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Mr Barnes set even ed and walked down the hall As I passed the corner of the senior lockers hallway, a hand reached out and jerked ainst the lockers with a bang
"Ow!" I said, rubbing lared at et out of this punish at o through with this"
"What do you care? I’m a monster, remember?"
"You may not be human, but those football players are You don’t understand ill happen if you harents find out"
"If I’rab her by the shoulders but would probably pull back bloody stuhed "I honestly can’t believe nobody’s told you"
"Then freaking tellso damned mean and mysterious!"
She blushed as if embarrassed "I--I don’t know exactly what you are I only know your type"
"Are you serious? You hate uts because I’m a monster but you don’t even knohat I aerous intent "You’re a leech A parasite that feeds on others to survive That uess, I’d say you were a fader or a vamprey They look human but they’re creatures of the Overworld"
"The Overworld?" I’d heard that world once before, from Stacey
"My God, how have you survived so far?"
"Why do you care? I thought you wanted me dead" I rubbed my now-healed throat It didn’t hurt, but ht of what she’d done and what she’d promised to do She looked away "You don’t understand I don’t expect you to Maybe you didn’t try to trickyou but--"
"Wait, so you do love rowled and pounded her fist into a locker, leaving a fist-shaped dent "Stop it, Justin Stop it!"
I grabbed her shoulders "Look at me and tell me you don’t love ain"
"I don’t love you," she mumbled
"Look at me when you say it!"
She turned to me, her eyes hard but dull and faded "I don’t love you"
I let her go My heart turned to lead, the heavy luents out there looking to kill uess it would be a ripped my shoulder
"Please listen to me, Justin"
I pushed her hand away but didn’t turn to face her I couldn’t let her see the tears welling in my eyes "Why? What does it matter?"
"It just does I--I don’t want to see you hurt"
I took a deep shuddering breath "You’re not doing a very good job of it" I walked away and left her standing there