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He unlocks his door and reaches inside for his phone

"It's dead," he says as he plugs it into the charger "Give it couple e, then you can call her"

"Thanks," I say as I lean against his truck and wait

He stands next to ain," Javi says as he wipes so flakes contrasted against the black sky I guess we're about to finally see what a Michigan Winter really looks like

I turn to face Javi I was about to ask hi about snow tires, or plows but it slips ue ainst his chest with my hands When he feels my resistance his face backs away fro ainst the cold ht you wanted ainst hie

"Corin on his face "You didn't leave your keys inside You want this" His ainst et when Will htmy face into his so hard that I can't catch a breath I try to ainst his truck,it virtually impossible for me to break free

I close my eyes Think, Layken Think

Just as I'm about to bite down on his lip, Javi pulls away fro hiround and Will straddles hiht to Javi's jaw Javi falls back to the ground but turns over and pushes off against it, causing Will to stumble backward

"Stop!" I screaround when Javi returns the punch I'ain, so I throw s a punch intended for Will-straight into my back I fall forward and land on Will I try to catch a breath, but I have none I can't inhale

"Lake," Will says as he rolls , however, as rage fills his eyes He grabs the door handle of the car next to us and starts to pull himself up

"I didn't mean to hit you," Javi says as he walks toward round so I don't see what happens next, but I hear a sround I look up just as Will leans over Javi and delivers another punch

"Will, get off hi Will back and they both fall to the ground

Eddie rushes to ht "Layken, what happened?" She has her ar my chest I knoas hit in the back, but it feels likefor air, but I can't answer her

Will rustles out of Gavin's grip and stands up He walks to me and takes my hand as Eddie scoots out of his way He pulls me up and puts my arm around his shoulder, wraps his other aryou home," is all he says

"Wait," Eddie yells as she circles to the front of us "I found your purse"

I reach out and take it frooes up to her ear in the shape of a phone and she mouths 'call ently lean back against the seat My lungs have refilled with air, but every breath I take feels like I've got a knife protruding fro through my nose as we drive away

Neither one of us speaks Me, because I can't Will because-I don't knohy We drive in silence until we're almost to the Ypsilanti city limits

Will jerks the car to the side of the road and throws it in park He punches the steering wheel before he gets out of the car and slahts of the car as he walks away fro obscenities He finally stops and I watch as he stands loosely with his hands on his hips His head is leaned back and he's looking at the sky, letting the snow fall on his face He stands like this for a while until he makes his way back to the car, sits down, and calear and we continue to drive in silence

I' has returned to norardless, he still assists me as alk into his house

"Lay down on the couch, I'll get some ice," he says

I do as he says I ease myself sto what in the world just happened to tonight

I feel his hand on the couch as he kneels down next to asp as I open my eyes and actually see his face "Your eye" There's a trail of blood running down his neck froash above his eye

"It's fine I'll be fine," he says as he leans over rasp the bottom of my shirt

I shake my head

He pulls ainst my skin He places the ice pack on top of the injury He stands and opens the front door, shutting it behind him as he leaves

He left He just left without saying a word I lay there for a few ht away, but he doesn't

I roll onto my side and let the pack of ice fall onto the couch I ease my shirt back down and prepare myself to stand up just as the door bursts open and my mother runs in

"Lake? Sweetie, are you okay?" She throws her arms around me Will walks in behind her

"Mo and cry

"It's fine Mo me how my back feels for the one hundredth time in the ten minutes that I've been home

She s to miss the most about her The way she strokes my hair as she looks at ot hit in the back Who hit you?"