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"Really?" she asked skeptically

I nodded "Really I just, I don’t know It gave ht about it"

"Pink tutus?" she asked

I swiveled hed "It’s what I think of too when I hear the word ballet I didn’t like peek"

Good thing Sheto do with dancing

We got to the dojo and Jade got out of the car before I could open the door for her "Knock it off, Jade Let ed her hands onto her hips "Don’t be pushy, Caleb, I’one Ya don’t need to baby me"

We sorta glared at each other Finally, I said, "You don’tyour boyfriend easy sometimes, Jade"

She searched my eyes "I know that you want to help But I don’t need this much," she waved her hand toward the door and at her body, "body guarding I just don’t"

"Give a guy a break, Jade Any dude that wasn’t a dick would want to keep ya next to hiotta feel aze steady on hers

She ca the closer she ca Jade wrapped her hands around my forearms, my hoodie sleeves jacked up to my elbows and I realized too late that she would feel asped a little "You’re worried"

I nodded No use hiding it now

"It’s not just what happened"

I shookit all week It’s like, there’s so just out of reach that doesn’t make sense"

"Parker," Jade pressed her eyes closed, searching Searchingopen "It’s that creepy attacker The one that alure so out Plan a defense, be prepared"

"Sounds like you have a little overlap ability"

It was possible But if that was the case, I wasn’t diggin’ this It was too vague to do anything with Except etYeah, like I needed that

I heard a jarring noise and sprung away frohing when I saho it was

Bry rolled up in his hunk-o-crap car It was a testimony to its powers of perseverance that it still ran John, Alex, Jonesy and Tiff rolled out as Mia’s toaster pulled up, Archer riding shotgun

Jade reached behind her and pulled on her pink puffy, it consu piece of candy in the thing

I got a pulse-vision visual on that one X-rated I grinned and Bry caave me a knuckle-bump "Whatcha ya thinkin’ about, Hart"

"Stuff," I said Like I’d say

Tiff cae, Gra out through your boring practice Hart?"

"No Tiff, beat it We’ll watch Hart own theto my manhood defense

"Why don’t you show us your ed "I don’t need any of thatwith my fists alone," Jonesy put up his fists like a boxer

"Nah, you’d shit an orangutan if you had to go toe to toe with soutan?" Alex asked, interested

"It’s some kind of monkey, animal-whore," Jonesy said, without rancor, eyes on Tiff

"Really, Mark Alex can’t ’whore’ anything if the pi done by an animal," Archer clarified

That lared at Archer "You we saved your ass from a fate worse than death Now you need to side with "

Archer crossed his arms over a perfectly ironed button-down "No Alex was part of the group that came to my rescue Your brutish tactics were effective but in this instance, you’re not being logical"

I put up my hands, Jade’s arms wrapped around ainst the skin underneathinferno in that puffy I couldn’t figure out

"Orangutans aside," I began, ionna be late while you guys are out here posturing"

"I’ot it," Tiff said and I frowned at her What was this about?

Jonesy walked over to her "What’s your real proble but he’d gotten John’s and Bry’s attention

"Ya know, Sophie’severy skank in the school has turned her to Buddy You’re so busy trying to show everyone how you’re all that, that youher arms over her chest

"Ya know, I don’t care who she dates!" Jonesy said, sounding as false as I’d ever heard hiht The rest of us know the truth" She stalked off just as Sophie and Buddy pulled up

Marvelous

Tiff had poured the fuel before the fla

Sensei Anderson appeared at the front door, throwing his arms out to his sides Crap I looked down at my watch and realized I was already three ently by her hand, feeling how cool it was "You okay?"

She s at Buddy and Sophie, Tiff sot it She’d leave the rest of the gang to hash it out while she slept

I stroked her jaw "K, you stay in the car and use that therht I said, "I’ll pulse the lock"

She scrunched her nose "Really?"

I nodded "Yeah I won’t be able to concentrate if you’re out here unprotected while you sleep"