The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

her hair…
    He knew instinctively that she wasn’t that way. He couldn’t be absolutely sure, of course, but he’d bet on it. She didn’t
     put others into neat little boxes because she didn’t put herself in one, and that struck him as refreshing and different,
     especially when compared with the girls he’d known at Laney. Especially Ashley.
    Though things were busy at the garage, his thoughts kept drifting back to her more often than he expected.
    Not all the time. But enough to make him realize that for whatever reason, he definitely wanted to get to know her a little
     better, and he found himself wondering whether he would see her again.

8

    R onnie
    B laze led the way to the diner Ronnie had seen on her walk through the business district, and Ronnie had to admit that it did
     have some charm, particularly if you were fond of the 1950s. There was an old-fashioned counter flanked with stools, the floor
     was black and white tiles, and cracked red vinyl booths lined the walls. Behind the counter, the menu was written on a chalkboard,
     and as far as Ronnie could tell, the only change to it in the last thirty years had been the prices.
    Blaze ordered a cheeseburger, a chocolate shake, and French fries; Ronnie couldn’t decide and ended up ordering only a Diet
     Coke. She was hungry, but she wasn’t exactly sure what kind of oil they used in their deep fryer, and neither, it seemed,
     was anyone else at the diner. Being a vegetarian wasn’t always easy, and there were times when she wanted to give up the whole
     thing.
    Like when her stomach was growling. Like right now.
    But she wouldn’t eat here. She couldn’t eat here, not because she was a
vegetarian-on-principle
kind of person, but because she was
vegetarian-because-she-didn’t-want-to-feel-sick
kind of person. She didn’t care what other people ate; it was just that whenever she thought about where meat actually came
     from, she’d imagine a cow standing in a meadow or Babe the pig, and she’d feel herself getting nauseated.
    Blaze seemed happy, though. After she placed her order, she leaned back in the booth. “What do you think about the place?”
     she asked.
    “It’s neat. It’s kind of different.”
    “I’ve been coming here since I was a kid. My dad used to bring me every Sunday after church for a chocolate shake. They’re
     the best. They get their ice cream from some tiny place in Georgia, but it’s amazing. You should get one.”
    “I’m not hungry.”
    “You’re lying,” Blaze said. “I heard your stomach growling, but whatever. It’s your loss. But thanks for this.”
    “No big deal.”
    Blaze smiled. “So what happened last night? Are you like… famous or something?”
    “Why would you ask that?”
    “Because of the cop and the way he singled you out. There had to be a reason.”
    Ronnie made a face. “I think my dad told him to go find me. He even knew where I lived.”
    “Sucks being you.”
    When Ronnie laughed, Blaze reached for the saltshaker. After tipping it over, she began sprinkling salt onto the table while
     using a finger to mold it into a pile.
    “What did you think of Marcus?” she asked.
    “I didn’t really talk to him. Why?”
    Blaze seemed to choose her words carefully. “Marcus never liked me,” she said. “Growing up, I mean. I can’t say that I liked
     him very much, either. He was always kind of… mean, you know? But then, I don’t know, a couple of years ago, things changed.
     And when I really needed someone, he was there for me.”
    Ronnie watched the salt pile grow. “And?”
    “I just wanted you to know.”
    “Fine,” she said. “Whatever.”
    “You too.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    Blaze scraped some of the black polish from her fingernails. “I used to compete in gymnastics, and for maybe four or five
     years, it was the biggest thing in my life. I ended up quitting because of my coach. He was a real hard-ass, always telling
     you what you did wrong, never