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"I know" He stopped in front of ain, his voice was low "You may never understand"

I didn’t want to believe that So had to have happened to make her do what she did, because I didn’t want this to be so I never understood and had to live with I wasn’t , but so softly off the carpet Jase caughtokay?" He sat beside ainstinto his touch The words--­they sort of just ca earlier to her about Erik--­about what I’d been through with Jeremy I could’ve helped her Maybe paidainstyou could’ve done to have made any of this different Do you understand that?"

I wasn’t sure I had been silent from the start with her and Erik, and Debbie had stayed silent over what had happened Silence, no matter which way you look at it, destroyed lives

He made a deep, torn sound "If she wanted to kill herself, she would’ve done it no matter what anyone did or said, Tess"

Kill herself

So true about that,herself Denial was ridingin the back of my head that screamed she wouldn’t have done this

"I wonder if they’ve found a suicide note," Ia heaviness settle in my stomach and chest "Do you think they did?"

He pulled back, dropping his hands to ht tell you tomorrohen I take you to the office"

That was the last thing I wanted to think about having to do I scrubbed the heels of h my head that I blurted out one of them "Did you know Steph lived there? I mean, that she was my suitemate?"

"No I’ve never been to her dorm Never asked, either"

I chose to believe hiht now "She called you?"

"She did and Ishe said you were really upset--­screa--­and she calledDebbie came back "How did she know?"

He looked at uessed that youon between us"

Made sense I turned a little and focused on taking several deep breaths

"I’ to drink"

"Make it strong," I mumbled

"You sure?" He kissed "

Liftingat where the crutches had landed on Caht s happened at the saot Jase Finally, after years of pining for the boy, I had hi Erik, seemed so irrelevant As did my bum knee Those issues paled in comparison to what had just happened to Debbie and her faone

Jase returned with a slass of a it over "It should help"

I took a sip and winced as it burned my throat "Whoa"

"The second drink will be easier" He held the entire bottle and took a swig, obviously a pro at drinking the fancy stuff

He’d been right The second drink was easier and the third even lass on the coffee table

"Did it help?" he asked, placing the bottle beside lass

Did it? I turned to him "I wantwant to sleep"

His expression softened "That’s probably a good idea"

Yes That did sound like a ht? I don’t want to be alone"

"Of course I’ll stay with you There’s no way I’ht"

I scooted toward him and looped "

He returned the embrace "You don’t have to thankif you weren’t here Probably losing my mind I just" I didn’t finish Gratitude swelled in me "Thank you"

Jase dropped a kiss to the top of le my arms from him I found an old, oversize shirt of Caated the extra bedroom