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THE DOORBELL RINGS AS DARCIE hurries from the back garden. On the other end of the door, Darcie's three best friends stand, looking about ready to scoop her up and run or to start fighting.
"What's the emergency?" Embry questions panicked.
Seeing his face, Darcie feels guilty. "I told you nothing bad — well bad, bad," she tells him. "It's me stuff."
"Darc, you're not making any sense," Jacob tells her.
"I know," says Darcie, sighing. "It's just easier if I show you. Dad and Bruno are out the back. I think I broke my Dad?"
The three exchange looks before following Darcie into the house, who quickly turns, finding her heart pounding a little too fast — that they can now hear. It's too much being so close to Embry, but Darcie can't cut him out of her life completely. Darcie needs all three of them, no matter how much she pushes them away or they disappear on her.
"What's going on, Darcie?" Embry asks.
"I... might have done something," Darcie tells them, pausing out the back with her hand on the handle. Then, she turns to face her three friends. "Promise me you won't be scared of me after this? Dad didn't want me to tell you because of Sam, but... you guys are my best friends. I-I know I keep pushing you away. I just..."
"It's okay, Darcie," Jacob reassures her. "A lots happened. It doesn't matter what it is as you're still our best friend. You can't scare us away."
Quil smiles. "We're here for you."
"However you need us to be," Embry adds.
Darcie presses her lips together to hide how they tremble. Already, her heart yearns for Embry, wanting to believe that they are meant to be, wanting to give in and be the Darcie he wants, but... how can she? Yet, despite all that, her three friends are still here, seeing Darcie at her ugliest, and still not refusing to leave.
"Okay," says Darcie. "Don't freak, though?"
Before they can utter another word, Darcie opens her back door to reveal their garden. The grass space out the back had once been cut short, leading to the endless woods. Now, however, there are five sunflowers standing freely and a few other flowers starting to sprout from the ground. Lewis Combs is still staring at the sunflowers, still in shock that his own daughter had grown them from her hands. Little Bruno chases his ball, obliviously, like always.
"Gardening is a good hobby," Quil comments. "My Grandma used to enjoy it."
Darcie sighs, knowing it doesn't look like anything too crazy. Ignoring them, and her father, Darcie crouches down to the ground again. Closing her eyes, Darcie presses her hand against the ground, feeling the cold sting of frost, along with the dampness. Then, Darcie can feel the warmth brighten in the palm of her hand as another sunflower pops free from the ground.
