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Jake roared at that, of course
And launched hi the crap out of ood punches, they pulled hi Blood was onto catch his breath, as they held hi toon here?" Josie’s voice came
She rushed to uilty Jake storot out of control," he said
Josie shot Brayden and Niko an angry look
"Well?" she said "Is soet him up?"
I curled on my side and puked
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
I MEET PAINKILLERS
Mother Josie got me cleaned up and put me to bed I asked her to take the breakfast shift for reed
"Sleep it off," she said "You sht and had feverish dreams where Jake’s fist met my face in different setups He hit me in the library He hit me on line for tickets at the Royal Cineh it allI felt like I’d fallen off a ski lift, then fallen down a black diaul field and been hit by a Snowcat
Also, I had a headache
But I knehat I had to do I had to apologize to Jake I couldn’t have hi to have to lie to hiot herded off to the Duot to my feet in increments
My nose pounded rhythmically with pain It was crusted full of blood so I had to breathe out of e disposal
I stumbled down the hall and knocked on Jake’s door
"Jake," I wheezed
I was allowing ain
"Jake," I said "I want to apologize"
The door to the berth creaked open a slit
"What?" came his voice
"Astrid toldas I spoke "I had no right to tell the other guys I’m sorry"
I had his attention
The door opened a hand’s width I could see hiap
"What are you talking about?" he said
"Astrid talks to et food, sometimes she comes down and talks to me She told h the door
A beat A beat A beat
Would he buy it?
"Pretty private stuff," he gru," I said "Just about how you met and…"
Think Think Think
"She really loves you," I said "She said she feels scared and you’re the only one who makes her feel safe"
He crossed his ar to say that stuff"
He was buying it I felt faint with relief or pain Couldn’t say which
"I know," I said "I’m sorry You know, I never really drank that er-tip pain at the bridge of my nose
"Yeah," he drawled "I told you to slon Shoot, I thought you’d been spying on us I didn’t know you tere friendly"
"I think she gets lonely," I said "And I guess you probably know I have this stupid crush on her"
I was giving him what I already knew he knew
That’s how you do it You win confidence by telling your secrets It see it
I really needed him to buy it
"Well, shoot, booker," he said "Then I’m sorry I beat you up soIt sent a constant stab of pain through the middle of my forehead
"Hey, what does ‘booker’ mean, anyway?" I asked
"Someone who reads a lot Kind of a nerd, sorta," he said with a sheepish s as he didn’t slaughteron him
I turned to leave and had to put outelectric at the edges ofup and nearly takingnot to black out