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After Tuesday no one had really spoken to ed to fade into the walls Nash was no longer textinglance my way It hat Brady wanted, and it was best forinvisible only added tofriends was hard when you didn’t speak People didn’t knohat to do with you I could see the way they watchedout and h to do

Then there was West I’d expected hi to nored me If I didn’t know that I was in fact visible to the human eye, I would’ve assumed I truly had disappeared The only interaction I had with West hen I dropped a book while walking down the crowded hallway Out of nowhere he bent down, stopping traffic to pick it up for h He’d just walked away

Facing an entire gym full of loud, excited students as they hooted for the cheerleaders and football teao My aunt wouldn’t be picking me up until it was over She’d want to know if I enjoyed the pep rally, and I would have to lie

I tuckeda seat on the far end of the bleachers near the door When it was tiy the team’s faces, I found Brady immediately He seeuys, ere interacting with the crowd People were chanting different nah the tea for West His dark head was nowhere to be found I had just started scanning the whole teales aroundin front of irl’s friend turned her head to look toward the doors, I followed her gaze and saw West in the doorith Raleigh wrapped around hi She’s not that hot," the first girl added

"I disagree," a guy broke in "She’s srinned Then he put her down and entered the gy and ere all his royal subjects

"I want hihed as they s they loved about hiy crowd Sure, his smile was beautiful, but it wasn’t real It was lifeless and fake Did no one see that? Was I the only one?

An arguuy with short blond hair and glasses trying to get the girl onher eyes at hiuy slid in beside irl to coaze to me and smiled sheepishly "Hey, I’ether Lunch, too, but you always see lunch," he said "I also know you don’t talk I just wanted to introduceor want to see a movie sometime, I’m available"

"Seriously? That’s your pickup line?" asked the girl he hadaway froood at this kind of thing I actually suck at it But II was just wondering if maybe you’d like" He trailed off as his cheeks turned pink He was really cute And nice His eyes weren’t haunted, and I would bet he had a happy home life With two parents who loved him And no demons to carry around like I did

He also wasn’t a football player So I liked a lot

I reached for

It’s nice to rew "Yeah, I know your na Just curious You’re new and all We’ve all gone to school together"