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But I orried about hio And then he’d kissedto hurt rabbing on to fistfuls of his T-shirt My knees eak, and I wasn’t sure if I actually made a whimper or if it had just been inhow abruptly he’d left me, I didn’t want to have rabbed on to hiun He didn’t say a hen he backed away from me He didn’t look at me Instead he’d turned and stalked over to his truck and left I had no idea who he was All I kneas that he was beautiful and haunted and he’d given me a first kiss to remember

Two hours later, when Brady had finally decided to leave, he’d found round underto round as I focused on how to make o to a friend’s house to swim, Aunt Coralee had tried to shipher my period had started and I didn’t feel like it, and she let one all day I was sure he orried that if he caain

Today I started school, and she gave Brady a to-do list all about me I felt bad for him You could see the frustration on his face So I handed hiot this Do what you do, and I’ll show up in class Just cause I don’t talk doesn’t et around I’ll tell Aunt Coralee you did everything she said But I don’t want you taking me everywhere I want to do this alone

He hadn’t looked too convinced, but he nodded and took off, leaving me at the entrance of the school

Luckily, Aunt Coralee had prepared the front office for the fact I didn’t speak They were fine with ave me my schedule and asked where Brady was Apparently, Aunt Coralee had also told theone to the restroo me in the hallway

A s part of uy froht I wanted to see if he was okay And, I hoped, maybe he’d want to see me

Once I had directions toacco entirely With people filling the hallways, many of the out against their lockers, I couldn’t see the nuood?" Brady’s voice ca to tell hireat and would probably be late for class

"Where’s your locker?" he asked

I thought about how to answer that and just handed him the paper with my locker nu back down the hall "Come on I’ll show you"

I didn’t have tiu to help me anyway and, if I admitted it to myself, I needed his help

Unlike when I had walked down the hallway, fighting through the packed bodies, everyone created a path for Brady It was like he was Moses and this was the Red Sea

"Move the et in her darope-session

"Who’s Maggie?" the girl asked, turning to look atblack hair was evenannoyed

"You got a cousin?" she asked, surprised The guy’s hands, which had previously been on the girl’s bottom, moved to her hips and he shifted her over Before I could see the guy’s face, Brady stepped back and held o I’ll be around if you need ain" Then he left me there and walked away

I didn’t make eye contact with or even look at the couple beside uy whisper to her--the wordI didn’t uess at least I wouldn’t have anyone trying to talk to h for me to hear her

I quickly putsure to hold on to my textbook and a notebook for my first class Deteraze landed on the guy’s hands, now gripping the girl’s bottoet used to

I stepped into the hallithout looking up, and a hard body hitme backward

"Shit, sorry," a ropey uy who ran into me

I looked up to see a pair of the clearest blue eyes I’d ever seen, set against prettybut, unfortunately, he wasn’t irl behindme off her

The textbook and notebook ineven more of a scene I didn’t like to draw attention, but that seemed to be all I could do