JackBAI/bert_pretrain_datasets · Datasets at Hugging Face

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that 'll give you a few days to settle in , '' my mom says as she slides the sandwich in front of nate .
`` sounds good , '' i reply , glancing at nate out of the corner of my eye .
`` i 'm having someone over for dinner tomorrow night , '' he announces rather abruptly .
`` oh , wonderful .
a friend from around here ? ''
`` not a friend , really .
a girl i dated in high school , '' nate clarifies .
i keep my eyes trained carefully forward .
`` do you know if she has any dietary restrictions ? ''
my mom asks , excitedly flying into hostess mode .
`` i could make this chicken dish my mom passed down , or ... '' i tune out as she offers more ideas , and polish off my sandwich as quickly as possible so i can excuse myself and go upstairs .
i sigh as i close my bedroom door behind me .
so now i have to have dinner with nate 's ex-girlfriend .
is this what the rest of the summer is going to be like ?
nate punishing me for his father 's favor by exploiting my attraction to him ?
i 'd rather be back in the library , buried in a book .
chapter six i push the sauteed chicken around my plate as i try not to watch nate drape his arm around the back of dana 's chair .
she 's pretty .
very pretty .
and sweet .
i wish she were n't so sweet so i could hate her for a good reason .
`` so how long did you two date ? ''
my mom asks .
`` well , it was on and off , so ... hard to say .
he actually went to prom with one of my friends , '' she replies , jokingly nudging nate , who at least has the grace to blush .
`` nate ... '' his dad says , shaking his head admonishingly .
`` oh , it 's ok .
i went with one of his friends , '' dana says with a smile .
`` i think we both knew it was n't meant to be . ''
`` a couple of my friends met their husbands in high school , '' my mom says , resting her fork on her plate .
`` though i read an article recently that said that twenty-eight percent of women meet their husbands in college . ''
she looks pointedly at me and i jump up .
`` i 'll clear , '' i announce .
i have a feeling i know where this conversation is headed and i want to avoid it .
`` oh , thank you , brynn , '' pierce says , as i stack the plates on top of one another .
`` no problem , '' i reply .
`` i waited tables in high school . ''
`` same , '' nate says , as i reach in front of him to take his plate .
`` you did not , '' i retort , before i can think .
he looks up at me and raises his eyebrows , his gaze unreadable beneath them .
pierce laughs .
`` it 's true . ''
`` my dad says working is the only way to build character , '' nate reports quietly .
`` oh , '' i say , blushing as i push my way through the swinging door into the kitchen .
i place the china carefully next to the sink and lean onto the counter .
god , i feel like i ca n't say anything right around nate .
my mind freezes up while my body is set on fire .
`` so , are you dating anyone at school , brynn ? ''
pierce asks .
damn him .
`` not right now , '' i reply , sitting back down .
`` who were you dating ?
maybe i know him , '' nate says , his dark eyes picking up the candlelight in the table 's elaborate centerpiece .
my mom spent all afternoon on it .
`` probably not , '' i say evasively , pasting a polite smile on my face .
he really knows how to get under my skin .
the truth is , i 've never really dated anyone , much as my mom pushes me , and as much as i 'm embarrassed by the fact .
`` who wants dessert ? ''
i manage to sidestep any more questioning by bringing out the last course , though now i 'm starting to think about the fact that nate and dana are probably going to want to go off somewhere after this and have sex .
i hope it 's not in nate 's room .
what if i can hear them through the wall ?
my mom insists on clearing the dessert plates , and nate and dana stand up .
pierce and nate start talking quietly , and dana comes over to me .
`` you are so gorgeous . ''
she offers .
`` i have to ask : what do you use on your skin ? ''
`` i-what ?
um , soap ? ''
oh man , she really makes it difficult to hate her .
`` soap ?
just ... soap ?
oh my god , i have this whole routine , '' she says , laughing at herself .
`` well , thanks .
i guess i 'll be seeing you around often ? ''
i ask , but she looks surprised .
`` because you and nate are dating . ''
`` we 're not really dating , '' she confides to me .
`` he 's not the type , and i gave up hope years ago .
but just look at him-can you blame me for coming back ? ''
she says with a grin , then her eyes widen .
`` oh my gosh-sorry !
i forgot for a second that he 's your brother ! ''
`` step-brother , '' i correct her .
`` well , i 'm gon na head upstairs .
it was really nice to meet you , dana . ''
`` you , too , '' she replies , stepping away to join pierce and nate 's conversation .
i head into the foyer but at the last second decide not to go upstairs .
i need some air .
i find myself heading down the hallway and to the french doors in the wood-paneled study .
they open onto the patio and i step outside with relief , closing the door behind me .
the firm breeze from the river calls me forward and i head down toward it .
i circle around the swimming pool on the first level of the backyard , and then down to a grassy lawn with a lacrosse goal set up on one end .
the wooden stairs down to the rocky beach are set on the right side , and it takes me a minute to find them in the dark .
as i head down the steps , i see the potomac spread out in front of me .
the water rushes hungrily by , lit only by the sparsely set houses on the cliffs surrounding it .
as i step onto the shore , i can feel the rocks pressing up through my sandals , and boulders casting long , dark shadows on either side of me .
this is no white-sand beach .
the river runs dangerously fast after rains , and there are even white-water rapids along parts of it .
i look back at the steps behind me and then back out at the river .
i feel so out of place here .

that 'll give you a few days to settle in , '' my mom says as she slides the sandwich in front of nate .

`` sounds good , '' i reply , glancing at nate out of the corner of my eye .

`` i 'm having someone over for dinner tomorrow night , '' he announces rather abruptly .

`` oh , wonderful .

a friend from around here ? ''

`` not a friend , really .

a girl i dated in high school , '' nate clarifies .

i keep my eyes trained carefully forward .

`` do you know if she has any dietary restrictions ? ''

my mom asks , excitedly flying into hostess mode .

`` i could make this chicken dish my mom passed down , or ... '' i tune out as she offers more ideas , and polish off my sandwich as quickly as possible so i can excuse myself and go upstairs .

i sigh as i close my bedroom door behind me .

so now i have to have dinner with nate 's ex-girlfriend .

is this what the rest of the summer is going to be like ?

nate punishing me for his father 's favor by exploiting my attraction to him ?

i 'd rather be back in the library , buried in a book .

chapter six i push the sauteed chicken around my plate as i try not to watch nate drape his arm around the back of dana 's chair .

she 's pretty .

very pretty .

and sweet .

i wish she were n't so sweet so i could hate her for a good reason .

`` so how long did you two date ? ''

my mom asks .

`` well , it was on and off , so ... hard to say .

he actually went to prom with one of my friends , '' she replies , jokingly nudging nate , who at least has the grace to blush .

`` nate ... '' his dad says , shaking his head admonishingly .

`` oh , it 's ok .

i went with one of his friends , '' dana says with a smile .

`` i think we both knew it was n't meant to be . ''

`` a couple of my friends met their husbands in high school , '' my mom says , resting her fork on her plate .

`` though i read an article recently that said that twenty-eight percent of women meet their husbands in college . ''

she looks pointedly at me and i jump up .

`` i 'll clear , '' i announce .

i have a feeling i know where this conversation is headed and i want to avoid it .

`` oh , thank you , brynn , '' pierce says , as i stack the plates on top of one another .

`` no problem , '' i reply .

`` i waited tables in high school . ''

`` same , '' nate says , as i reach in front of him to take his plate .

`` you did not , '' i retort , before i can think .

he looks up at me and raises his eyebrows , his gaze unreadable beneath them .

pierce laughs .

`` it 's true . ''

`` my dad says working is the only way to build character , '' nate reports quietly .

`` oh , '' i say , blushing as i push my way through the swinging door into the kitchen .

i place the china carefully next to the sink and lean onto the counter .

god , i feel like i ca n't say anything right around nate .

my mind freezes up while my body is set on fire .

`` so , are you dating anyone at school , brynn ? ''

pierce asks .

damn him .

`` not right now , '' i reply , sitting back down .

`` who were you dating ?

maybe i know him , '' nate says , his dark eyes picking up the candlelight in the table 's elaborate centerpiece .

my mom spent all afternoon on it .

`` probably not , '' i say evasively , pasting a polite smile on my face .

he really knows how to get under my skin .

the truth is , i 've never really dated anyone , much as my mom pushes me , and as much as i 'm embarrassed by the fact .

`` who wants dessert ? ''

i manage to sidestep any more questioning by bringing out the last course , though now i 'm starting to think about the fact that nate and dana are probably going to want to go off somewhere after this and have sex .

i hope it 's not in nate 's room .

what if i can hear them through the wall ?

my mom insists on clearing the dessert plates , and nate and dana stand up .

pierce and nate start talking quietly , and dana comes over to me .

`` you are so gorgeous . ''

she offers .

`` i have to ask : what do you use on your skin ? ''

`` i-what ?

um , soap ? ''

oh man , she really makes it difficult to hate her .

`` soap ?

just ... soap ?

oh my god , i have this whole routine , '' she says , laughing at herself .

`` well , thanks .

i guess i 'll be seeing you around often ? ''

i ask , but she looks surprised .

`` because you and nate are dating . ''

`` we 're not really dating , '' she confides to me .

`` he 's not the type , and i gave up hope years ago .

but just look at him-can you blame me for coming back ? ''

she says with a grin , then her eyes widen .

`` oh my gosh-sorry !

i forgot for a second that he 's your brother ! ''

`` step-brother , '' i correct her .

`` well , i 'm gon na head upstairs .

it was really nice to meet you , dana . ''

`` you , too , '' she replies , stepping away to join pierce and nate 's conversation .

i head into the foyer but at the last second decide not to go upstairs .

i need some air .

i find myself heading down the hallway and to the french doors in the wood-paneled study .

they open onto the patio and i step outside with relief , closing the door behind me .

the firm breeze from the river calls me forward and i head down toward it .

i circle around the swimming pool on the first level of the backyard , and then down to a grassy lawn with a lacrosse goal set up on one end .

the wooden stairs down to the rocky beach are set on the right side , and it takes me a minute to find them in the dark .

as i head down the steps , i see the potomac spread out in front of me .

the water rushes hungrily by , lit only by the sparsely set houses on the cliffs surrounding it .

as i step onto the shore , i can feel the rocks pressing up through my sandals , and boulders casting long , dark shadows on either side of me .

this is no white-sand beach .

the river runs dangerously fast after rains , and there are even white-water rapids along parts of it .

i look back at the steps behind me and then back out at the river .

i feel so out of place here .