The Year We Fell Apart Read Online Free Page A

be physically unable to control the urge to blow a bubble.
    “So, how long have you been into photography?” Mackenzie asks.
    “This is my first class, actually.”
    “Oh!” Mackenzie says. “Me too! I was so nervous everyone was going to be super experienced like Gwen.”
    “For the millionth time, photography is not genetic,” Gwen says. “My mom’s a freelance photographer,” she adds to me with a roll of her dark eyes.
    “Wow, that’s really cool.”
    Gwen shrugs it off, but I’m getting the distinct impression that most of the people in this room really want to be here.
    The instructor, Mr. Harrison, stands at the front of the class and asks everyone to please find their seats. I shift mine so that I’m facing him, but Mackenzie leans across the table toward me, twirling the end of her honey-blond hair around her finger.
    “Do you happen to know a guy named—”
    “Declan!”
    I look at Gwen and then follow her gaze over my shoulder. Declan takes the seat next to mine. My Declan.
    He scoots his chair closer. So close that if I reach down to get something out of my bag, my head will hit his shoulder.
    I turn back to my notebook. Try to write the date in the upper left corner of the page, but the lead snaps off my mechanical pencil. I click the eraser twice and set the pencil down.
    Declan doesn’t say a word. Just sits there staring at me. And now I’m staring back. Class is already starting by the time I finally remember how to speak. “What are you doing here?”
    Declan ignores me. Nods hello to Mackenzie and Gwen.
    Besides my confusion over how everyone knows each other, or what exactly these girls know about me, the thing I find most disconcerting is that Declan doesn’t seem remotely surprised to see me.
    I tear my focus away from his face and turn back to the instructor.
    Since it’s an introductory lecture, I don’t get the chance to talk to Declan again until it wraps up.
    “Next week we’ll take a field trip to the land conservancy. Please don’t forget to charge your camera batteries!” Mr. Harrison calls out while everyone gathers their stuff.
    I put away my things slowly, building the nerve to try again. But when I finally turn toward Declan, he’s already out of his seat.
    With his arms wrapped around Mackenzie.
    “Declan! I didn’t know you were taking this class!” She gives him an extra squeeze and steps back.
    “Kind of a last-minute decision. Someone dropped, so they fit me in.”
    My eyes narrow. Cory knew we’d have this class together. He may be sick of playing monkey in the middle, but he will pay for keeping that from me.
    Gwen and Declan fist-bump and all three of them start talking about some jazz band I’ve never heard of. Pulling my bag onto my shoulder, I move toward the door.
    Declan follows me. “I’ll catch up with you guys later, okay?” I hear from behind me.
    “Sure!” Mackenzie says. “Nice meeting you, Harper.”
    “You too.” In my attempt to walk backward, I bump into the door frame. I turn around again and grimace, clutching my bag a little tighter. I move through the hall and safely clear the doors to the parking lot, Declan keeping pace with me the whole time.
    I scan the rows of cars. Suddenly I can’t remember where I parked. And the only thing I can think to say is that our tree might get cut down, which probably isn’t the best conversation-starter given what happened the last time we were there together.
    “So . . . class was interesting, right? Or, you know, less boring than I thought it would be.” I spot my car and take a breath. “What’d you think?”
    He turns to me, his face composed. Almost as if we haven’t gone nine months without speaking.
    Or as if he didn’t even miss me.
    “Wasn’t bad.”
    I bite the inside of my cheek. “How do you know Mackenzie and Gwen?”
    “We took a drawing workshop together.” He scratches under the collar of his shirt. “Over winter break.”
    We reach my car and I lean against