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It seemed ridiculous, but all Quinn could think was, I always liked her highlights "I thought she was one of the students who died in the carnival explosions"

"We don’t knohat happened to her When Silver came after us, we found the ed "Maybe she ran"

"And Silver is one of the Guides that are trying to kill you guys, right?"

"Right But he’s in prison"

"When will they send a new one?"

"Eventually" He brushed a finger across her cheek "How’s that feel?"

Her eyes, norht, were shadowed in the darkness

"Much better," she whispered "Thanks"

Then, without warning, she shifted up and pressed her lips to his

For a second, Nick didn’t resist He’d kissed girls--lots of theirl Courtnie had ambushed him with her lips, he probably would have kissed her back without thinking about it

But this--this was different Quinn knew And this wasn’t like earlier, when she’d been giving him a cover

He’d never shove her away, but he stiffened and drew back

"I’m sorry," she whispered

"It’s okay," he said auto her, when he hadn’t done anything

And this would be easier if she weren’t still attached to his side like a leech

"I’--it felt--it felt--"

"Shh," he whispered "It’s okay"

"Are you mad?"

He shook his head "I’m not mad, Quinn" But he kind of was, and he couldn’t put it all together He paused and touched her face again "I’ht his hand and held it there "It’s my fault"

He frowned "I don’t mean to hurt you"

"Sometimes I wish you weren’t" Her voice dropped even further, and her eyes flicked toward the end of the room where Hunter slept "You know"

"I know" Truth was, sometimes he wished that, too

"Do you want me to sleep somewhere else?"

Nick shook his head and kissed her on the forehead "No It’s okay Don’t worry about it"

She took hiled back into hi told him she was asleep

It wouldn’t coirl, doesn’t it?

But he wasn’t a girl And he sure as hell wasn’t going to play one Slowly, carefully, so as not to wake her or Hunter, he slid the phone off his nightstand and unlocked the screen

Did he want to do this? What e icon lit up

Adam Words appeared on the screen

You free tomorrow? Have class til 8 but free after

Nick’s heart skipped ahead of hi in circles But he’d already blown off physics tonight, and he had a paper due in two days

He probably shouldn’t seeer, either

God, he couldn’t believe he was even having this conversation with himself He typed back quickly

Have to study

As soon as he pressed SEND, he wanted to punch the phone

He had to study? Seriously? What the hell rong with him?

He so couldn’t play this from the other side Hoould Adaest nerd to walk the earth The phone silently es

Then, just as he was about to set it on his side table, the display lit again

Study here?

Nick smiled

You’re on

CHAPTER 6

Nick rubbed at his eyes and told himself to focus He was usually the first one to hand in a completed test, but more than half the class had walked their papers up to the front of the rooe student who barely spoke a lick of English, had turned in his paper

Nick still had half the test to co He keptup the formulas, and the more he told his brain to spit out the inforhts of what he had been doing last night

Adam’s eyes

Adam’s hands

Adam’s--

Focus

This wasn’t the end of the world He had an A average in every single class, including this one Getting a less than perfect score on one test wasn’t going to kill hi to piss hi in o away to school

He could i that one kiss and a sleepless night led you to fail a test, we have decided you are no longer a fit for our institution

The bell rang, and Nick snapped his head up Students started shoving books into backpacks and pushing for the exit

Holy shit He still had seven questions left

He kept writing, scribbling fast The rooh the next problehts were so scattered that he wasn’t sure he was tackling the question correctly