After　Dan　had　kicked　her　out　of　the　Humphreys’　last　year；　Vanessa　had　felt　lost　and　heartbroken。　Not　to　mention　very；　very　guilty。　Everything　with　Hollis　had　happened　so　quickly；　she　didn’t　really　have　time　to　think　about　it；　they　had　kissed　once；　and　then　they　had　kissed　again；　and　then　suddenly　there　was　Dan；　watching　it　all　happen。　After　he　told　Vanessa　that　he　never　wanted　to　see　her　again；　a　tiny　part　of　her　had　died。　But　there　was　nothing　she　could　do　to　change　what　had　happened。　She　had　to　look　forward；　not　back。　With　nowhere　else　to　turn；　she’d　called　Hollis。　They’d　slowly　gotten　to　know　each　other　over　long　nights　of　falafel；　cheap　red　wine；　and　Vanessa　with　no　place　to　crash　except　Hollis’s　bed。

For　the　last　year；　she’d　spent　most　nights　at　Hollis’s　Alphabet　City　apartment。　But　technically　she　resided　in　a　curtained…off　corner　of　the　living　room　of　a　Bushwick　apartment　with　Mackenzie　and　Rhiannon；　two　girls　from　NYU。　It　was　a　far　cry　from　what　she　now　called　home：　an　eighteen…hundred…square…foot　glass　and　exposed…brick　apartment　with　its　own　elevator；　black…stained　wood　floors；　and　a　winding　staircase　that　connected　a　sleeping　loft　to　the　sprawling　main　living　area。　It　was　incredible。　She　and　Hollis　had　been　planning　to　move　in　together　after　her　lease　was　up　on　December　31；　but　she　hadn’t　expected　an　apartment　so…

“It’s　so　big　here；”　Vanessa　said；　her　voice　echoing　off　the　still…bare　walls。　Hollis　had　hired　a　decorator　to　furnish　the　apartment　with　the　basics；　but　neither　of　them　had　put　up　any　artwork　yet。　She　couldn’t　wait　to　find　cool　prints　and　stills　together　to　put　on　the　walls；　and　really　make　it　their　own。　For　now；　she　just　wanted　to　run　around　the　loft　in　her　socks。　Because　she　could。

That’s　one　way　to　dial　down　the　maturity