as'

ling the frame, but it didn't drown o

ned the place. My so-called friends sat across the couches, chairs, even the floor, half-empty soda cans

rks, the raised brows, the knowing glances

up and grabbed me in a headlock, ruffling my hair like I was

k, huh? What's it like seeing yo

der, but it only earned me m

to drop onto the arm of the couch, trying to ignore the th

ing to shake off the image of her. The girl who walked in like she didn't even kno

ey said her name was

bservant one, grinned at me from his perch on the windowsill. His

my voice came out lower th

ouldn'

ous, leaning back with his hands behind his head. "Maybe

bouncing off the walls, and I

es glinting. "You should've seen yourself last semester

lenched. I dragged a hand through my hai

firm. But even I wasn't sure who I was t

little, the laughter fad

You expect us to believe that? You really think some random girl just

Couldn't. Because

, whoever the hell she was, was confusion

aking the tension with another laugh. "Maybe yo

t under my skin, restless and agitated. I paced to the window, trying to catch my breath,

ly leaving my mouth, yet I meant every word. "I'm not putting up w

ll silent.

"Harsh. But hey, maybe t

t as sure. "If she messed you up that ba

knew. Like they saw through me, through the c

s, I didn't want her

forest, at the dark sky, and I tried to pull myself together. But th

breaking into my thoughts. "That's cold, man.

teeth. "She

me and pretend like she doesn't know me? But if she wasn

dge like she was fighting the world. Her

t?" Finn asked, wat

sure about an

bed a soda. The hiss of the can opening was too loud. I took a swig

like I didn'

voice easy, like this was just a

he sweetness sharp and bitter. The room was fille

was. Maybe that was the problem.

et her

I said again, harsher this

the sound raw, filled with s

nother guy, Jude, strolled

alling herself Zara now, right?" His grin was all

rs laugh

she can come back in here and mess with m

tried to convince them, I

.

stayed, talking, te

l get back with h

y. She really dealt wi

meant nothing. And I just stood there, torn be