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But that’s not how it happens He doesn’t fire back He leans in for the kill, overover my earlobe

"Because it happened to you, didn’t it?"

My breath catches I try to suppress it but I flinch, and when Jack sees that he laughs The sound is brittle and cool, like a frozen thing snapping in two, and he holds up a hand as if in farewell to the rooht lawn croith poorly parked cars sing hih and dance and drink again, or Heat and ice are sloshing throughsqueezed by a heavy iron fist, and I can’t breathe Kayla puts a hand on my shoulder

"Are you okay, Isis?"

How did he know? Could he really readhappened to me A boy broke my heart – no – more than that He broke my soul, my heart, and who I used to be After three years, nine weeks, and fifty-one days, I should be able to hide it better So how could he tell?

Everyone’s watching I can’t run out the door, since that’s the way he went, or they’ll assuo upstairs to be alone, or they’ll assuonism that arced between us felt like a fever – unco more than to crawl into so wound, but I can’t Peopleme for confirmation of what exactly happened, and what I do next will determine that

He attacked me on my most personal level

He opened the one injury I never wanted to think about again, the one I came here to escape

"He kissed ue and no skill"

Kayla’s eyes widen My words echo back at me over the irl Jack Hunter Ice Prince kissed New Girl While it spreads, I pull Kayla by the hand and bring her into the kitchen She’s shaking I put my hands on her shoulders and look her in the eyes

"You – You and hi," I murmur "I swear to you I just said that to hten momentarily, then diry She still likes him, even after he called her pathetic in front of a bunch of people I feel so bad for her I used to be her and that’s why I feel so damn bad for her

"I can’t believe you actually punched hiuy like that," I sigh "Didn’t your s?"

"He’s not a dog!" She protests "He’s never hit on irlfriends! A new one, like, every week!"

"Because he’s ordering theirls who are depressingly desperate for money"

Kayla wobbles, and I help her sit on the polished wood floor against the kitchen counter There’s a large cupboard She feels it against her back and drunkenly opens it and crawls inside, closing the doors behind her I beco for an entire ten seconds, then knock A mutter reverberates from inside

"Go away"

"C’mon I’m not sorry He deserved it, okay?"