E

<>

L

and my hand flies

allway, ringing louder than th

ng to the side, a red mark bloom

hammering, my

ds his

chest stings worse. Because

second, I h

d was betr

e hate him-and

this is a game?"

own to his side, his eyes glinting like wint

t-" His jaw tightens. "

. "Excu

where the girl with the sing-song voice and revealing cl

ound like a ghost all week.

use

hen steadies. "I didn't think it

n my chest. "You

ing down, then

e, he says, "I'

ght, tense, like a hell that has frozen ove

urt, "What have y

t his thighs once, then go still. Like he's stud

the ginger hair and blonde streak doesn't blend in. People not

. There's no tilted head, n

n honest. And for some reas

s, "when you said I'm a good

is lip. "I meant the kiss. You pretende

My fists clench as relief and

now my real

blue, he catches a few strands

. My feet fre

ice di

e says, "I

r lip. The way he says my n

es me more t

hair fre

~

sunlight stabs my eyes, i

hone. The screen

a

h Gaelic and exactly

r and blonde, legs tangling in my blanket, and so

h churns

hroom. Turn on the

l! There's

ng, my heart threatening to spill f

shirt, drench myself in perfume, and s

one b

d's group chat:

oom tilts. I bite my lips to s

inished t

under in my ears. This isn

. The human equivalent of a

uicide for a second-

is up, I ris

r strapped wrist. Her screams. The way

bastard pay. I can't lose th

old folders, my hands shaking as I scatte

. An old paper. The same topic

hest. What I'm thinking of doin

ams flood my hea

esn't wait

the original name and sh

attoo inked on the in

t in cursi

whisper.

t out t

on Evander's. "Hey, do

r swing

holding a handbag in one hand an

ollen, lipstick smudged, and she's

est feels tight. Why do

e-chested, jeans unzipped, and b

olds up a big, white, lacy bra

at the bra, then dow

flat. "That

at p

er fr

in his hand, abs

ack of his neck. "

s me. And fr

oves the bra be

rl str

After ruining my best friend's life, here he is,

ression. And of c

o you too, my s

der my brea

aelic fo

His grin widens a

ffs. Actual

drops

you showe

y up defensively. "The water i

p and obnoxiously rude. "So y

s burn. I want

ing with a different gi

arpens. "Je

ealous of your bench rotatio

ack the exasperated groan bubbling

time!" he calls after m

ad

~

eek L

es in on me, and I regret

filled with disciplinary officials who want to

ssor Willard's assignment sits

emic dishonesty" fall out of thei

urn into an ant, crawl

h sweat. My ears ring

, it's over. My revenge. My

f, as my fingers trembl

open, and my e

mposed. Ice-blue eyes scanning the

he doi

d, that golden-boy, pear

pple around me. Words like Grentwood's pride. C

oud. Exceptional cha

group of words is

e grateful to Evand

n, I'll work on a p

oy saves the troubled g

oice booms through the room, as h

must conduct a field research project on group behavior an

ned t

t S

a hand, immediately shu

wists into a

ne this. He'

His is calm, calc

d, burning,

nch so hard

irk curve

voices. But all I see are his eyes

iel. You want a ga

own