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<p>ORIGINALLY TITLED WHEN THE STARS ALIGN AND PUBLISHED IN JANUARY 2020.</p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Anna</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>I swore off dating. Then my ex moved into my building.</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>His proximity changed nothing. I simply offered friendship-to put the past behind us.</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>But I forgot what a good friend he can be...and there's plenty I never forgot.</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>There's also plenty I can't help but observe. The years have made him somehow more handsome he's equally gorgeous in suits and t-shirts and his abs are still rock-hard. </span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Some differences between then and now-Now he's a big-shot lawyer. Like me he doesn't have time to give to a relationship. And he agrees with me.</span></p><p><em style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Dating is a bad idea. </em></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>***</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Jackson</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>I never forgot her. But I wanted to.</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Back then I thought we'd have a future because we hit it off in every way-and I mean every way. </span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>After we imploded I hoped never to see her again but thanks to a mutual friend there was no luck on that score. Hello neighbor.</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>My easy-to-talk-to and easy-on-the-eyes neighbor. Now we're friends.</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>And then I go and get a half-cocked idea... or one might call it a fully-cocked idea.</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>With the right parameters we could have it all-friends with benefits. </span></p><p><em style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>If it was such a great idea why do I regret what happens next? </em></p><p><br></p>