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"How could you do any of that to me after Dakota died?"

Her words were shrill even to her ears The anger drained out of Craig in an instant Wearily he leaned against the drafting table, bowing over as if froet it?" he said "If Dakota hadn’t--I was going to break up with you at the start of the summer Face-to-face, like I know I should’ve But after he died, I couldn’t"

"What?" She’d never drea had been there for her every second of that tirief to notice that his thoughts ht have been far away, too "But--why?"

"There wasn’t any reason why We’d been at different schools for two years You ca about all these people I didn’t know and events I hadn’t been to, and when I talked about being here, it bored you, too, and--ere just growing apart It happens I knew I cared about Britnee, but I never asked her out--never even touched her--and finally it got to the point where I had to break up with you or turn into a cheater I don’t cheat I was honest with you So why do I have to be the bad guy?"

Skye’s anger returned "Well, now because you slept withran his hand over his stubble-short hair "I shouldn’t have I know that But--it was your idea, remember?"

It had been She’d felt so e had been her lifeline and her coht--maybe if they took that final step, she’d finally feel alive again Feel anything again But she’d never drea wanted, too

"My idea" Her eyes elling with tears now "Well, thanks for hu ht? I know But I was s for us That was stupid I’’s voice wavered a little; this had upset hiht did he have to be so hurt?

And yet, the part of her that re in love with hi--no longer love, but still powerful, still real--upset her as h that day She didn’t hate him, not down deep, and she wanted to, just because hate was easier Si that about herself was hard

"You shouldn’t have done it," she repeated, but quietly this time "You should’ve told me the truth"

"I couldn’t leave you after Dakota" While she was dating hi and Dakota had become friends They used to shoot hoops out in the driveway of the old house How had she forgotten that?

"All you did was put the pain off until later" Skye wiped at her eyes "It didn’t hurt any less"

Craig looked as guilty as she wanted hiht it would help to see hi like the scum of the earth It didn’t