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"Yeah, I’ her step out ofstrand of hair behind her ear In the dark, her eyes look as black as azes up at me Slowly, I lean down so my mouth is level with her ear

"We’re still on for toht?" I whisper She nods her head up and down With ainst her te us over Jax’s shoulder When she sees nal behind his back I stare at her, confused Why is she happy about Audrey being here?

I lean away froht before Jaxon catches on I lead her back up the hill so we can rejoin the partygoers

"Why doesn’t Em want you to leave?" I ask

"So I can talk to Jaxon," she says si to tell him beforeanyrab her arms and stop her before we reach the crowd, then sit down in the sand, gesturing for her to join ood foot away fro cold all of a sudden I take hold of her legs and pull her closer toa trail in the sand as she reaches "

"Jace… let’s not do this here"

"Where? Here, where no one can hear a e say? Or did you actually mean, let’s not do this ever? I think here is pretty dalares at me "Yes, I actually meant let’s not do this ever You want to knohy? Because none of y’all cared when it actually mattered You heard a rumor and you believed it You assumed and you ran with it At what point did you come to me and ask if any of it was true? When, Jace?"

Myto say to that "Exactly," she huffs out in frustration and stands "You don’t deserve to knohat happened in MY life, because you never bothered before Why are you HERE now? Why do you care NOW?" she yells

As if he has an internal alar when she’s distressed, Lane ees from the croith a determined look on his face When he spots her, he stalks forward

"What’s going on over here?" A voice I wasn’t expectingbehindin the scene "Jace?" he asks

Everyone is just staring at one another, and before I can even begin to formulate a response, Audrey says, "Jaxon, can I talk to you?"

- Nine -

AUDREY -

Jace has that deer-in-the-headlights look I didn’textremely overwhelmed by the situation E to convincelike he’s entitled to know anything and everything about me

I’m so confused that I don’t knohich way is up and which way is down Hell, right now I can’t tell the difference betweenoff my chest and come clean But why can’t it be onforced to say and do things at everyone else’s convenience

As always, h the crowd to take down the threat toward me As I watch Lane’s approach, I’m startled to hear Jaxon’s voice behindto feel claustrophobic Lane can see the panic inme out of here Over his shoulder, if necessary

Quickly, I blurt out, "Jaxon, can I talk to you?"

"Uh, yeah," he says in a less-than-sure tone

Lane steps forward, ready to interject in this terrible scenario, but Euides him toward the party Jax’s eyes follow their retreat I can see the desire and need when he looks at her, but when his eyes transfer to Lane, they transfor with her," I reassure him "He knoho she is and who she’s with" He nods his head, and though he still appears confused, Jaxon seems to calm down a bit at my words Jace stands up next to both of us and doesn’t look like he plans on leaving

"Jace, what the hell’s going on with you?" Jaxon asks

Before Jace can create an excuse, I interrupt, "Forget it Let’s just get this over with, Jaxon" I turn to walk away froain, back toward the water where worries are washed aith the cal waves

I find the io As I sit down, I reflect upon the day Getting Quinn to warm up to the idea of my presence was easier said than done But as Eh her loyal shell, she began to understand the circu friendship bracelets anytiot lued e chair

Jaxon clears his throat and I realize he’s sitting down next toat me, he says, "I’irlfriend has threatened me with some pretty violent actions Why is that, Audrey?"

His words ain, I’ot lucky with her, you know?"

A relieved sigh leaves his lungs "I know I feel like I’ for her to realize how ot lucky in finding you as well," I assure him

"I think I was just more determined than all the others"