BooksBarbecue
Back When We Were Bright and Beautiful
Chapters (72)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. Part One
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. Part Two
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. Part Three
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. Epilogue
  68. Author’s Note
  69. Acknowledgments
  70. About the Author
  71. Also by Jillian Medoff
  72. About the Publisher

In nursery school, we had baby chicks in our classroom. They were so soft and cuddly it was impossible not to squeeze them, especially for Avery, who adored animals. One morning, she was so excited, she couldn’t help herself, and squeezed too hard. It was touch and go for a minute, but the chick survived. Still, our teacher forbid Avery from touching them. Avery was inconsolable. So I smuggled one out during recess. “Look!” I opened my coat pocket. “Your chickadee.”

Avery’s hair is the same glorious gold it was back in April, when I saw her in the bodega. Her creamy skin is clear. She’s as skinny as a rail. Normally, I’d be sick with jealousy but I’m so grateful she’s talking to me, I’m thrilled for her.

“Why are you stuck in the concrete jungle?” I ask. “No beach this summer?”

“I work in PR. It’s a fucking grind. But, hey, it’s a living.”

“Another day, another dollar.”

We both laugh. Neither of us needs to work; we just like to talk that way.

“What about you?” she asks. “No family compound?” Then answers her own question. “Oh, shit. I forgot. How’s Billy?”

“Hanging in. We all are.”

“That’s good. I’m so sorry, Cassie. That girl, Diana Holly, is cuckoo-nutty. Langley knows her from Princeton. Once, she hooked up with Chase Braxton—remember him? His sister Ella was two years behind us? Chase had a girlfriend, which Diana knew, but after, she showed up at his eating club every day for, like, a week. I mean, this was a while ago, but there it is, right?” Avery is somber. “Billy will be okay. I’m sure of it.”

I study my fingers. This red is stunning, I decide. “Emma. Chase Braxton’s sister. Her name was Emma. I hadn’t heard that story. Tell Langley thanks.”

Langley is Avery’s brother. Seems odd to thank him.

There’s a long silence that neither of us knows how to fill. I have to apologize, but “I’m sorry” and “please forgive me” seem insufficient. I hate myself, I want to say. If I could, I’d go back to Miss Meredith’s class and meet you all over again. I consider telling her the truth about Marcus, which is the biggest offering I can think of. Especially if I describe how harshly he rejected me.