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“It was rushed, and it was sloppy,” he says “It just felt like you didn’t try at all I know you’ve been spending a lot of time on your editorials Maybe you’ve been distracted”

“That’s not true,” I say “I mean, maybe it wasn’t my best work But seriously, a D?”

Bex just shrugs “If you need to make it up, we can talk about extra credit”

So about his attitude has the skin on the back ofunpleasantly This isn’t about the essay This feels personal

“What is this really about?” I say

“Excuse me?” Bex’s eyebrows almost crawl off his face entirely

“I don’t deserve this grade I justI don’t”

We both just stare at each other for a minute until Bex blows a breath out

“What’s up with you, huh?” he asks h the hair at the back of his neck; for a nize, whose class was my favorite part of the day

That stops me “What?”

“You’ve been a really tough crowd lately With the reading list and your attitude in classAnd you know, I didn’t want to say this about your essays in the Beacon, but honestly” He trails off

I frown “Honestly what?”

His eyes narrow “I thought you said everything was cool”

I take a step back “If everything was cool, would I not be getting a D on this paper?”

The words are out before I can think better of the there between us like a dare Finally Bex presses his lips together, aonce in his jaw