I KNOW THE END

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August 17th, 2023

THE MASON RESIDENCE

CLEO

I woke up feeling a mix of excitement and curiosity. My chat with Matt had been nice, and I was looking forward to hanging out with Grace this weekend. I couldn't help but wonder if there was something more between Matt and me. As I got ready for school, I thought about how to bring it up without making things awkward.

Downstairs, I found my mom making breakfast. "Morning, Mom," I said, grabbing some orange juice.

"Morning, Cleo," she said, smiling. "Got any big plans for the weekend?"

"Just hanging out with some friends," I replied, feeling a bit shy. "Nothing major."

"That sounds nice," she said. "Have fun."

As I headed to school, I felt a sense of anticipation. Maybe today would bring some answers.

AT SCHOOL

When I arrived, I saw Grace talking with Alex near the entrance. They looked happy, and it was good to see them rebuilding their friendship. Spotting Matt not far away, I walked over to him.

"Hey, Matt," I said, smiling.

"Hey, Cleo," he replied, looking genuinely pleased to see me. "How's it going?"

"Good," I said. "Ready for the weekend?"

"Definitely," he said. "So, any ideas on what we should do?"

"Grace and I were thinking about catching a movie," I said. "Wanna join us?"

"Sure," he said, grinning. "Sounds like fun."

LUNCH TIME

At lunch, I found Grace and sat down next to her. She looked up and smiled.

"Hey, Cleo," she said. "How's your day going?"

"Pretty good," I replied. "You?"

"Same," she said, taking a bite of her sandwich. "Excited for the weekend."

"Me too," I said. "So, I talked to Matt, and he's joining us for the movie."

"That's awesome," Grace said. "The more, the merrier."

As we talked, I couldn't help but feel a growing connection with Grace. She was easy to talk to, and I found myself opening up to her in a way I hadn't with many others.

AFTER SCHOOL

After the final bell rang, I headed to my locker to grab my things. I was pleasantly surprised to find Matt waiting for me.

"Hey," he said, smiling. "Got a minute?"

"Sure," I replied. "What's up?"

"I was just thinking," he began, looking a bit nervous. "Maybe we could hang out just the two of us sometime? I really enjoy spending time with you."

I felt a flutter of excitement. "I'd like that, Matt."

"Great," he said, looking relieved. "I'll text you the details."

THE PARKER RESIDENCE

GRACE

When I got home, I found William sitting on the couch, looking lost in thought. I sat down next to him, curious about what was on his mind.