ed, I told myself I wa

like it had something to lose. I thought of Favor's voice earlier how

he silence tha

... I a

el

sper. "I don't know

sed m

e are

apped in a hoodie that swallowed her. No m

me in?" s

odd

. Just sat cross legged on m

ventually. "I've been seeing this guy. T

ait

ed to leave and he said, 'You'll be nothing without m

one

ne st

ne li

sex that night.

e, her head on my che

rying to hold together

d from a distance. Like I was finally starting to see he

hearts. And I had given her

I let h

answered

il

speak to me

mile. Not even a gl

was differen

sn't

as f

all the games Chelse

uy. A classmate of ours, Daniel tall, loud, always jokin

nd explain. To beg. To promise t

d that line t

istance exactly where

ame th

ted in

lass when I heard

helsea? Apparently, she wante

omeone from

doesn't even loo

top

poun

hadn't intended for it to spread, but when you play v

d to f

respond t

outside the Faculty buil

eople I thr

said quickly, eyes darting. "I

ying I'm violent tha

don't understand how i

ight. You came to me.

vulne

I was

dn't r

s when

defend me. She was

she could keep rewriting her story, with herself as the

lked

ak

rom the realization

er had

to talk

dn't l

her voice flat. "And now you want

r, pl

d left. My time. My patience. My feelings. And you

s con

u were

e lande

e it w

ver gave, I had taken fro

t deserve h

y bed, phone off, ligh

louder than

f the rumor. Not b

e the very thing I fear

at's what ru

the

let it tu