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His voice fades and his eyes flare a little, like he’s worried he said too eneral thinks? If the ency should have more control than it already does--that carriers should be more than identified and monitored That we should be locked up Better safe than sorry

Or is he talking about our friends?

I kiss him Mostly just because I don’t want to talk about it any I don’t want to think aboutMy new reality even though I’ it doesn’t touch Even if it’s only pretend

The kiss is slow and sweet Maybe even hesitant Like we’re new to each other again It’s definitely not the hot, fu all the way several ti it round

When we break apart, he doesn’t say anything about killers anymore and how I’lad It’s al eyes on ht?"

I nod

"Good Carlton is having a party"

So insideground The idea of being around all our friendso to school with Tori hasn’t even called since I told Zac I tried calling her yesterday but she didn’t pick up He has to have told her Everyone must know by now Their silence tells ed But Zac wantshas

I force a s I’m not, after all A carrier A killer In this instance? Pretending like everything is okay? I’ll have to get used to that

I take careful measures to be on tiht alone with anyone Definitely not Mr Brockman, but not any of the other students, either

Sean, of course, I kneouldn’t arrive until later For whatever reason, that was his pattern I keep my head down, eyes averted as I slide into h I eventually have to look up, and the first ti Her heavily lined eyes stare atI feel the blood rush towhat to say except that

She looks ataway, like I soe of her with Brocke from my mind I haven’t allowed the horror of it to fully sink in Maybe the horrors of the last few days have nu

An hour into the , and an office aide drops off soe to hand theh heavily as they take their folders He stops by my desk and holds outBrock it I try to take the folder, but he doesn’t release it, holds it hostage until I look up at hirapefruit-sized lu

He continues, "Settling in? Everyone treating you well?"

I can only stare He leans down and it takes everything inside uess it’s my innate politeness--drilled into me ever since I could tie erousness, but it’s my inherent politeness that rasps my shoulder, squeezes And I see that hand as I saw it yesterday Nails blunt-tipped, chewed up to the quick My stomach rolls Bile rises in my throat

"I’ot your back" He s in the curve of his lips is the se that he knows I know that I’ hih to know that I lack any credibility My on’t matter I remember my conversation with Mitchell It’s like he said I just have to ure out what comes next Clearly it’s not Juilliard anymore Everton will notify them of my expulsion That dream is dead But not every dream Zac flashes in my mind No Not all of theles his head and sets le word carries doubt

I lift my chin, determined to convince him that I’m fine and will never have need for his particular type of friendship "Everything is good I like it here" Maybe I went a bit far with that last part, but it’s almost worth it to see the flicker of surprise cross his face

He lets go of htens "I see Well Good Good"

He didn’t believe lint of annoyance in his eyes before he turns away andaround in her chair "You think you’re so s, her voice falls hard

But there’s soives me pause I shake my head "No I don’t--"

"Keep your paws off Brockman"

"You don’t seriously think I would let him touch me?"

Her dark eyes flash and I know I offended her Hot color creeps up her caraood, aren’t you? Better than me, is that it?"

"No--"

Her knuckles whiten where they clutch the desk "We’ll see what you think after a month in here Just remember what I said Stay away from Brockman Find someone else"