Page 26 of Collided

I hope not.

The next day, I go to school wearing a red turtleneck to cover the bruises. I don’t own makeup because school, home, and the library are the only places I go to.

Luckily, the weather is a bit chilly today, despite it being August. So, wearing a turtleneck might not make me look like a weirdo. I wear my hair down hoping to hide the marks that peek out from under the collar. The last thing I want is for someone to see them and ask me questions—not that anyone would. Only more gossip will circle the school, and I don’t want to be a headline.

Opening my locker I’m about to gather textbooks when—

“Hey!” Marie chirps.

Startled, I drop my novel on the floor, as my pulse shoots up.

What is happening to me?

My hands shake a little, so I brush them against my black jeans, repeatedly.

Gosh.

She’ll think I’m insane.

We’ve only been friends for a week.

What is wrong with me?

Fix it.

Marie picks up the book and gives me a worried look. “Are you okay?”

No.

She knows something is up with me.

Damage control. Now!

Smacking on a smile I say, “I’m fine. Just surprised to see you.”

That sounds reasonable.

Marie grins.

Together we walk down the hallway as she tells me about her boyfriend. “So, my boyfriend is Sebastian. We’ve been together since last year. We were friends first, but then he asked me out. I swear he’s the best guy in the world. You’d like him right away, he’s super nice. Heath is too.”

I arch an eyebrow and Marie sighs.

“Heath is questionable, but he’s good. He’s nice to people once he knows them.”

“It’s fine. He told me to stay away from him.”

“Oh no! Don’t listen to him.” She flies her hand in the air. “He says a lot of meaningless stuff like that. When you know him you learn he’s just full of bullshit.”

I smile at her, liking how she knows her friend so well. I didn’t know Heath had friends. He mostly wanders alone and ignores anyone who approaches him. That doesn’t show he has friends.

We stop by the classroom. Others brush past us without paying attention to either of us. We might as well be invisible to them, or irrelevant.

Marie’s hazel eyes light up. “We’ll be sitting together at lunch. You’ll see how less of an asshole he is.”

“He’s famous around school for being a…” The curse gets lost in my mouth.

“Asshole. Yes, he is. A big one. A six feet and two inches tall asshole.”

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