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He joins me and says, “You can tell me.”

I don’t want to be a burden.

“We should go home.”

Heath scoffs, but he doesn’t push the matter for which I’m grateful.

24

Heath

I shouldn’t care, but I do.

I shouldn’t worry about her, but I do.

I shouldn’t give two fucks, but I do.

I just fucking do.

Sitting in Business class, I’m more concentrated on Hope than the lecture. I can’t think of anything elsebuther.

Something doesn’t add up, and it keeps circling my mind.

Who was she afraid of?

Who was the person that made her cry?

How did I miss the face of that fucker?

Why was she so fucking scared?

Was it the same person who put marks on her?

Was it—

“Heath.” Sebastian pushes my shoulder. I turn to glare at him, but he jerks his head toward Mr. Nathan who’s looking at me with a displeased scowl.

“I asked you a question five minutes ago,” he says with a displeased tone.

I glance at the whiteboard. “What was the question?”

The whole class stares at me and a few laugh as I sit clueless.

Mr. Nathan points toward the board. “I want you to explain the trend of it.”

One more glance at the board and I know the answer.

Despite the fact that I give the correct answer, Mr. Nathan says, “Pay more attention next time.”

After the class, Sebastian is onto me as we sneak up to the roof to skip a class. I hate Biology anyway. But more than that, it’sSebastianwho suggests it. I know it has to do with me zoning out in the class. He’s worried about me, which wasn’t my intention. Fuck it.

“Did your dad call?” he asks, leaning back on his hands.

He and I both know he’s the source of my pissed-off mood half of the time, but this time it’s someone else. A girl. A pretty girl who loves to read romance books.

I look up at the sky and act nonchalant. “He calls every day.”

“Then why were you looking like someone was scratching your heart out?”

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