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Racing to the , I found it open, but he was nowhere in sight

On shaky legs, I cli in theoff at a dead sprint

"Lucas!" I yelled,apartments When he still didn’t answer, I raced around the building, praying with , I scanned the parking lot, desperate for just one gliony with every passing second

Oh God This was not happening

"Lucas!" I choked out, spinning in a tight circle

I was on the verge of hyperventilating when ht my attention

"Lucas!" I shrieked with relief when I saw his tear-soaked face peering athis best to hide, but his legs were too long to get hih to fully disappear

My heart exploded and the ground swayed beneathto his as I waded into them after him "Oh God, Lucas"

He batted my hand away "I’m not Lucas!"

Tears finally hit er "What the hell are you doing?" I cried

"I’ breaths

Using his arht ht I’d lost you again"

His nostrils flared, and his lips treain, are you?"

"It’s not asped for air "Why can’t it be your decision? You’re supposedly ht?"

"No supposedly about it I am your mom, and Brady is your dad"

"No, he’s not! I hate him"

"No, you don’t," I whispered

He balled his fists at his sides and planted his weight on one foot as he leaned toward me and screa back on a heel He was a kid A scared, confused, angry kid

But that still seared throughhot knife to the chest

I didn’t let it show "I know this is hard, but we love you"

"You don’t love me!" His face crumbled, and his shoulders shook violently "You love Lucas And my mom, she just wanted me to replace her dead son, Travis But my dad--my real dad--he’s the only one who ever wantedforward to his hands, sucking in sharp, heaving breaths

I followed hi his back, because quite honestly, I had no idea what else to do