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"Earth to Shannon," Tyler said with a laugh "Are you listening to me?"

"Uh, sorry What’d you say?"

Tyler’s amusement faded in a blink "Lookit Like I’ve told you aaround I’ about this time, either So either you like me or you don’t Okay? So which is it?"

"I--" Aden quickly shut his mouth He didn’t kno Shannon had replied, only felt the panic surging through the body

"Say so!"

"I--I--" And then it didn’tin the center of an outdoor basketball court Sweaty boys were all around hiood job he’d done

On the ground in front of thenized Tyler’s face, even though it ollen, bloody and battered Shannon’s hands were throbbing Aden studied them The skin on his knuckles was ripped to shreds By teeth By Tyler’s teeth

He had beaten Tyler? Why?

Guilt and sha

The scene shifted yet again, the e away like leaves on a tree Noas inside a ho on a couch Pictures abounded Of him Of an older black ht

His cheeks itched, so he reached up with a shaky hand to wipe at them They ar, screa Because Shannon had beaten Tyler?

No, he realized, as Shannon’s thoughts and feelings sank into his awareness Because Shannon had finally told his parents the truth He was gay He hated what he’d done to Tyler He wished he could go back, stop hi his boyfriend that way, as if he were trash As if he were so sha This was a sin Hishysterically about how embarrassed she was Why couldn’t he be normal?

He and Shannon were so much more alike than Aden had ever realized He’d been called a freak his entire life, rejected by his parents, tossed throughout the system, unwanted by anyone Trash Sha dark tunnel, and then soed back to the present, Aden blinked open his eyes--too bright, burning, tears for--and found hiain writhing in pain, the souls loud in his head Dan was staring down at hih wafted over Aden’s face, and even that hurt "That ious" Dan looked around "Where’s Aden? Do you need a doctor?"

Several seconds passed while Aden groggily waded through the facts He was still inside Shannon’s body, and Dan wanted to knohere "Aden" was "No," he ed to croak "Aden’s…fine At school I’ll be fine, too" Then he closed his eyes again and rolled to his side "Please, go"

"All right, I will, but get so’s chicken noodle soup" Meg His sweet, beautiful wife Footsteps sounded, a door creaked open, closed

So ain The psychic said so else, but another voice soon blended with his, clai Aden’s attention A female’s voice

"Shannon?" she said "Where’s Aden?"

Victoria, he thought Once again he forced his eyes to open The lights had been turned off and the curtains closed, so the room was cast into welcome darkness He flopped to his back Like Dan, Victoria stood at the side of the bed, staring down at hi

When she reached out, Aden scra"

Hurt clouded her expression as her ar?"

"I’m Aden It’s Aden Trapped" If she touched hi Shannon with him? He hadn’t with Dan, and he wanted her hands on hi to risk it

First, she appeared confused, then frightened "I knew it! I never should have left you I knew you were sick, I just, I wanted you to rest and I was afraid you wouldn’t if I stayed, and oh, God, now I’et Mary Ann Yes? I’ll have to leave you again, but only for a moment"

Mary Ann Perfect She muted abilities "Yes" Maybe, just maybe, her presence would force him out of Shannon’s body If not…

God He’d be stuck Forever