EY

ted to tear it into tiny pieces and throw it away. Then Cassie's voice would come back into my head, reminding me exactly what she had pro

ing nobody would notice me. The air buzzed with excitement as people shouted, laughed, and waved bright blue flags above their heads. The loud music from the speakers mixed wit

dox is going to

ir defense i

watc

ploded with screams s

ddo

ddo

ddo

second, I caught a glimpse of him skating across the ice. He moved so fast that everyone else seemed fro

tered under my breat

ide me looked like the

so per

ou see

even hotter wh

es so hard the

it," I whispe

r seemed afraid of anything. Teachers liked him. Students worshipped him. Every girl wanted

t friend. The guy who acted like the world belonged t

r his own good. He laughed too loudly, teased my brother too much, and someh

idn

was what I kept

the dark sky with flashes of blue and silver. Students poured out of every entrance, celebrating as if they had just won a championship instead o

stayed

d stil

was for

and, then I thought about Cassie. With

ic pounded through giant speakers. Balloons, banners, and decorations covered every wall. Students danced in groups, laughing so loudly they

errible idea,

t turne

ose oversized sweaters and jeans because they made me feel safe. Tonight, I hardly recognized the girl staring back at me in the glass do

pletely ou

to me, which should ha

ehow made me fe

had stopped by a pharmacy near campus. I had told the pharmacist that my grandfather couldn't

ed it n

crazy," I

rt Maddox. I wasn't pla

eeded hi

Cassie. She could come running, believe whatever

would g

s what I kept re

ecame louder as stud

pta

eec

eec

y eyes toward the

e he

g over one shoulder. His dark hair looked messy from the game, and sweat still glistened along his forehe

roaned dr

y, Maddox

lau

e if I showed up to

tes laughe

hrew an arm arou

rry too

alive," he ans

led with lau

closely that they practica

dance w

ce with

ised me a

but somehow never l

omise anybod

ia

e witn

ughed

ll afternoon. He thanked people who congratulated him. He smiled at the cafeteria workers who had helped prepare the party. W

he being

row

ered. "Don't

lls. My hand was shaking so badly that the bottle rattled softly against my

min

s all I

utes with him

would leav

ghtmare woul

urt. Every instinct screamed at me to run out of the hall while I still could, but fear kept my feet rooted to the floor. Keeping my eyes