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           Likeallthewaterinthegroundrushedupintheskyandthinnedit."IgazedatRita.Shelookedbackatme,richbrowneyesstaringintomine."Sorry.ForgetIsaidthat,"shesaid.

           "Howcome?"

           "Itwasn’taveryRitaVrataskithingtosay."

           "Idon’tknowaboutthat."

           "Ido."

           "Well,Ithoughtitwasnice,"Isaid.

           Ritaopenedhereyeswide.Foraninstant,theyflashedwithaglintoftheFullMetalBitch.Therestofherfaceremainedstill."What’dyousay?"

           "Isaiditsoundednice."

           Shelookedsurprisedatthat.Alockofrust-coloredhairfelltoherforehead,andsheraisedherhandtoplaywithit.Icaughtaglimpseofhereyesfrombetweenherfingers.Theywerefilledwithastrangelight.Shelookedlikeagirlwhoseheartstringshadbeguntounravel,achildwhoselieshadbeenlaidbarebythepiercinggazeofhermother.

           Ibroketheawkwardsilence."Issomethingwrong?"

           "No."

           "Iwasn’tmakingfunofyou.It’sjustsomethingIwantedtosay.GuessIdidn’tgetthetimingright."

           "We’vehadaconversationlikethisbeforeinanearlierloop,haven’twe?Butonlyyouremember,"Ritasaid.

           "Yeah.I’msorry."

           "No,itdoesn’tbotherme,"shesaid,shakingherhead.

           "Thenwhat’swrong?"

           "Tellmewhatyou’replanning."

           "Well,there’salotIstilldon’tunderstand,"Isaid."Ineedyoutoexplainhowtoendtheloop,forstarters."

           "I’maskingwhatyou’replanningtodonextsoIdon’thavetothinkaboutit."

           "Areyoukidding?"Iasked.