EL'S

restimate you. It makes

brother's application letters. He'd left it on the kitchen

orking la

top and went to my room, collapsing on the bed. I stared at the ceiling, hearing my fat

advice. Now it felt

one b

at: Cros

sti has the mysterious-guy pl

a trap. Tall boys who p

going

m of him. yo

alone agai

an's gone.

in distress again. Thi

won't hur

t. They always knew when to crash in and pull

cline. It wasn't like I

ear into the couch whe

e wind out of me as she sprawled on top o

ent sure my spine jus

, you lo

you tell all

ones who

dream on steroids, and the aircon was working overtime like a clingy ex trying to redeem himsel

llingly. I was kidnap

antled Mater Carmeli's top seed," Rh

like br

nah corrected. "Which is tragic

esults,"

t it hits hard when it does. I mean, I'm not saying you're ugly. But we all know you don't have Medusa's se

t this was our language. And if an

nked.

i. Mater Carmeli's volleyball guy who gave y

words to me.

t. Chem

was a chess match, a checkmate, and a guy who

ound romantic,"

sound like

idn't deny

square at Hannah's head. "I'm going to end this conver

hapter one is called 'Th

s are im

ng for a candy. "Like how many seconds Basti looked at you. How intense the eye

econds," I muttered, a

d. "Aha! You just confirmed the

r a look.

nze

itch again," Rheiza s

nnah whispered, loud

ut w

a boy. A tall one. From

y 'The Basti' like he's som

e's thirst

delete your Ti

packet. "For when you're don

," I mu

s under the pretense of studying. Hannah played old 2000s pop ballads on her Bluetoot

thinking

seriously. Just...

ingered-not in a creepy way, but in that quiet

pped straight out of a music video. I could still hear Hannah whispe

get boys

. Wealthy

oxygen-and everyone else was gasping for

cident. Befor

est room, where the lights were softer and where my

n I was younger. He called me "General Denz." He used t

hout question. Now, I

h. Maybe neither. I c

a photo of him saved. Him and Mama, back when they wer

ed the group ch

e u dreamed of

mit it but she's soo

of how to beat Bi

h: li

love a defl

mil

ere. But