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"Haley," whispers Mom "Kaden wants to talk to you"

I slide off the bed and Mom squeezes out of the bathroom as I slip in

"Are you sure?" I ask Kaden avoids conversation in person He loathes phones

Her answer is the closed door Lie of the tub and press the phone to my ear "Hello?"

"You need to coht"

West Young broke up with me in a deal he made with his father He was to leave the life he built behind and his dad would have paid for e tuition I briefly close et his ass kicked by me, stupid boy and I’ree

He’s right I wouldn’t have and I wonder how he thought I would have accepted the money, but none of that matters now

Sitting on a bench outside the bus station, I grip the backpack hanging betweenknees It’s full of my clothes and the few precious items I won’t be separated with When our house foreclosed, I had boxes and boxes of stuff I claie

In the space in front of o, leaving a note for Dad Maggie’s curled up on the bench besideher A air nips at oose bumps

Mom exits the office, sits on the bench next to randfather I’ hih to leave Kaden and Jax behind Now the scale is completely imbalanced"

Guilt eats at me as I handle the ticket It was cheap, but it’s stillfor me is necessary My knees continue to bounce as a chaotic ticker crosses?" she asks

"Sure" Anything

"Don’t listen to the lie in your head keeping you fro out takes courage, but fear canit will be easy, but telling the truth gives you powerIt sets you free"

I nod, unable to say anything back I can’t i like this forever