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"Maybe you should go ho where you are"

"I’ one armpit an experimental sniff

Stacey wrinkled her nose "Really, now, that’s just disgusting"

"I’to be late for school

Several minutes passed and I wondered if maybe Smith had scooted out the back door Panic shoveled a fresh load of worry into my heart and I realized I’dRyland to cover the exits

Ryland see, probably thanks to the sweat beading on my forehead as I tried to think of what to do next "He’s still in there, if that’s what you’re worried about"

"You see hihed in relief and wiped my forehead Stacey wandered a few doors down fro steaht out of the Victorian Era Seeing as how she was born around that tiic

"Can you keep an eye on S"

I pushed myself up and hobbled down to Stacey A black dress with laces, frills, and all sorts of accessories was on display in the"You like it?"

"It reminds me of home," she said "Those dresses were rather uncomfortable in comparison to what passes for a dress code these days, but it’s a bloody sha is so informal" She smiled at me "I do so miss the days when everyone dressed up for a proper to-do"

"Like a party?"

"Oh yes Going to a ball was one ofabout your past I’d like to hear about your younger years"

Her smile faded "My childhood doesn’t rim"

"So you’d rather not talk about it?"

She took my hand in hers "I believe I would tell you If only because you are the closest thing to a true friend I have in this lonely world"

"Don’t talk like that Maybe if you play nice, you can be friends with Shelton and Ryland" Hey, it could happen

A giggle burst from her lips "You’re such the optimist, dear If the world worked the way you see it, we’d be living in a fairy tale"

"Jeez, I’m not that delusional alanced back at Ryland Sain "Are you trying not to get along with Ryland? It see stuff just to annoy each other It’s almost like you want him to hate you and vice versa"

Stacey looked at Ryland "Wolves and felines do notbut trouble olf packs and I don’t expect that to change"

"He’s not with a pack"

"Ah, a lone wolf They are a rare type, but the instincts are still there"

"Have you ever considered you two ht be more alike than you think?"

Her eyebrows rose "Another fairy tale?"

"You’re a loner You have your companions, but none of them are your true equal Ryland’s a loner too From the way his story sounds, he’s not much for pack politics"

"I prefer to determine my own fate inasmuch as it is underI wasn’t co a man I’d only just met Sure, he ith the Te his pack instead of taking leadership made me think he wasn’t ht be consu politicians for all I knew

"I know you just want me to be friends with hih, don’t call erous rep?"

She smiled and took a deep breath "For you I will try"

"To be friends with him?"

"To be civil Please do not expectar, Stace I’ll ask hi an empty head was totally uncalled for You may be pretty, but you’re no ditz In fact, I think you’re a lot smarter than you let on sohted breath "You know just how to "