Dan　blinked　and　his　breath　caught　in　his　throat。　So　many　times　he’d　imagined　her：　his　perpetually　black…garbed　muse。　But　now　she　was　here；　framed　by　the　entryway。　Her　hair　had　grown　into　a　sleek　black　pixie　cut　and　she　wore　a　red　coat　and　black　jeans。　Her　cheeks　were　red　from　the　cold；　contrasting　beautifully　against　her　alabaster　skin。

“Surprise！”　Vanessa　cried；　tossing　her　army　green　duffel　bag　on　the　floor。　It　was　so　familiar；　and　yet　so　strange；　to　see　Dan　sitting　on　the　couch；　frowning　down　at　a　notebook。　It　was　as　if　she’d　taken　a　time　machine　back　four　months　to　last　summer。

She　threw　her　arms　around　Dan　and　kissed　him　hungrily。　“Mmm；　you　feel　good；”　Vanessa　murmured。　She　ran　her　hands　all　over　his　thin　white　Hanes　T…shirt。　She　could　feel　his　heart　thumping　in　his　chest。

“How　are　you　here？”　Dan　croaked。　It　was　hard　to　believe　this　was　real；　and　not　some　post…traumatic　stress　hallucination　left　over　from　Evergreen。

“I　missed　you。”　Vanessa　shrugged。　She’d　left　Vermont　this　morning；　after　she　realized　that　a　week　with　her　hippie…parents　was　more　than　enough　time。　Besides；　she　wanted　to　surprise　Dan。　He’d　always　seemed　so　down　on　their　Skypes。

“I　missed　you　too。”　Dan　kissed　Vanessa　again。　He　didn’t　like　their　lips　being　apart。　“I　have　so　much　to　tell　you；”　he　breathed。　He’d　meant　to　tell　Vanessa　about　Columbia　over　a　glass　of　red　wine　or　at　least　after　he’d　taken　a　shower　and　brushed　his　teeth。　But　he　couldn’t　handle　the　thought　of　waiting　another　minute。

“I　have　so　much　to　tell　you　too！”　Vanessa　said　eagerly。　There　was　so　much　he　needed　to　get　caught　up　on　in　her　life。　She　couldn’t　wait　to　bring　him　to　Bushwick　and　go　to　one　of　the　all…night　parties　that　her　sophomore　friends　Brianna　and　Kara　held　on　the　first　Sunday　of