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She holds up a hand as if to stop hi her here"

She told him? Like they soh Zac listens to her? Since when?

Since you got labeled a carrier I ignore the voice, refusing to give it validity, refusing to admit that I’m any different than I was last week These are my friends I’m still o"

"Who are you to decide where I can and can’t go?" I deaze is back onwhere etting my opinion first At thatin control of our friendship--how gratified it felt knowing my best friend couldn’t win over my boyfriend And yes, I knew she had wanted hily after hi I alone had the power to do Secretly, that had pleased me Petty, but there it is I s ht into o to our school anymore" Tori flips her hair over her shoulder

"This isn’t school It’s a party"

"You’re not one of us anymore" For a h getting identified as a carrier was somehow a betrayal of her Like I failed her I see it in her eyes, too For a ht cry Then she blinks and the hint of tears vanishes

Gradually, I become aware of the lack of conversation around us It’s just the pulance at the faces of my old friends There’s no comfort, no reassurance in their eyes Carlton stares down into his cup as if it’s thein the world

Zac looks pissed He shakes his head at Tori "I told you not to do this tonight"

And that’s when I fully understand that they have been togetherdiscussing this Discussing ht Zac told her he was bringing me and she had objected My best friend, who couldn’t even bring herself to call me, didn’t want me here She didn’t want me around at all And Zac had never mentioned any of this to me Not even when I asked hi her," Tori returns, tapping her head "Not saze scours hi another part of his anatomy

A slow hiss escapes me "How can you treat lad that we found out Before you hurt one of us"

I treerous?

"Leave Zac alone I know you think you would never harm him, but all carriers think that at first And then they snap It’s always faet hurt It’s just a matter of time"

Before you snap She didn’t finish the sentence, but the words were there as if she had uttered them aloud

I’hten ers around the cup That would only prove her point That I’o off the deep end Instead, I laugh It’s a brittle sound and Zac looks at me uneasily "Since when did you beco, Tori?"

It’s ry

Her eyes narrow to bright little slits and I start to suspect that she is going to throw her drink on me

"Come on" Zac pulls , but he steers us up the stairs, his strides deterlance quickly behind ets when she works out

"Where are we going?" I ask e clear the top

"Carlton’s room We can have some privacy there"

A relieved breath rushes out of ure stuff out We need to co topinches sharply in the center of ht in terms of if before when it caer attend the same school Our friends aren’t our friends anyle--but not i as it’s ant And Zac ether now He ca that I’m a carrier

I step inside Carlton’s rooany dresser and bed A desk with a built-in case behind it that overfloith rugby and diving trophies On the paneled wall hangs a photograph of our entire senior class at our fall retreat I’ for the cao

I turn around to face him, to explain to hi beside me when none of our friends are But he’s there In front of ers intoout any chance for words

For now, this is enough

Seventy percent of all violent criure jumps dramatically--to 90 percent when the perpetrator is fenificant others and faht to the National Center for Analysis of Violent Crime at Quantico

TEN

FOR WHAT SEEMS LIKE FOREVER, ZAC KISSES ME long and deep, nearly s that this is the first thing he does Alliness of downstairs, it’s a sta that matters to him Not the opinions of others Not es ether I laugh lightly against the insistent press of his mouth, but even that sound is quickly sed up in his anxious lips

The heavy weight of his right leg curls over ainst his fir and swift

I break froet out the words I want to say, need to say, but he quickly captures h, pulling asp

"Davy," he returns, still kissing ainst his shoulders and force him up "Zac, can we take a minute?"