Page 131 of Until the Ribbon Breaks

A bunch of the lacrosse guys are hanging out at Brent’s truck, which is a few spaces down from my car. Sebastian is with them, and when I go to open my door, Noah steps in between and blocks me.

“Move.”

“I thought we were friends.”

“Weare,” I say with exasperation. “Can we talk about this later?”

“I saw you with him the other day,” he says, and I have no clue what he’s talking about until he adds, “You were leaving the yogurt shop on Main.”

Chills prick my skin at the truth he knows. Sebastian and I went to Revelations after school at the beginning of the week, I just had no clue anyone had seen us or that I had to worry about it.

“So, what? You’re following me now?” I don’t mean for my words to come out so sharply, but I’m freaking out.

“I’m not following you. I was taking my sister and her friend there.”

My jaw tightens as he stares at me, but I don’t know what to say. I just want to go home.

“Why are you hanging out with him? He’s an asshole.”

I want to defend Sebastian and tell Noah that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about, but that would only spur more questions on his end.

“Is what Kassi said true? Are you two ...”

“Kassi’s full of crap. I can’t even believe you would ask me that.”

“Trouble in paradise, losers?” Brent hollers, and from over the roof of my car, I see them all laughing at me, but it isn’t until I see Sebastian shove Brent that I bolt.

Pushing Noah out of the way, I hop into my car, start it, and shift into reverse. As I’m backing out, I see Sebastian in my rearview mirror when he hollers, “Harlow, wait!”

Everyone is looking at the scene, and I throw my car into drive and get the hell out of here.

I can still feel all of their eyes on me even after I’m long gone from the parking lot. My trembling hands turn the wheel as I speed to get home, and when I hit a red light, I drop my head as I go into a panic.

They all know.

When I look up, I see Sebastian in the reflection of the mirror.

And now they all saw him chasing after me.

Panic spins into anger because he promised to keep his distance from me at school.

The light turns green, and he follows me turn for turn all the way into my neighborhood, which has me fuming mad.

As soon as I’m in my driveway and out of my car, I’m stalking toward him and screaming, “Why did you do that? Now they all know.”

“Fuck them.” He slams his door and steps in front of me. “Why do you even care what they think?”

“Because!”

“Because why?”

Balling my fists, I dig my nails into my palms as hard as I can and clench my teeth before I completely explode.

“Tell me why you want to hide the fact that we’re friends.”

Turning on my heel, I walk away, needing space to calm down, but things only get worse when a blaring horn sounds from the street. Brent’s truck slows at the end of my driveway and a few other cars come to stop behind him.

“What the fuck are you doing, man?” Brent shouts as he hangs out his window.

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