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"I can’t give hiain," I whisper in a rush "Ican’t"

It’s not what I meant to say I meant to ask for a recommendation, but somehow the intention became a traitorous ninja Now that the spillway of the da drop from a mountain

"I don’t knohat to do Mom constantly works and she’s tired and she doesn’t kno to handle Dad and when I bring the notices home" I hesitate Not home That hellhole is not a home "To the house and--" that low-life sliets worse and I can’t do it, okay? Not today"

Not when I lostinside me is so twisted it hurts to breathe Not when I don’t know if I’ll ever get accepted to college or, if I do, whether I’ll have a way to pay for it

The stone expression slides off John’s face and his dark eyes soften Morandrandfather reaches hters Theand I close my eyes

"It’s okay," he says under his breath

It’s not It’s never going to be okay again He places his hand on my arm, squeezes, and that one show of eile foundation on which I stand Tears foro back to being an assle

"Give them to me," he says "I’ll take care of it"

I swing the pack around and hand hi to do with theym open "Don’t worry"

I tuck my hair behindthe deloved hands resting on the fence over his head He whistles at my brother, Kaden, and nods his chin at me

Jax isn’t related to John, but after the first few years of fa how Jax’s father treats hirandfather does his best to counteract the evil that is Jax’s father

Now not only do I have randfather’s full attention, but that ofhiatus--six y the sport of kickboxing altogether--is reason enough for Jax and Kaden to be nosy The fact thateach other into dog food is enough for the else, Haley?" And the warm, fuzzy moment we shared vanishes

I pull out the scholarship application I found this uidance counselor’s office It offers to pay for books for four years It’s not huge, but it’s so, no ht you could help me with this"