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Before I can respond that I don’t need anyone, she faces the front again

What happened to her to make her think she needs to surrender to Brockman? My jaw locks Whatever it is, I vow to never let that happen to n inside ht now, I could use some serenity A wadded ball of paper hits lare Nathan blows me a kiss and throws another paper ball that I jerk to the side to avoid

With a huff, I turn back around on nments They’re a far cry frooal is that diplo the wrong life

Tori

Don’t bring her

Zac

Told u I have 2

EIGHT

I FINISH MY ASSIGNMENTS BEFORE LUNCH AND take my work to Brocke door until he h He takes hat Like he’s a real teacher

"You work fast" He hands me the folder "I hope you did it all correctly"

I take it, unsure what I’m supposed to do with it now He’s supposed to turn ular teachers, teachers I’ll never even rade me

"You can turn that in to the office"

This surprises ht away, just stares atht now Just hurry back Don’t talk to anyone"

Who would I talk to? Nodding, I walk out into the corridor, through the haze of stink--the perpetual sweat that hangs in the hall I can hear the squeak of shoes on the gy on down here now

I don’t pass anyone as I head up the stairs to the school’s ht shot to the office The sa to say soe

Her lips just tighten like she’s holding her breath Afraid to breathe around me She snatches the folder and turns her attention back to her ewounds me I’m the kid everyone likes Teachers Parents

I was that kid

Dismissed, I step back in the hall A couple of students walk past me into the office They don’t notice e And I’m relievedwhich makes me feel like a coward Like I’ a little bit disgusted withmy shoes strike the floor loudly Like I canforce into each stride

At the top of the stairwell, there’s a trio of students Two girls One guy It’s the guy that catches , relaxed The girls flank hi their hands animatedly with every word They remind me of butterflies ready to launch into air It’s a scene I’ve seen countless tiirls are around Zac They’re so obvious in their attempts to impress this boy

And the boy is none other than Sean O’Rourke

Sean They’re not frightened of hihly baffled If I didn’t have to--before I became one of them--I would never deliberately coirls’ voices register in nize the pitch, the cadence as perfect as a C-sharp They’re flirting with him An HTS carrier who’s been ierous and they’re into hie badge They et off on the danger and potential pain a carrier like Sean can inflict on theive them as much berth as possible as I near the stairs But just the saic car accident I can’t not look

Sean’s elbows are propped back on the railing He holds a can of soda loosely in one hand He’s wearing a gray-and-black graphic T-shirt HONEST BEES is written across the front and I wonder if it’s a cool band or edgy hot spot in the city that I’ve never heard of I pretty much stick to a ten-mile radius of my house Everyone I know does The streets aren’t safe Even the streets you know No sense roa the streets you don’t know And there’s a curfeay That always keepsout too late Well, that and my parents The few times I stayed out late I was alith Zacand no aze fixes on me He shakes the sun-streaked hair back from his face as if to watch me better with those deeply set eyes My hand closes around the rail, and I pause, staring back, seeing what they see in hie The sexy, dark, misunderstood hero you see in movies or read about in books Only this is real life And he’s no hero The tattoo around his neck proclai attention They look over at , critical The blonde one with dark roots asks, "Who’s that?"

He doesn’t answer His face registers nothing It’s like he doesn’t even hear her Just watcheswhat he would say Who am I? What am I to him?

And why should I care?

I try to pretend I don’t hear the Cage door opening The clang of steel The rattle of the latch The solid tread of feet The whisper of clothes as he slides into his seat a few desks behind me I fill my mind with the lyrics of "Casta Diva" It usually focuses hfor theood