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"I’ht," Danica says, and there it is: that sht then that I don’t want to be eaten alive I don’t want to be fucking eaten at all

"You’re full of shit," I say, and Danica’s s behind her, so he can’t see the way her eyes narrow into slits

"Hailey, I know you didn’t sleep with Mike I--"

"Oh, I know you know that," I agree "But you’re not sorry"

Danica stands there--assessing, calculating And then she steps forward and wraps her ar Low, so that only I can hear, she whispers inme off, you little bitch" And then, for Mike’s benefit, she says more loudly, "I mean it more than you’ll ever know, okay? I want you to come home with me We’re faword, and she’llme a chance to stay here, to stay in school and finish what I ca your things?" she asks, and when she starts gathering them for ree I don’t have to ood I don’t have to grow old on that far my soulless cousin For the fifteen seconds it takes to finish shoving s into my backpack, I avoid eye contact with the man who just told me he’s in love with me But as soon as I’ by the door, not bothering to hide the fact that he’s watching me "You can always stay here, you know"

"Are you ready?" Danica asks, shoving my backpack into ins counting the seconds I have left until she explodes

"Give us a er under her eye

"Really, Mike? Really?"

Mike frowns and rubs his forehead, but then he takes in the expression onin it makes hi me out of the rooh that Danica can’t hear us, and he says, "I ers stay clasped with azes down at me "Earlierbefore I went outsideIhim Or kiss him Or just cry in his arms But instead, I simply s I s hard, and I float on the surface of those deep brown eyes

I believe him--however impossible it should be, I believe him when he tells me he loves me

And I also believe Danica will never, never allow it to continue