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Part One: Carrier

NEWS RELEASE

For immediate release: Contact: CDC Press Office (770) 401-6091 March 15, 2021

Surgeon General releases new report on HTS More than 19,000 registered carriers

A new report on Hoerous and widespread than originally thought The data illustrates a predisposition for extreme violence in HTS carriers and a clear correlation between the HTS gene and convicted murderers This information, coupled with the rise in capital cri protocols and ainst HTS carriers

ONE

I ALWAYS KNEW I WAS DIFFERENT

When I was three years old, I sat down at the piano and played Chopin Mom claims I heard it the week before in a hotel elevator I don’t knohere I heard it I just kne to place ers on the keyshow to make the I knew So I was good at without having to try First piano Then the flute Then violin It never tookof a new instruifted Extraordinary Blessed When everyone discovered I possessed a voice to rival y"

These talents aside, I had the normal dreaist The following year, a race car driver There was also the requisite princess fantasy in there I spent hours infort castles, only to have on and rebuilt those castles

I had all these drea Someone

No one ever said I couldn’t

No one ever said killer

Closing my eyes, I savor the sensation of Zac’s lips on ht belowin his ar away and shoving halfheartedly at his shoulder

He levels brilliant green eyes on irls pass us They try to avert their eyes, play it cool, and look straight ahead, but I can see it’s a battle for theazes skip to slide over Zac adby shirt stretches tight over his lean torso When he lifts an arm and props his hand on the locker behind me, his shirt rides up to reveal a flat stoy loud enough for me to hear: "Freakin’ hotso lucky"

He’s oblivious to theainst the lockers, and places a lingering, tender kiss at the corner of my mouth "And this" He kisses ive in, forget that I have Mrs McGary and tons of calculus ho out with Zac outside the orchestra roo up on the drums One of the only instruments I don’t play, but I’m sure I could still play better than Anthony

Zac pulls back with a sigh and giveslooks that I know he thinks is irresistible Only because it is Only because every girl at school trips over herself when he bestows that smile on them

But he chose ain even though I’m already late for practice and Mrs McGary hates it when I’m late She constantly reminds me that I’m supposed to be the example for everyone

Tori walks up to us with a roll of her eyes "Get a room, you two" She pulls open the orchestra room door and the sound of the drum solo inside , Davy?"

Zac frowns at her "She’ll be there in aatlook on her face "Are we still studying tonight? I thought you wanted me to help you with your calculus"

I nod "I do" Calculus The bane of my existence I barely made an A these last six weeks And that A was mostly due to Tori and her endless patience withmollified

I smile back "I’ll be there in a minute Save me a seat"

Tori disappears inside the orchestra room Zac blows out a breath

I smooth a hand over his fir"

I make an effort to divideact I never e to satisfy either one of them "Have I said that I can’t wait until next year?" I ask It’s the only thing I can think to say in moments like this when he coly He has a way of looking at ht toto distract him with the proers thread throughit Touchingharder and harder to stop ourselves these days

"Yeah And you know the best part of it all?" His eyes hold h Next year The dream of it tantalizes me Me at Juilliard Zac at NYU I know I shouldn’t be excited at the prospect of e hundreds ofto worry about hurting Tori’s feelings all the tis I squeeze out of his arlance at Zac, I mouth, Mom

He lifts an eyebrow My mom is usually still at work this time of day