Page 84 of Tainted Hearts

Chapter 22

Abby

“Do you think your dadstill needs me to be here?” Frankie asks me as we meet up between classes.

“What do you mean?” I look up at her. She’s so damn sexy. My fingers itch to reach up and touch her bright hair. But I can’t, that would be weird, right?

“Well, Michael is gone, and I don’t think he’s coming back anytime soon. So I don’t really have anything to report back to him. Did the guys even find out what Michael’s been doing?”

“No,” I sigh. “Luke and Noah are going to try to find some time to talk to their dads and see if they will tell them anything since the four of them are on good terms.”

“Turns out, I’m not a fan of school.” Frankie chuckles.

“Wait, if you're no longer needed here, then he’s going to send you back, right?” My question comes out in a bit of a panic. The idea of her leaving, not being able to see her, makes my stomach drop.

“I mean, maybe?” She sounds like she hasn’t thought that far ahead.

“So what, you're just going to come here, get Zed’s hopes all up, make friends with me, and then just leave?!” I don’t mean to raise my voice, but I’m starting to spiral with no idea as to why.

“Hey, Abby, it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not! You can’t just make people care about you and then leave!” Tears sting my eyes as I turn away from her and take off down the hallway.

I’m not one to let emotions get the better of me, but when it comes to Frankie, I don’t know how to think, how to feel.

I’m not stupid, I know I have feelings for her. At first, I thought it might just be attraction, but the more time I spend with her, the less I feel like we’re friends and the harder I fall.

What would the guys think? Would they think I’m selfish for wanting someone else when I already have the five of them?

I leave the building and go to the one place on campus I feel like I can breathe. My feet lead me to the pond in the garden.

But when I go to the bench, I find it’s not empty.

“Hey.” I stop in front of the bench. Isaac looks up at me.

“Hey.” He smiles. “What are you doing here?” His brows furrow when he sees my face. He jumps to his feet, saying, “You’ve been crying.”

“I have?” I whisper, my hands reaching up to feel my wet cheeks. “Oh.”

“What’s wrong?” he growls, crowding me as he cups my face. “Who do I have to kill?”

That makes me laugh. “No one.” I sniff as he wipes my eyes. “I’m just being overly emotional.”

“Why do you say that?”

Letting my head fall to Isaac’s chest, I wrap my arms around his middle, needing a hug.

He seems stunned for a moment, but then he wraps his arms around me, holding me tight. I like this Isaac, and I’d like to see this side of him more often.

“Because I should be focused on Luke, Noah, and... and you. But here I am, falling for yet another person.” I let out a humorless laugh, tears springing to my eyes again.

“Is it Frankie?” He rubs his hand up and down my back, kissing the top of my head.

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