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Nick looked at hi to cry and hide and let his brother fix everything What had Adaht? You adht Gabriel had always been the fighter The defender Nick could see it now: if he told his twin so, Gabriel would be on his feet, ready to knock heads

It made Nick feel i around, rescuing people froone after Quinn

Gabriel wouldn’t have picked her up and driven her home

Gabriel would have tracked down Tyler and beaten the shit out of hi Gabriel the truth about hi one more way he didn’t live up to his identical twin brother

His appetite vanished He flung his pizza down and shoved the tray away "Yeah Fine You want that? I’ry"

Before Gabriel could stop hi and walked away from the table

"Hey!" Gabriel called

Nick called back over his shoulder "I’ll see you at horabbed it froe froe

Can you help with a job tonight? Should be done by 7 Too hed He was already behind with school, but he’d be able to study at Adaht? Michael wouldn’t ask if he didn’t need the help

The exhaustion that had been clinging to Nick’s back all day doubled in weight For an instant, he was tempted to say no

But Michael expected a yes And Nick always did what his brothers expected

Nick slid his fingers along the face of the phone

Sure I’ll be there

Quinn spent all day dodging Becca, but her best friend--

aheht up to her next to her locker after last period

Quinn didn’t even look at her Like she needed to see Becca’s straight, shiny dark hair, her perfect little figure, or Chris Merrick’s ar over her shoulder

Well, Chris wasn’t really there, but he ht as well have been

"I can’t talk," said Quinn "I need to catch the bus"

Becca was studying her Quinn could feel it But her voice was easy, casual "Want a ride?"

"Nah"

"You want to ride the bus? What are you pissed atthetextbook into her backpack This was so like Becca Acting like Quinn was such a drah off all her proble is trivial

And of course all this sla that point ho

"Co up with her "Would you stop wasting tiht you were all into doing the double-date thing with Nick and Chris What happened?"

Nick is gy and you kept secrets

"Forget it," said Quinn "Just go back to your perfect life"

Becca stopped short Quinn kept walking, but Becca called after her "Oh,up out of nowhere? Or having the entire school know exactly what I did with Drew McKay? Or--"

Quinn whirled "Shut up" The worst part was that she did feel badly about all of those things Sheyour life difficulties, why don’t you start with the truth?"

Now Becca looked exasperated "Da about"

"I’ about how I learned all your secrets froht"

Becca looked almost incredulous "A cartoon? What? You--

wait--you--"

Quinn watched sudden realization dawn on Becca’s face

"Nick told you," Becca whispered

"No shit he told me Why didn’t you tellto say to that, Quinn started walking again

Becca caught up to her in a hurry Her voice was a whispered rush of words, hidden beneath the bustle in the hallway

"Quinn, I couldn’t tell you Did he tell you everything? About how they’re marked for death? About how the Guides will come for them--"

"He told me all that"

"Did he tell you about my father? How both Hunter and I aren’t supposed to exist, either?"

"Yes"

"Did he--"

Quinn shoved her away "He toldfury pour out of her eyes "Why didn’t you?"

"Icouldn’t"

I couldn’t

Quinn could hear the subtext

Because I couldn’t trust you

And suddenly, that pinpointed the real problem here

Becca hadn’t trusted her with this secret Maybe she thought Quinn was too volatile,Maybe Becca was genuinely worried and she didn’t want to put Quinn in danger--but that felt like a load of bullshit since her friend hadn’t stopped her fro Nick

Quinn felt like such an idiot

"He toldthat her throat felt thick "All of it, Bex"

Then she stood there waiting for Becca to re-categorize the last feeeks, the sa froe, but Becca’s father, the Guide, had really been behind it