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Iof class because I came in at the last minute, hair still wet from my shower after the midday workout, but she catches up to iveskills ht on walking My next class is in the building next door, so I’m not in any hurry, but I act like I arabs my elbow and pulls me to a stop in the stairwell I could refuse Could pull away and keep right on walking "Can we talk?"

I don’t want to I do I don’t fking know

I know she had it rough growing up, too I get that, but she’s different She got taken away from that, and her foster homes were at least consistent She was taken care of, provided for She’s nor exhausted, and I don’t have the energy for this But even nowI don’t kno to tell her no

"Go ahead"

"I justI thought we left things bad yesterday And I wanted to talk"

"So talk"

"I’m sorry about the party" Her eyes drop to ainst the need to pull her against irlhowever she may make me feelshe’s bad news for me I’ll never be able to live up to her standards, and I’ll drive ured it outThe shit with Levi and Keyon and everything elsethat’s because I was trying to be so I’m not, and if that party with Dylan is any indication, I’ve been wasting ot to keep ht, keepwho I aot to stop being fking ashamed of where I coh for y "It’s fine You did me a favor anyway Not really my scene"

"I know it’s not But that doesn’t , and not true in the slightest"

"It is true, though, Dylan And I’ at places like that With people like that"

She ss and her eyes look hurt, and I figure she thinks I mean her I don’twell, not completely But I let her think that It’s easier that way

"Okay then Well, I guess that’s all then That’s all I wanted to say"

But she doesn’t ether nervously in front of her chest

"No, it’s not Come on, Dylan What else do you want to say? Get it all out and then let’s be done with it"

She takes a deep breath and squares her shoulders "Your mom?"

I scowl "What about her?"

"When was the last ti to her about this, like my insides are all twisted up But no ht years, give or take"

I can hear her shock in the silence, and her body is so still, so rigid I can’t read her "You were thirteen?"

"Yeah First tihting"

I’ to scare her off, end this conversation now, and by the alar