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He wouldn’t even hear the evidence, let alone see it He doesn’t want to know, because that would mean he’d have to face the truth

And life as he knows it would be blown all to hell

Unlike me, he likes his life

Just like Rush

Just like them all

Rush continues to hesitate, thinking over my question “I’d rather we just stay here I’ll eventually earn ether once I’m really in the club”

The sh he was tossed around and kicked out of hoe took him in last year, he’s still too naïve about just how cruel people can be

“If I said I wanted to leave it all behind and just go be nor hiet out of here before Pop gets arrested in another state toht

He runs his finger down my cheek, a confused smile on his lips

“No Because we’re not nor like the Barbies and Kens out there This is home, Kara And it’s the first time I’ve ever really had a home”

“Hoing, and we can belong anywhere ant to together,” I tell hio far away from here”

I start to lean up to kiss hiry, jerky movements

“What the hell is going on with you?” he snaps as he stands and starts pulling on his jeans with his back to me

Sitting up and keeping the sheet clutched to my chest, I take a shaky breath

“Seriously,” he snaps, not looking atweirder and weirder for months now”

It’s like pulling off a strip of wax It’ll take too long to slowly try to peel it back froes It’s better to just rip it off

“A few o, I discovered that Herrin killed my mom, and—”

He bursts out laughing, and my heart sinks as he turns around and looks me in the eyes with an incredulous expression

“Your mom was a junkie And—”

“Myoverdose, and you think that’s a coincidence?” I ask bitterly, tired of trying to coax hio without hesitation if he really cares about me