in the main office buzz

a pink absence slip to the secretary. Her

SAT prep center downtown," Claire li

smiled, signing the bottom of the s

he slip and t

d with a solid wal

nto the office just

down to the pink absence slip in h

t he didn't say a word. He jus

terile alcohol and blea

ther recliner in the d

k of her left hand. The skin around the needle

therapy fluid dripped

tly. Claire gripped the padded armrests

eyes shut and foc

the nurse finally p

chair. Her entire body fe

e nurse said gently, handing her a small

o head back to the high school. She had left her AP Liter

ampus just as the par

he walked around the back of the school, cuttin

waist-high. No one

sound of a fist hitting a jaw

egs were too weak f

peered through the r

val high school letterman j

ed blood dripped down his chin and st

ke a feral animal. His eyes were wide a

ed the heavier boy by the w

ick wall of the shed wit

pipe from the dirt. He raised it high,

didn'

ock from the dirt, and threw it

d into an empty

ing crash star

ing it was a security guard, they dropped the pip

l. He was breathing hard. He wiped the bloo

arp eyes locked onto Clair

ped the cha

ody. The nausea from the

g her stomach, and began t

he violent rage vanished

ushed the broken gate open, an

ace. He thought she was having a

ugh hand awkwardly but gently

oice thick with frustration and concern.

nce to keep from falling. She look

a weak, tre

st," she