'twas a good ride. thanks for coming along on the journey.

10. Liz Turner (The Girl Who Wore Jordans)

Dylan and I get to book club on time. We're not early and we're not late. Being early would mean excess interaction with Eric and Ari, and being late would just be plain rude. So we're always on time.

When we walk into the bookstore, Dylan sighs in contempt, but then I'm like, "C'mon, this is it. We're done after today," and he forces himself to smile for my benefit. We go past all the stocked shelves of books and books and books, and then we reach the empty checkout desk, which is right in front of the back lounge-y room.

"Just one more," I whisper to Dylan, but also kind of to reassure myself.

"Just one more," Dylan whispers back. He takes my hand and gently squeezes it and then we power on into the lounge-y room.

Obviously, Ari and Eric are already here. Which makes total sense, because Ari works at the bookstore and Eric is hopelessly in love with Ari. Even though everyone in the club is technically part of a couple, Eric and Ari are the most nauseating pair. It's not even like they're too into PDA or anything like that—it's just that Eric is so freaking enamored with Ari that nothing else matters. And just for the record, I am NOT jealous about that. AT ALL.

Eric and I dated for a brief stint during my senior year of high school when I was still figuring out who I was and it just got kind of messy. We were seventeen and he claimed to love me, but again, WE WERE SEVENTEEN. You don't know shit about anything at seventeen, let alone something earth shattering like love. But anyway, I wasn't exactly heartbroken when Eric and I went our separate ways, which in part is due to my main man Dylan Collins, to whom I am still sturdily linked romantically.

(Dylan is great and I love him a lot and we have a really healthy relationship even though I don't really have time for anyone ever but whatever).

Natalie and Mason are also here, which is also not surprising, seeing as how Natalie has some weird obsession with Ari. Natalie is a freaking super model, so if anything you'd think that it'd be the other way around. But nope, Natalie is almost as obsessed with Ari as Eric is. Mason, on the other hand, couldn't give two shits about anyone here, let alone Ari. As pop stars go, he is probably the moodiest, most apathetic one on the planet. He hates book club almost as much as Dylan hates book club, which is certainly no small feat. But he still shows up because he loves Natalie, despite their overt relationship problems.

"Hey!" Natalie says to us as we settle down, just a few seats away from Ari and Eric.

"Hi," I return, hating that I'm about to descend into a gorge of small talk. "How are you?"

"Great! We're"—as in she and Mason—"going back home today, and I honestly could not be happier!" As an afterthought she adds, "How are you?"

"I'm good. School starts in a few weeks, but I have to go back on Monday for pre-season."

"Yeah? That's so cool that you play basketball and go to school. Is it hard?"

"It's fine. I've gotten used to it."

She refocuses her gaze from me to Dylan and asks, "Do you play, too?"

Dylan's eyes widen and he points to himself as he says, "Me?"

"Yeah!"

"No. Well, not for UConn. I play pick up, though, if that counts for anything."

Natalie just nods amicably, even though she doesn't really care what either of us has to say. But before she can turn back to Ari, Luke and Olivia walk in. They're not holding hands, but Luke is holding a flask, and Olivia doesn't seem to be as stressed out as she usually is when Luke openly drinks. They don't look happy, but they never look happy. No, they look placid. Like nothing can kill their vibes.

"Oh, hey!" says Natalie to the two.

"Hi," Olivia replies cordially.

Luke doesn't say anything.

It's kind of awkward for about a minute and then Emily and Oliver come in, which signifies that the small talk portion of this meeting is donezo. Emily and Oliver always mean business. They are here to discuss the reading, and that's it. I think that's how Emily and Oliver are with most things: they have an objective and they attain it, never stepping outside the lines until they've completed whatever it is they need to get done. Like they have blinders on. I'm kind of that way too—too driven for my own good. Luckily, I have Dylan, who balances out my drive, compensating with his moment-by-moment approach to life. Thank goodness for Dylan.

So Oliver and Emily are here, which means that we start talking about the book. But unlike with the rest of the meetings, this time we are talking about the book in its entirety, because we were supposed to finish it this week. I finished the book this week. Dylan finished the last set of SparkNotes on the book this week. I'm sure that Oliver, Emily, Ari, Eric, and Olivia also finished the book. As for Natalie, Mason, and Luke, I don't know if they actually finished the book. But honestly, I don't really care.

Personally, I liked the book. It was interesting and it was good for my brain to be reading something this summer, rather than just memorizing plays and advice from coaches. I also think that the social aspect of book club was good, because it let me branch out and talk to other people who weren't intense basketball players like me. It was a good thing. (Being in a room with Eric Wilson for an hour and a half a week wasn't great, but what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, in the wise words of K. Clarkson).

The ending of the book was kind of weird. Really weird, actually. Iver got his flower shop. He brought a bouquet of flowers to Ida after she gave birth and they decided to be together. Freja and Soren ended up together. And then the whole thing ended with Mikkel sitting at a bar, having a conversation about orchids with Else the bartender. It was a little anti-climactic.

Olivia doesn't think it was anti-climactic. She thinks it was a perfect ending. Poignant and sweet and simple and everything that the book needed. Oliver knew the ending before he read the book, so he's not too broken up about anything. Eric likes that everyone got a happy enough ending. Ari likes the "symbolism" (????) of the orchids. Natalie agrees with Ari. Mason agrees with Natalie. Olivia is into the hospital scene with Freja and Soren and the baby. Dylan asks why was Else at the end. Luke makes a surprisingly compelling point about Else needing to be at the end—she was a forgotten secondary character, but she was really one of the most important people in the story. Interesting.

Then it's over and we all say goodbye, promising to stay in touch even though it's absolute bullshit. I will not stay in touch with any of these people. Life keeps throwing Eric at me, so he'll probably pop back up again, but aside from him and my boy Dylan, I'm done. We each have our own life trajectories that will never collide again. Ari and Eric live in California doing weird hippie shit. Olivia goes to freaking Harvard and Luke works on houses or something. Emily and Oliver are going to excel in life, doing whatever it is they choose to do. And Mason and Natalie are Mason and Natalie.

As for Dylan and me, we'll finish up UConn. Maybe get an apartment someplace. I'll go to grad school for physical therapy and I'll get a job coaching. Dylan might work in an office or get a job from my mom, selling shoes to department stores. He could do sales. He's a people person. Hopefully, we'll stay together. I'd really like that.

I grew up in Boston. If coming back for the summer has taught me anything, it's that Dylan Collins needs to be in my life. I've kind of already known that for a while now, but for a boy who hates books as much as he does, he must love me an awful lot if he was willing to show up to every single freaking meeting with minimal complaining. I don't love books. (I don't hate books, either). But I do Dylan Collins. That much is for sure.