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“That’s not true”

“You don’t know” A single tear breaks throughlost in the rain “You don’t knohat I’ve done What I’ with mine “Tell me”

“I’m the one who kills the others”

As soon as I speak the words, everything else pours out ofFuture-Ada back

Adao of my hand With each confession, I’m sure he’ll turn on me, sure he’ll look at me like I’m a murderer and run away But he doesn’t

“They set you up,” he finally says “It’s the only thing that makes sense You’re not a killer, Elena”

“I aainst the wall I have to tell hiht Haven, the group hoirls?”

“Yeah”

“I lost control then too” I’ve never told anyone about this I’ve buried the memory as best I could, but I can’t deny this part of irl there, Nina She was se and real dainty, like a doll But there was so off about her too She didn’t talkbrown eyes, like she had no idea it was rude

“She’d wear her clothes inside out and she’d walk around with a huge stack of books balanced on her head She didn’t bother anyone, but the other kids thought she eird They picked on her a lot I saw it, but I didn’t do anything, ’cause I didn’t want to get involved I just wanted to keep ot worse and worse, and the taunts turned to bruises…”

My voice breaks, and I have to stop a ainst the rush of painfulfrom another room I knew someone was in pain, and I had to check it out There were these three girls, really nasty girls who pushed everyone around, and they had Nina She was on the floor, and…and they didn’t even need to hold her down anymore They’d beaten her within an inch of her life and covered her in lighter fluid I walked in right when they were about to light her up And when I saw her—broken, lying there, unable to protect herself—soirls and I hurt them By the time someone stopped me, none of them could move”

“They would have killed her” Adam squeezes my hand “You saved her life”

“But I nearly killed them I wanted to”

“Elena, don’t you see? Both ti to protect soirl and then Trent…and the cops weren’t even that injured You’re not going to kill the others or yourself”

“But what if I lose control again? What if so happens and…”

He puts his hands oninto my eyes “You won’t I know you, Elena You’re not a killer”

I want to believe hi I’ve held back My father And even though I’ve told Ada a killer is in my blood He’ll turn away fro atmore than to kiss me

But he doesn’t kiss me He waits forAdaood for me, and I’m…I’m a mess

I pull away from his touch and turn my back to him “You should stay away fro second he doesn’tback toward the car Sohtens in my chest at the sound

I don’t understand how I can have feelings for someone so different from me, so for And yet…