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I was never fond of those girls who are all like, “My family is nuts and mortifying and I have braces and ohmigosh, my life is so hard”

“It’s really not going to be as bad as you think, Nomes. I promise. Eleventh grade is amazing”

Benny took the crisply folded linen she’d indicated and found a spot for it inside the suitcase. Then he took a deep breath. “So we’re doing this, huh?”

“That day, that day that I left,” Benny said suddenly. “I never really told you about it”

Avi muttered something under his breath — Benny was pretty sure it featured “stupid Americans” with some other choice words

“This Shabbos we’re not having any bochurim. I keep thinking about what you said and everything that happened… I want to get my balance back”