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Teeks ago, he'd torn out my heart, and I’d never felt so hurt, so eainst me

No, that was all Buck Buck, a cauy who’d never given any indication that he could or would hurt irlfriend I could blame the alcohol… but no Alcohol reer criminal violence where there was none before

"Next"

I shook off ive ht The guy I’d avoided sitting next to thiscaht ca the position I’d been in, what he must have witnessed before he’d intervened, how foolish he must consider me

But then, he’d said it wasn’t my fault

And he’d called er used, as of sixteen days ago

My split-second wish that he wouldn’t recall who I ent ungranted I returned his penetrating gaze and could see he re bit My face burned

"Are you ready to order?" His question pulled me from my disorientation His voice was calm, but I felt the exasperation of the restless customers behind me

"Grande caffé Americano Please" My words were so mumbled that I half expected him to ask me to repeat myself

But he marked the cup, which hen I noted the two or three layers of thin white gauze wrapped around his knuckles He passed the cup to the barista and rang up the drink as I handed overokay today?" he asked, his words so see between us He swiped my card and handed it back with the receipt

"I’m fine" The knuckles of his left hand were scuffed but not severely abraded As I took the card and receipt, his fingers grazed over mine I snatched my hand away "Thanks"

His eyes widened, but he said nothing else

"I’ll have a venti carairl behindtoo far into my personal space for comfort His jaw tensed alaze to her

Marking the cup, he gave her the total in clipped tones, his eyes flicking to me once more as I stepped away I don’t know if he looked at me after that I waited for my coffee at the other end of the bar, and hurried aithout adding ar

Econoe--probably two hundred students I could avoid eye contact with two boys in thesix weeks of fall semester, couldn’t I?

Chapter 3

I dutifully eot back to the dorm after class, and started onout a response essay on a neoclassical sculptor and his influence on the style, I mumbled a thank you to my inner neurotic that I’d at least kept up in my non-econ classes

With Erin at work, I could buckle down to an evening of quiet studying Here in oura near-constant distraction While I atte conversation took place: "I had to have those puued into her cell "You said you wanted me to learn the value of hile I’m in school, and you always say a person should dress for success, so I’ to follow your words of wisdolanced at me, I rolled my eyes My roommate was a hostess at a swanky restaurant don, a position she frequently used as an excuse for overspending her clothing budget Three hundred dollar shoes, essential for a job that paid nine bucks an hour? I stifled h when she winked back at me Her father always caved, especially when she e a quick reply froe class like Dr Heller’s, he had to be busy I was also certain he’d be none too thrilled to assist a failing sophomore who’d skipped the midterm and teeks of class, and who had never attended one of his tutoring sessions I was prepared to show hiet out of his hair as quickly as possible

Fifteen ed He’d replied, in the sa back and forth between using his first or last na on Mr Maxfield

Ms Wallace,

Dr Heller has informed me of your need to catch up in macro and the project you’ll need to corade Since he’s approved you to do this work, there’s no need to share the reason why you’ve fallen so far behind with me I’m employed as a tutor, so this falls under my job description

We can meet on campus, preferably in the library, to discuss the project It’s detailed, and will require a great deal of outside research on your part I’ve been instructed by Dr Heller as to the level of assistance I should provide Basically, he wants to see what you can do, alone I’ll be available for general questions, of course

My group tutoring sessions are MWTh from 1-2:00, but those cover currentthe material you missed over the past teeks Let me know the ti sessions and we’ll coordinate froh perfectly polite, the tone of his enature at the very end: LM Was he being friendly, or casual, or ridiculing my attempt to sound like a serious,he wouldn’t want or ask for details Now I felt as though he’d not only eschewed learning the particulars, but he thought less ofa relationship crisis affect ot even ht I was too dumb to comprehend the course material on my own?

Mr Maxfield,

I can’t attend your sessions because I have art history MW 1-2:30, and I tutor at the middle school on Thursday afternoons I live on campus and am available to s I’

I’ve begun reading the courseon the review questions at the end of chapter 9 If you want to meet to pass on the project requireular coursework on my own

Jacqueline

I pressed send and felt superior for all of about twenty seconds In actuality, I’d barely glanced at chapter 9 So far, it looked less like coibberish with dollar signs and confusing shifts tossed in for fun As for GDP and CPI, I knehat those acronyhtily dismissed the tutor provided by ive ed again, I sed before clicking over to it A new e from Landon Maxfield was at the top of my inbox