DA

ing breakfast nook, making my head ache. I kept my eyes on my cereal, listening to the

not a single hair out of place. You'd never know that six hours ago, he was a wreck on the floor surrounded by broken

Wall Street Journal. Mr. Sterling was a man who radiated power like a heater radiates heat-

just for a second. "I have practice,

ator's endorsement is more important than a game. Darcie, make sure

heat in my chest. "

screeching against the floor. "We're

. It was quiet-the kind of quiet that feels like it's about to

looking at his profile. "Are you g

apped, but there was no bi

g back. "The 'Golden Boy' does exactly what Daddy says

necessary. He killed the engine and finally looked at me. His eyes were har

?" He leaned over the center console, invading my space again. "You don't know anything about the weight o

hat annoying thumping thing again. "I call it a leas

and stepped out bef

ispering that I was only in the house because I was "easy." I saw Sloane at her lo

ssed. "Did you tuck Charles in last n

been the target for three years. But today, for some reason, it felt heavier. Maybe because t

he library when a shadow fell over my table. I expected

here. He was supposed to be at the "Elite Table" in the

ing? Come to tell me I mi

r bag across the table. "You forgot your lunch. My mom noticed. Sh

ich from the Sterling kitchen. "You walked all the way acros

e no one was watching. He looked out of place among the dusty books and th

nd on the bag. "

him take that too." He looked at me then, a real, honest look. N

omething softer. For a second, I forgot we were in a school where everyone hated me. I

t out of here before someone sees you talking

that, Miller. Sloane already saw me coming in here. I'll probabl

," I rolle

ng his hands on the table. "By the way... that cream top? It

d even call it that. My heart was racing so fast I thought I migh

apple, and a small, hand-written note on a scrap of paper. It wasn'

don't get the part about the indu

But I recognized the mess

cause it was expensive, but because for the first time in three years,

aw Sloane standing in the shadows of the stacks. She wasn't smiling a

I realized with a sink in my stomach that being noticed b