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The TV set turned off with a hiss of static Footsteps

"Are you awake?"

"Yes," I whispered My throat felt sore, ue swollen

The bed dipped as Clancy sat down beside me I tried not to wince

"What happened?" I asked The sound of the voices belo louder, getting trapped between my ears

"You passed out," he said "I didn’t realize…I shouldn’t have pushed so hard"

I raised myself up on my elbows in a vain attempt to pull away from his touch My eyes were fixated on his lips, the white teeth gleained it, or had he--?

My sto out? Did it prove your theory?"

Clancy sat back, his face unreadable "No" He stood again and began to pace between theand the white curtain I caught a glimpse of the other side of the room, and was unsurprised to find that it ash in the blue light of the open laptop

"No, see, I’ve been going over this again and again in ht maybe you erased their ry or upset, but you didn’t go all out and erase their entire irl Sae seventeen, froraphicaround and around and around in circles, trying to understand how you do this, but walking through youron inside of your head No cause, only effect"

I wondered if he even realized he was raet et the hell out of that room and away from him The pain caht a hand to my forehead My head ached like all the other times he had been inside of it, but the pain was sharper He hadn’t just looked in, he had made me want him--made me want to kiss hi hio find the others…"

Clancy turned his back on me "Find Lia a fe steps back toward the door "I was supposed to ht in my hair as I passed it

Clancy shook his head "What do you even know about him, Ruby? You’ve known hi your time with him? He’s a Blue, and not only that, but he--he had a record, even before camp Even before he killed all of those kids A hundred and forty-eight Over half of their camp! So you can cut all of your bullshit and hero worship, because he doesn’t deserve it You’re too valuable to be screwing around with him"