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“He see as cardboard And he’s checked out the asses of at least five other woot on the bus”

I peered around the side of the seat Chet’s eyes were trained right on the butt of one of Laura’s bridesed a bullet after all Part of the appeal of Chet had been that I’d held the interest of soivenseen, cared about, desired I’d mattered until I hadn’t, and thata taste and having it turn into sawdust in my mouth Worse, because he’d betrayed et about him

There was no clean break—never would be

Berk tried to squeeze his backpack under the seat in front of us, but it wasn’t exactly a clutch purse

“What do you have in there?” I reached for it, trying to help him push it down between us

Snatching it back, he set it on his lap “It’s nothing Just some of my dirty clothes I didn’t dump at my place before I left”

Touchy, touchy about dirty underwear Noted Also, kind of gross

“And now that the bus is ht I’d let you know that so out over the seats around us “Might be under the iether”

He shrugged “Boyfriend fro side of the tracks to piss off the parents Got it”

I wavedlike that Just be yourself I didn’t want to blindside you in case anyone asked”

“Which is why you waited for wheels up on this trip before you spilled the beans?”

My cheeks burned

“It was a joke Don’t worry about it I can keep it together”

Berk struggled to keep his eyes open, widening the his hands over his face

“We’ve got an hour ride Don’t feel like you need to keep me company”