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"I don’t want you to use sex to ignore your problems You have to talk about this It’s not healthy"

"I don’t have anything ive up on you I don’t give up on"

She trails off and instead of continuing, she slides out from between ive up on what? A cause? I knew it I fking knew it"

"No, that’s not it" But she takes another step back

"Jesus, just go, Dylan I’ to have to let pass you by"

"You don’t ht notht up in who you think you’re supposed to be and how you’re supposed to act that you’re like a fking shell You o back to Henry I’m sure he’ll be happy to make up your mind for you"

Hurt flashes across her face, and I know I’ve stepped over a line, but I clench my fists and tellin any deeper than I already was Because a feeeks with her prettybeats If things go any further, if I give her anyback from that

And if she stops and thinks about it, I’m sure she’ll realize I saved her, too

Saved her the trouble

Chapter 26

Dylan

I feel like the shell Silas accusedas I take a seat in the second row for Media Photography, my last class of the day

I try to focus on school On the things thata junior (and an overachieving one at that) is that I’ve got the majority of my basic requirements out of the way, so all my classes except two are within s I love, what I want to spend the rest of

I’m not a shell

I’raphy because photography isn’t complicated It’s powerful and truthful andsimple Not like words Words can be bent andabout pictures Because if I break down and cry in the middle of this class, I won’t be able to show ht as the professor is about to close the door and begin the usual first-day spiel, another person slips in the roo over her shoulder and looks up for a seat

I recognize her sht of me, too, and waves on her way to fill a seat at the back of the class I try to smile in return, but my stomach sinks

It’s not that I don’t like Stella Really, I think she’s hilarious and confident and cool But that’s part of the probleirl who’s slept with the guy who is no longer mywhatever ere

So, not only does she re to be sleeping with other people soon Andthat she understands and identifies with him in a way that I can’t I have to think about hoould react to certain things, sit back and try to pinpoint his motive and perspective, and she just always seems to know

Stella walks into a room, and she’s automatically everyone’s favorite person Even irl like that

But I try Especially when she cos me after class

"It’s so cool that you’re in this class," she says "I figured it was going to be all stuffy, brainy, political types"