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Erin: I need to talk to you too! Meet me in our room after your class

"Jacqueline, did you hook up with Buck last night?" Erin hissed as the door to our rooined I could feel the blood draining from my face "Where did you hear that?"

She made a noise--pshh "Where did I not hear it? Why didn’t you tellastronomy? And why Buck of all people? I mean he’s hot and all--"

"I didn’t" I sith difficulty, and"I didn’t, Erin"

She blinked atmy arms "J, what’s the matter? What happened?"

I sunk onto my bed and she sat with "

"Okay… I’ht? Teeks ago?

"When I left the Halloween party early--a couple of weeks ago? Buck followed me" I chewed a loose piece of skin on ht that night back more vividly and my face flushed hot "He was drunk He pushedthe words out as her htened

"He was going to r-rapeto?"

I shut my eyes Licked the blood from my lip "Lucas showed up out of nowhere He stopped hi God"

In the silence that followed, I finally opened ripped one of my arms as she stared at the worn carpet beneath our feet

"Do you believe h I felt sure I would run dry soon The last time I cried--before Kennedy broke up with o, when I fractured , Cissie, died

"Jacqueline, how can you--of course I believe you! What kind of question is that?" She glared at me, insulted "And by the hy the hell didn’t you tell me this before now? Because you didn’t think I’d believe you?" Her lip quivered, transfor her expression from offended to injured

"Chaz and Buck are best friends, and I thought I could just… avoid him…"

"Jacqueline, this is exactly the sort of stuff woive a shit if he was drunk--"

"There’sand silent

"Last night, he caught rew round and I shookupstairs by saying we could go to ot into the hallith other people around, I told him to leave" I covered my face with my hands and choked out the rest "He made it sound like we’d done it in the stairwell Olivia heard hi ht to spread rumors about anyone I don’t care about her But be honest with me, J Did he hurt you? Did he?" Her eyes flashed

I shook hed, her forehead creased in thought, and then she straightened "Wait So that lying bastard ran into Lucas’s fists s?"

"Yeah"

The hurt crept across her face--I could see it in her eyes "Why didn’t you tell me?"

My shoulders slid up and down, almost imperceptibly "I don’t know I’m sorry"

Her ansas to put her arms around me "And Lucas? You knew hiainst her, tucked my head under her chin "No I’d never seen hie, and it’s not like I was looking around at other guys I had Kennedy" My hands flipped palht I did"