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"We tried" Razor’s voice vibrates against the skin of my shoulder as he sweetly presses his lips to a sensitive spot on my neck and it’s hard not to shiver from the pleasure "No one listened"

"The board listened" Chevy rolls his plastic cup in his hand "Cyrus and Oz’s dad hounded the principal and the school board"

"Lot of good that did," answers Razor

"The bastard’s not teaching anyes

"Not because the board tried the appropriate way first" Razor picks up ain and drinks while he keeps his eyes locked on Chevy What rins like a satisfied asylum inmate Chevy offers his fist, Razor bu Razor, has said the sa--the Terror try to abide by the law, but they play by their own rules But then I recall how girls cried before and after class How Addison used to throw up on Monday s because of e had to endure in science, and then I think of those horrible moments that I had tucked away to the back recesses of lad you did it"

They had hopped on to another conversation and they pause and stare at me

"What?" Razor asks

I should say I didn’t mean to speak I should continue to carry the secret like I have since eighth grade, but for soroup, this place, these fantastically raw people--maybe I don’t have to hide anymore

"He did it to Addison" The memory causes the fried chicken I ate earlier to ith the potato salad "Mr Mull did it to Addison a few times He kept me after class because I was ahead of everyone else, so the school was giving nments, and she would stay because she didn’t trust him alone with me He would drop his pen and he wouldn’t let us leave until she picked it up It had to be her It always had to be Addison And she would never leave ed her to, because she was scared what he would do if it was just the two of us alone"

I re ashamed and used and all I did was stay after class Addison was the one who took the brunt of the abuse "Soyeah, I’htens and he mumbles a low curse There’s a wildness in both of the other boys’ eyes that frightensyou feel like shit again" Razor’s threat is ominous and made with the promise of death

"Ahtest bit uncomfortable, Breanna, you tell one of us You’re with Razor, which means you’re family"

Family My eyes flicker up with the word and there’s a sincerity in Chevy’s face that causes a small part of

"It’s true," Razor says in this soft voice that’s almost a whisper Our eyes meet and I wonder if he can spotis that easy I have a huge faardless, and it’s never this easy