stale grease and loud tee

ray, scanning the crowded

apped her

e skinny boy with the glasse

his nose. He held out a tall, ice

oy stuttered. "I know you sit next t

condensation dripping do

shop had kicked that bully into

it to him,"

to the AP Lite

d over his desk, fast asleep. Heavy met

laced the cold can of Monster

down the aluminum can and hit

eyes snap

e glared at the bright gree

laire whispered, leaning slightly tow

scoff. "Tell him to m

n't push t

nd. He hooked his finger under t

n tightness gripped her chest. It was the raw, untamed energy of someone who had never known what it me

of warmth spreading in her chest. He

th did n

orning, the Hansen hous

in a tight ball

ck beads of cold sweat soaked her

ently inside her stomach. The chemotherapy drugs were bur

thick blanket. She

he live-in nanny sleeping

on her nightstand. The red number

elt like an ho

rs. She dragged her fingers across the wooden nights

ngers

ge plastic bottle ov

pills scattered acro

ingle tear escaped and rolled down

up. She dragged herself to the edge of the

shook violently as she picked u

swallowed them dry. They scrat

ms around her legs. She sat on the cold floor, rocki

t up on the

er cousin, Gillian.

bright screen. Her

a trembling thumb. Everything

e slipped from her fin

drinking that energy drink. She thought o

life she would

se, the pain faded into

er bathroom mirror. She st

nd began to paint the perfect, he