ed in

obably getting closer to the f

-

liza

rang at noon, and I let

hankfully. Any longer, and I might have su

g, and sitting through four of them back to

rl, Evie appeared in front of my desk,

," I n

s go eat in

rprise. My old school had no such r

eats. Having lunch any

lling into step beside h

ming with students. My eyes scanned the room, searchi

" Evie chirp

her

able tucked in the corner. Strangely, no one else had

d over and

Evie asked before I could e

Orlean

ved here because

et. It

a lot of people

." The words slipped out

sn't something I liked talking about. Even after a year, th

she said, reaching ou

t've bee

ced a small sm

n made you stron

I murmured. "Makes us st

h, it

"What about you?

f four kids and the only one who a

t be

t i

you want

osophy

ciol

n the same path,

time that day

he said, "Patrick seems

ht-and there he was. Watching me.

mind me,"

this interested

have you

ve y

's a w

hange the fact that he's

ase. He's

ou

from Patrick's piercing gaze-only fo

ds cut off abruptly, he

g cold and sticky seeped throug

up-and the

Queen

iform, now drenched in yo

ger as I shot to my feet, my hand

ist caught midair b

ho?" She

u to speak,

n't

hink you have

ded. Five girls. All of

st watched. Like they were at a m

this?" I asked, my

her breath warm against my c

offed, interrupting h

's m

ation. "I never did anythin

sneered. "You

nched the air

. pure? Back at my old school, that was s

they ev

didn

away fr

shove

bled ba

nearl

Evie ca

away, laughing, as if they hadn't just hu

my bag, strapped it around me

the bathroom, needing

hen I

ding

son I ever ex

hell is he

.

rget to leave