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"You try to You try to stop all these injustices, and save people from them But you never try to save yourself"

I’m quiet Kieran slides his hand down tofor?"

I look down at our joined hands, and whisper

"Souess"

Kieran leans in and kisseslike tequila and lime and salt, and for a moment his lips aren’t his, they’re Jack’s, and we aren’t at a sorority house, we’re at Avery’s, and there’s less glitter and heels and experience but just as hteen, and this kiss drives away the darkness, makes it scuttle back under the rocks, but then I open reen ones and flinch away I have to tell hi with hi alone, and I’m a coward He looks startled, but before either of us can break the aard silence, Heather runs up and grabsso hard for you! C’lancing one last time back at Kieran She leads me with impressive force up the stairs, and to a room

"Uh," I offer eloquently "What’s in there?"

"Oh no, you just gotta wait in there while I get the stuff," She hiccups "But I pros, is it? Because frankly, I’s"

She buzzes her lips "Pftt, no! Like I would have drugs Just go in! I’ll be right back and then I can show you"

My curiosity ith my wariness for an entire half-second, and then I push in

Na

I back up to the door, but it closes onwith the sure sound of an outside lock I rattle the knob, desperately pulling at it

"No," I whisper "No no no no no Heather! Heather, let le that fades I slam the door with my fist

"HEATHER! Letto do anything"

My eyes dart wildly around and I grab a nail file off a girl’s dresser, clutching it like a knife at hiirl I forgot how funny you are"

I tighten rip and back up as far as I can into the door I briefly think of turning off the lightswitch to freak hiot a lamp switched on by the beside

"What do you want?" I hiss

Na, and finally he claps his hands, applaudinghysterical tension in my chest