from his
forehead with one hand。
For the past few days； he？d bailed on the shifts that overlapped with Greg？s in an attempt to
postpone their inevitable talk。 He just didn？t know what tosay when Greg told him he wanted to
be more serious； moreofficial 。 Avoidance had seemed like a good plan； but then this morning his
boss had threatened to fire him if he didn？t e in； so he？d spent the day in stealth mode； hiding
out in the gardening section and ducking behind bookshelves whenever he heard footsteps
approaching。
？Hello Daniel。？ An unfamiliar； elderly voice startled him。
He looked up from his perch on the sidewalk and recognized Aggie； the seventysomething
receptionist at Riverside Prep who wore a different wig every day。 Today it was black and curly；
sort of like Ernie？s hair fromSesame Street。
？Hello Aggie；？ Dan mumbled。 This was the problem with New York？you couldn？t get a second
of peace and quiet without running into someone you knew。 Aggie would probably want to have
tea with him now； maybe get in one last heart…to…heart before he left for college。
Or take him wig shopping？
？Well； Daniel； it？s lovely to run into you like this； though I can？t stay and chat。 Congratulations
on your recent announcement； and I？m sorry I missed your party！？ Dan watched in shock as Aggie
smiled； patting her wig； and then shuffled off in the direction of the discount books racks。
Dan gave her a slight wave and then sighed； pressing his back against the brick wall； which felt
like it was searing his flesh through his damp T…shirt。 Well； that was weird。 Did his mom invite
theentire world to his ing…out party？ He adjusted his butt on the hot pavement and pulled a
notebook from his ratty black Timbuk2 messenger bag。 If he didn？t get something written for the
wedding soon； he？d be seriously screwed。 But the trouble was； nothing was ing to him。 What
did he know about marriage anyway？ How was he supposed to write about loving someone for the
rest of your life when he couldn？t even figure out hisown love life？
Good point。
As he looked up from the blank white page； he saw Greg stroll around the corner； wearing a
white button…down shirt and stiff white jeans。 Oh God。 Greg stopped when he saw
Dan sitting there and smiled。 Then he smiled and hurried over。
？Hey。？ He touched Dan on the shoulder。 ？Where？ve you been？ I？ve been wanting to talk to you。？
His voice soun