y smi

mach dr

you join the pla

ud. On purpose. She

ingers curled into

of it. If I said yes, she'd fin

er short of words, but even they thems

ne sp

e longer I stayed quiet, the

de., her eyes glinting. "Somet

in all corner

don't know. I just-" I swallowed, my hand

er. "Oh, come on,

ted t

ailey back off. She said

elax, Nola." She turned back to

shuffled, I hated being

k to stand b

Someone whispered some

riends copied me,

neck. I gripped the

ched back and sq

u should leave."His voice was

ce."Me? Upsetting Ivy?"She turn

the floor. I

iling. "Guess I'll wait

ed and wa

t away. He had sat thr

ated. Loo

ood up a

t a shaky

iends stayed clos

very step I took felt like too much, like my body was g

or me to keep walking. My legs shook, I was

cold. My ches

my face m, but I pushed

, I stopped. Pressed a

her voice low.

nod

was

legs ga

rred with the unending

s. My hands would

s gathered

e rush

e, on the cold floor that smelt

anything. I was g

felt better

stupid I looked. How I told mys

t here

g apart

nd. Forced myself to si

teacher was saying. My

ogether. She sat beside me. She didn

sture made my

abbed my bag and rushed out

wn. Moved fast. He

ere. Almos

I sa

ia

hot thro

and slipped through

it wasn't empty. Someone was in th

ai

door, then pushed

than the othe

as watc

u hiding fro

at the floor. No way

, filling the silence. He talked as he

ed ques

rt. Awkward. But he

indow. "Want me to check

ted. Then

d from behind the doorframe

Liam. Standing righ

ack in. Hea

me, and he understood. . "Hey, i

ned and walk

ng to Liam. Liam nodded. His

ain returned. Shru

over me so fast

linked back tears. "

go. No need to cry." His voice was light

ispered anoth

n I

n't

the parking lot, desperate to get h