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“Cecilia,”at me from across the room “Got no choice I’m callin’ in the boys, just in case”

“Have theot to his feet “By the tione”

Dad ignored hi at me

“Okay,” I said softly “Call the boys”

Mark wrapped an arave me a squeeze

During the final leg of our trip to Eugene, we didn’t bother with stealth and subterfuge Our oal was speed It barely took any tis, and in less than an hour, ere headed north Olive and I rode with Mark, butwith Eli In her words, if we ran into trouble, he’d need soun My dad hadn’t appreciated that comment at all

“You ready to be home?” Mark asked

I didn’t answer hi over the seat to check on Olive in the back It felt weird not riding beside her

“Hoo,” I said as I dropped back into my seat “And no, I’m not ready”

“It’s gonna be fine”

“I’ll survive,” I said with a huh “I mean, hopefully”

“Not funny”

“I’m always funny”

Mark shot me a frustrated look

“Fine,” I said with a sigh “No, I’o there I don’t want to see anyone I don’t want the whole club in ht hell and da my motivation for literally every move I make But I’ll handle it”

“You’ve been gone a long tiht be surprised by how this all plays out”

“I was just home after my dad’s car accident,” I reed I was still the – God, what do you call a person when everyone else are black sheep?”

“The white sheep?” he said with a chuckle

“Definitely not that,” I said with a huff “The llama”

“Huh?”

“They’re the black sheep, and I’m the llama I don’t fit…and I spit at people”

“This one in a really weird direction,” he mused

“You knohat Ito do with ht between us Everyone stared, waiting forIt was complete bullshit I was there forto do, start a braith uy that I hadn’t wanted when I was 16, and still don’t want now? So ridiculous”