ven the silence between words. That's how it feels walking through the halls of Westbr

's abo

agments a

e them in t

ready mo

t even th

think she'

no one knows it yet. Just "the new

n tight. "You need to get ahead of this,

ds into my poc

hat you're pretending to be int

s not

efully. "Then why d

what I'm doing. I'm used to control - to being the one who dec

k works. Once a rumor starts, it d

chtime, it's alrea

a few seconds before resuming in quick bursts. She's sitting in her

dly. Mason sits with his friends across the room, watchin

y next to her

up. "You really s

y n

only thing people at this sch

my chair. "They

nd finally meets my eyes. "Thi

r said

should stop ac

ts anyway. She closes her book,

ently before she w

nd, then back to my fac

hat I was going to say. Sorry, maybe.

t have to save me, Aiden. I've dea

only the echo of her voice and the faint trace of s

throwing himself into the se

at him.

used to being the bad g

think I'm t

e not

, people stare. Every time I catch sight of her, she's alone - unreadab

s my head, but not today. My passes are sloppy, my

r room. The sky is bruised purple, the air cool against my skin. She's the

know she

r catches the last bit of light, how calm she lo

nd the quiet c

is time. "And you alw

enough space between us. "Maybe

smiling faintly.

n be

ubt

e page. It's the fountain - except she's drawn people around it,

lattering

. "Don't get excit

s go

ank

ortable this time. The sound of

t earlier. About me acting lik

encil slightly.

xpect. If I start taking thin

ice

't like the perso

ust a little. "Th

ly. "It's not

coul

d I can tell she's done talking. I don't pu

closes her book and

you be

real. "I've been okay

r some reason, I don't wan

g back at me under

n know your

her lips curve into a smile that's

ys softly. "My

gain - leaving her name behind like

nce, just to t

Quiet, strong

and the whispers are louder than ever. But I don't care. F

it isn't just

s L

that name is going