Page 26 (1/2)

"H with uidance counselor tomorrow at school…would you, u to talk to her about?"

"I was looking at soes online but I don’t know if any of them ork for me…because Dad can’t pay for any of it" I suck in a deep breath, euidance counselor says soht maybe you could help me?"

Jack kisses my head "Sure I can do that But don’t you think you should bring your dad, not ht "I talked to hie when I was telling theether and I don’t think he wants me to apply--"

"You told your dad and Cindy about us?" He sits up straight, knockingposition and start to resnapso skittish? "Why did you do that?"

"I like talking to ht?" he exclai ain "I just told Dad and Cindy that I like you and I’onna stay away from you like they want me to"

"I wish you would’ve talked towe’re, like, a couple or whatever," Jack says, dragging a hand through his hair He looks seriously pissed

"I didn’t tell hirass "I told them I like you…and wanted to be with you, that’s all"

Jack lets out a long breath "Look, I’lad you feel that way, but we can’t have a real relationship"

"We can’t?" I whisper

"You knoe can’t I thought you wanted to be together…like, in secret As friends with benefits"

Did he really just say friends with benefits?

"Like, we’d hook up, but we’d never go out on dates and stuff?"

"Yeah We’d be together on the do"

Did he really just say do?

"Why can’t we just try it for real? See what people say?"

Jack won’t stop clutching his hair "Is your father gonna tell my dad? You can’t let hiood oho respects his staff"

Tears have already begun to drip down my cheeks I wipe them away as quickly as I can If he didn’t hold all the power before, he does now I gave it to hi," I say quietly

"Good, because my dad hasn’t finished the Paradise Park deal yet If the Winchesters think I’ for Dad" Jack shakes his head He looks pissed

This is one of those badto play on repeat over and over in my head Like the memories of Moonshadow I can’t believe I shared her story with Jack Maybe I was right before Rich people are all alike Only care about their goddato say Soret when I look back on this s at once Anger Shame Sadness

More humiliation than I’ve ever experienced

But mostly pride for what I’m about to do

"I won’t do this in secret," I say "It’s terrible that a business deal is dependent on you playing Abby Winchester I hate that a deal is s Do you have any idea how shitty it’s gonna feel to tell Dad and Cindy that they were right about you?"

"What about h harshly "They said you lose interest in girls after a couple days and that I wasn’t anything special They’re right If I were special, you wouldn’t want to keep me a secret"

"It’s not that, Sava--"

"Save it," I reply, crossing my arms across my stomach I feel sick I can’t believe what I just did with him…and then this happens "You h to not do this with you I hope your dad gets his racetrack and I hope it’s worth what it’s costing you: me"

Dead Last

"Do you want eoer

"Because I can kick his ass," Rory goes on

Vanessa nods "And if you won’t let Rory kick his ass, I’ll do it"

"Guys, I can kick his assstudy hall, I’ve just finished telling my friends about what happened with Jack I left out the part about hoent down on hi Mistake? Vanessa and Rory warnedspecial to him

He didn’t jointo sit with Kelsey Painter and Colton Bradford She’s chattering to Jack nonstop and Colton’s resting his head on the table On the one hand, I’lad Jack didn’t sit withmy face in his neck At the sahmy eraser "I mean, I could still be with him if I want"