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"Oh," he said His face twitched, then cleared He gave uess I’ll see you in class toan, then headed back, his shoulders slue of syan He shook his head

"Do what?" I asked

"Feel sorry for that pretentious prick"

I pressedline "You don’t know he’s like that"

He scoffed "You do" He gestured to my face "It’s written all over you And you feel sorry for hi, bad asshole, and he cauy next to h his hair His hadn’t been combed perfectly like Jeremy’s It was already messy, and when his hand dropped back to his side, it was even erous allure

"Don’t be fooled by that guy," he said "If you were in a bad spot, a guy like that wouldn’t save you He’d save his own ass Buthis voice "I’ll always save you"

"Eric!" So in my ear I didn’t knoho it was, but as Eric looked at me, I realized it was me I reached out He could pull ain I didn’t knohere she was

A gunshot boomed from down the hallway

A second scream started in my throat, but I slammed a hand over my mouth I couldn’t let it out They’d findlurched insidemy head I didn’t want , an’s voice was low and soothing He stepped even closer I could feel his body heat, and his hand touched my arm "What just happened?"

I reached up toit instead

"Taylor?"

I concentrated on breathing That hat the counselor had said to do One breath Hold Five, four, three--I counted down and exhaled, repeating the countdown In through the stoh the process, and when I was done, an’s chest His free hand held the back of led with an to ease, I looked up to blink at hi the tears that had come with the panic I felt ridiculous

He shook his head "Don’t"

"What?"