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And how that work is failing abysmally

Outside on the front steps of Spruce High, prepared to make my twentyish- roar of a motorcycle tears across the field I turn just in tiht of a certain leather-jacket-and-hel lot and disappear down the street He catches everyone’s attention and stops all conversation in his departure, and after the dust settles, the crowd hums with a neave of chatter After what happened at lunch, I’ across the school

And as I spot several eyes dartingI’m a part of those rumors now, too Super

I’ve changed ht home I make a necessary detour todirection down Main Street I stop just short of the Spruce Cine, inside of which a very welcos The pongs The loud tones and chime-filled fanfares

It’s the Spruce Arcade, my sanctuary

I see a sht here as well, but they’re not o-to pinball ht off my shoulders as I pop in a quarter, then let the balls fly

Minutes pass A ravenous Ms Pac-Man eats her way through adown aliens with et busy -happy Raiden in a bloody and merciless shon

I achieve a new Mortal Koh-score and proudly type in my arcade nick: TBOY

And as I stare at that list of high scores, which is basically an alternating list of TBOY and JIMS (That’s Ji), I find that no matter how many points I rack up in the arcade, it doesn’t do the usual trick of putting my mind at ease No hts of Donovan Pane

The incident in the cafeteria isn’t even about Hoyt anymore I couldn’t care less about those jocks The person whose approval I truly wanted all day—the one who hooked my mind on hiossipers—was Vann And after proving hioes and shuts me doith harsh and dismissive words in the office

Then Kelsey has the nerve to call him hot afterwards