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"You think beating the hell out of theain?"

"No" Even I notice the chill in the air associated with raduated this spring, Oz, and the burden to protect anyone in school associated with the Terror falls hard on me and Chevy She thinks she can blend in with this crowd at school, but we all kno this is going to end We need to prove a point"

Violet eases back froainst her red hair when she spots us Not really us Chevy She used to be in love with Chevy Still is in love froather, but she blah Chevy can’t patch in until he’s eighteen, he’s Terror to his bones He won’t walk frouys in the diner all look out the , and one by one they cast down their eyes Like most everyone else in the town, they’ll talk shit about us, but they won’t back up anything they have to say with action

Chevyto vomit He lowers his head as he scrubs his face "I can’t keep doing this"

"Then don’t," comes a familiar feminine voice Violet sways by the door to the diner I notice her lack of balance, and by the subtle way Oz readjusts his feet as if he’s readying to spring toward her, so does he She rubs her bloodshot eyes, then glances at her parked car

Great, she’s drunk and/or high Night before school, too This year’s going to suck

"We won’t let you drive hoht, Oz and Violet tore into each other Violet claimed it boiled down to hair color--her fire-red hair and temper and Oz’s black hair and attitude to ht because Violet pretends she’s in control Oz is the one in charge, Violet was our glue, Chevy’s the follower, andto challenge Oz for the role I exist

Violet rolls her shoulders like she’s preparing to attack "Are you guys stalking me?"

"I wanted food" Chevy keeps his back to her "Just soet you hoe, unbalanced way "No No way I’ You don’t have any say over me The Terror doesn’t--"

"Violet," I cut her off I , but I understand Oz’s anger and Chevy’s pain There’s only sooff even I can stomach

Her eyes meet mine I’ve protected her secret like she’s asked I’ve broken Terror code by withholding the fact that she’s shown at my house in trouble But sometimes, we all have our secrets to keep I’ve done this for her She can shut up and let someone take her hoet her ho alone with Chevy clearly rah her heart But as Chevy starts for her car, because there’s no way she can hold on to hi

"I’ll get Eli’s truck," Oz says Eli’s the father of the girl Oz is dating He’s also a board member "Then I’ll pick Chevy up"