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A boy from my homeroom, Chris Thompson, smiles war in his right cheek Color floods ht when I saw Ash Fisher at Day’s house My skin tingles at thethe sensation away I don’t want to reme it was

Ifor me

"I need to take my medicine before I eat," I say to her, then add in a lower voice, "I’ve got the drugs for MJ, but I don’t want to give theet in trouble if anyone catches irls’ restroom

"What are those for?" she asks as I wash some tablets doith tap water

"I was born with a hole in ht I have to take these pills every day and try not to get ‘overexcited’ about things It’s no big deal" I put the medicine back in my satchel, and take out the painkillers I pass them to Day

"Thanks You don’t kno much this will help MJ--he’s always in so much pain," she says quietly

"That’s what friends are for," I say

She slasses slide down her nose, and she iain

"You don’t happen to have any new spectacles in that laboratory of yours?" she teases

I laugh "Nope, sorry Hey, do you want to couarantee my mother will be there, but if she is, I’ll introduce you You can sleep over too, if you like"

"I’d love to," she says

We exit the girls’ restroo to Day that I don’t spot Ash Fisher crossing our path and alainst the door just before we collide

He glares down atblack eyes--eyes that could be considered beautiful on anyone else but hi more intense than ever before Why does it always do that when he’s nearby?

We’re standing so close, his cool breath spills overfrissons of pleasure downall over Heat rises upto hi, blondie," Ash snarls

That bringsback to reality

"You’re the one who should watch it," I snap back "It’s not ets in everyone’s way You should co his fangs

I recoil, s dripping with venom, a pool of dark blood, my father’s face contorted with pain

I hear someone whimper and realize it’sto bite you"

I nod, unable to speak Day puts a cohtened Natalie enough for one day, don’t you?" Day says to Ash

He takes the hint and leaves,curses under his breath

Day leads h I don’t have ainst ht, Nat? You look a little flushed," Day says

"I’m fine, just flustered about what happened with Ash He scareda half-truth

"You don’t need to be afraid of Ash His bark’s worse than his bite, no pun intended," Day says, tucking into her er lunch "He may be a Haze dealer and a total jerk, but he’s never attacked a person, even when they’ve been beating the living daylights out of his "Not so er? Sure"

I find it hard to understand why Ash wouldn’t defend hi attacked He can’t possibly care about injuring a hu Since when did they care about hurting humans?

After lunch, we head to our next period: history with Mr Lewis

"Hey, where are we going?" I ask as Day leads me outside

"To the library We have to enter via the fire exit, since the nor the raids last year Twelve people died It was horrible"

"I’uilty by proxy The raids were a "desperate move by a desperaterebellion--the Legion Liberation Front--was gaining control of Black City They inning the war, and the Sentry was about to lose one of their holds If Black City fell, the next stop would be Centru drastic had to be done So Purian Rose ordered an airstrike on the city It didn’tas the Legion Liberation Front was crushed and the Darklings surrendered, which they did Rose’s plan worked, but at what cost? Black City and everyone in it were in ruins

I pull Ash’s oversized jacket tighter around uards watch us fro a bit late by the tiet to the library The rooulation books Above each shelf is a sign indicating what type of books they are It’s the only way to tell the difference, as all the covers are the same, black and red

There are only two available seats left: one next to Beetle, the other beside Ash His jaw tightens as he spots s her heels across the roo the library for an alternative place to sit Lacking any other options, I sit beside Ash He looks around the roo, everywhere but me I take out a packet of mints fromit clank against my teeth

"Could you stop that?" Ash hisses, finally acknowledging "

I bite down on the mint and munch it loudly He ory and Chris, sit at the table next to us Chris leans toward Day, his wavy brown hair falling over his gorgeous hazel eyes

"Hey, babes, do you have a pen I can borrow?" he says

She flushes, fu it over Beetle rolls his eyes It seeirl is immune to Chris’s charms

Chris then turns to Ash, his voice low I try not to eavesdrop, but it’s hard when Ash is sitting next tothe rounds?" Chris asks

Ash shakes his head "That’s a new one on me, but I’ Why are you so interested in it?"