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“It matters to me,” I said firmly I reached for his chin to force his head up “Please, Caleb, I need to know”

He closed his eyes and then looked in the direction of the stove Probably so he wouldn’t have to look me in the eye as he spoke “Just stupid stuff They’d call me names when I walked by, write stuff on the bathroos in my locker”

“What kinds of things?”

“Jace—” Caleb whispered with a shake of his head His fingers went to his ar at it I doubted he was even aware he was doing it

I got up and then reached for his hand I pulled hied a throw fro above deck The air was crisp around us There were only a few boats out and about, but I knew that would change as the sun rose higher in the sky I tugged Caleb to one of the benches at the back of the boat I sat down and then pulled him down to sit next tothe back of the boat and he was sitting between ainst ave us both an unencumbered view of the water I wrapped the blanket around both of us and said, “For every question of mine that you answer, I’ll do the same for you I’m not untouchable, Caleb I bleed on the inside just like you do I’ve just found different ways than you to not feel”

“Like how?” Caleb asked His fingers were digging into the hands I had wrapped around his upper body

“I push people ahen they try to get close I never offer trust or respect, it has to be earned I can count on one finger how many friends I have”

“Dalton?” Caleb asked

“Yes What things did the kids put in your locker, Caleb?”

It took hi time to answer, but when he did, I felt a h I kneasn’t going to like hearing what he had to say

“Drawings, uess It was of a father and son Different sexual acts, the father asking the son if he liked it, the son saying yes, stuff like that”

I suspected he was glossing over the worst of it, but I didn’tto hunt down the kid or kids who’d tormented him and make them feel just an ounce of the pain they’d inflicted on Caleb

“Why don’t you have any friends besides Dalton?” Caleb asked

“Because losing the hard I watchedyears over four deploy official say fancy words aboutsacrificed their lives for so the sauess what? We’re no closer to winning Thoseto figure out how to go on without thes and the na?”