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"Reet loud "Oh, shit, that was good It was in the oes stiff as a board and falls to the side, co

"Christ That was funny True humor Are you sure you should be here in school and not like, doing stand-up? I’ at your face Wouldn’t even have to say anything Eassssy money" He narrows his eyes at me, and shakes his head "And who put that rands, putting his hands in his pockets "Just wanted to say hello I know Tyler, and I wanted soirls here aren’t half bad You’re a different story You stick out like a stubbed toe"

He’s lying He used to be better at it, orliars?

"What do you really want, assle?"

He looks surprised, and starts clapping "Oh,Asshole You haven’t had the guts to say my name for three years, let alone insult me I’m impressed My compliments to your shrink"

"I never went to one I didn’t need one"

"I know You just tried to kill yourself, instead"

I look sharply at his knee, and he laughs, slapping it

"Yeah, I knohat that diet was really all about You can’t fool y Anybody with half a brain could see you wanted to die And the best part? No one stopped you Not even your shitty aunt" He leans in and whispers "They all wanted you to die So why didn’t you?"

A volcanic vent oozes fros,them instantly Na ruly, like usual, but so into quite the party girl She h"

I try to breathe, to keep breathing and not let the arette frohts it, and h-pitched white noise My hands start shaking, the scar onthe smoke in my face

"What’s the matter? Did that stuck-up pretty boy refuse to fk you? Is that why you’re throwing yourself at anybody with a pair of lips?"

I’m frozen, rooted to the steps as echoes of pain sear arette sers inI don’t want to be here I want to stop existing, right noant to black out If I holdwill stop

Nameless chuckles, my silence all the affirmation he needs

"See, Isis, I kneouldn’t He’s a suy Someone like that would never want someone like you It’s just the rule of nature – beautiful people don’t date ugly people They just don’t You tried to step above your status, and he put you back in your place What a great guy My opinion of hihty"

He leans in, and the bile in my throat moves to my mouth

"Or maybe…maybe it’s more than that Maybe you told him what happened between us And irl Because that’s what you are You’re ruined Trash Dirt No one else is going to want you Not after –"

"Isis? What’s going on out here?"

The horrid black spell cracks, and I canout the door Na on the charm full-blast

"Oh nothin’ Just a little talk between old friends Do you knohere Tyler is?"

Kieran glares at him, then jerks his thumb "Upstairs"

Naone, Kieran sits on the steps with me