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“Sucks, right?” I said to fill the silence between us

Her lips curved up in a soft smile “It’s not so bad One day I’ll have ive them”

The longing in her voice hita family meant It had always seemed too unattainable But the way Juliet talked about it ure it out With her

I’d never had the luxury of thinking that far ahead in my life

I was too busy surviving from one day to the next But Juliet s I’d been afraid to admit to myself I even wanted

Before I opened my mouth and offered to make some babies with her, someone slammed into me from behind My shoulder hit the corner of the open locker door and I narrowlyJuliet over

“Watch it, new guy,” the brawny football player I’d showed up in gyh-fived his equally jackass friends

It wasn’t pride that forced et shoved like a little kid

No, it was blind rage That fucker had pushed ht into her She could’ve been hurt, and he did it without thinking

I’d been pushed around enough at that point in my life By foster parents, teachers, other kids I’d learned early that the world was cruel

I also learned not to take shit from anyone

If you couldn’t stand up for yourself, no one would do it for you And if I couldn’t defend myself, how could I protect anyone else?

“Roh the air, tackling Doug to his knees and punching him in the side

The violence in my eyes and fiststheir unfortunate friend

Two teachers and a security guard pulled

Until I saw Juliet shaking her head Tears in her eyes

“Don’t,” she mouthed at me

It was a bucket of ice water over my hot-tempered head

Chapter Three

Juliet