Page 109 of Glad You Exist

I give her a quick hug, grateful she came all the way here to tell me this, knowing she didn’t want to say it over text.

“I’ll be okay. I never wanted to go to prom in the first place.” I shrug, feigning indifference.

Her eyes widen. She didn’t expect that response. “But—but you can still come with us?”

I shake my head. “I don’t want to.”

She opens her mouth as if to argue her point when I give her the most reassuring smile I can muster, “Go before your mom starts blowing up your phone.”

Kim gives me a look as if to say, We’re not done with this conversationbefore turning around and heading towards the parking lot with a wave.

But we are. I’ve officially run out of excuses to give Brad.

He’s made his decision. Now it’s time to make mine.

* * *

I’m sendinga quick text to Dan letting him know I just got done with tutoring when I bump into someone and my phone flies out of my hand.

A hand grasps my elbow and I recoil reflexively.

My body reacting like this could only mean one thing.

Hunter.

I look up just as he’s handing me the phone I dropped. I’m about to mumble a quick thank you when I stand straight in disbelief and stare.

Not at Hunter. But at the person angrily headed towards us.

At Brad.

This is the first time in a week that he’s looked me straight in the eye without looking away. In fact, I highly doubt he’s even blinking.

Before I know it, I’m tucked behind him and he’s glowering at Hunter with one hand on the small of my back. This time, I flinch at his touch, and his body goes rigid from my reaction. He looks away from Hunter and glances down at me, a mixture of anger, surprise and hurt clouding his eyes. I let my eyes lock with his for a few seconds before I step back, letting his hand fall away, and address Hunter.

“Thank you. Sorry for not looking.”

Then I walk away. From both of them.

I’m headedtowards my car in the almost-empty parking lot when I hear his footsteps behind me. He doesn’t say anything until I’m almost there. I pull my keys out and unlock my car.

“What was that about?”

My anger and hurt boil inside me and I shove it down. At the same time, the urge to turn and run to his arms threatens to overtake everything else but I ignore that too.

“What was what about?” I don’t turn around, just keep walking to my car and he follows.

Just as I reach my car, his hand comes around my elbow, nudging me to look at him.

I move just enough so his hand falls off me again.

“That.”

Brad’s eyes are flaming with fury but there’s pain in it too.

He’s hurt and angry at how I’m reacting to his touch. Really?

I look away so his pain doesn’t become mine because he’s made his mind up about us.

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