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“Yes,” he said, his tone hard “I know”

“Anyway things were going well We were kissing, I hadn’t injured hi to keep her tears frorabbedlights caroup of hed atto cover myself up They made fliers later to pass out in school”

She bit her lip hard “You knoould have gotten in serious trouble, for being out there unauthorized, but I think the principal thought I’d suffered enough My parents thought so, too Because everyone saw it Everyone knew I don’t knohy…I don’t knohy I walked into that As one of the girls put it, did you really think he came out here to be with you?” A tear slid down her cheek and she brushed it away “I had I had really believed it But not after that And they never let it go They brought it up all the tih like it had been the funniest, cleverest prank of all tih, too Becausehow much it hurt and I wouldn’t…I didn’t want to do that”

“But then you moved here Away from those people surely…”

“And take a chance at being rejected again? Obviously not on a scale that grand, but still My entire senior class made a joke out of my half-naked body”

Dante swore harshly “There’s nothing wrong with your body”

“Maybe not No…I h school that’s all that matters”

“Paige, why did you sleep with me?” he asked

She looked up at him “You wanted me”

She could see the horror that passed through his eyes clearly “Is that all? Because you thought I was the only man ould want you? Those people you went to school ere stupid As li beauty and value,” he bit out “I cannot i you So I sincerely hope that this wasn’t some desperate act of someone who believed they could never have anyone else”

She shook her head “No No, that wasn’t it It was…you wanted h to risk the rejection I’ve never wanted anyone enough to put ain But I wanted you that h reason to have sex to me”

“And no that you’ve seen that I’ret it?”