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Feel so right.

You can let yourself be deceived, but there is no way you’ll come out of the darkness unharmed. While walking through the dark, you don’t know where you’re going or what you’ll find on your way and it’s so easy to get burned.

Boys like Derek ... They don’t kiss girls like me in the light of the day. Or the dim light of a hallway for the matter.

“Amelia!” he shouts again, this time closer to me.

I try to speed up, but just as I’m turning around the corner, I bump into Brook.

“Where the hell have you been Lia? I’ve been–” she trails off as her piercing green eyes take in my face. “What’s wrong?”

“I–” I utter, but no other words come out of my mouth. It’s like my brain is stuck and the only thing I can do is repeat that kiss in my mind. Over and over and over again.

“Amelia!” My name is a huffed sound that comes from behind. My shoulders stiffen and my whole body goes rigid.

Brook’s eyes, still on mine, harden in a second. Anger flashes in her irises and if looks could kill, her eyes would be a deadly weapon right about now.

Brook lifts her narrow eyes and looks over my shoulder at him. I swallow a big lump that formed in my throat and shut my eyes close. Taking a deep, shaky breath in I will my body to stand still.

My best friend takes a step around me and stands in front of me, like her small, skinny frame can shield me from him. But that’s Brook. Fierce and loyal. Strong and protective. Sarcastic and sassy. All wrapped up into one tiny package.

“I should have known it was you,” she spits out, her voice dangerously low.

“I just wanted…”

“You just wanted to get the hell away from Lia! That’s what you wanted,” she shouts at him.

Their voices are the only sound I can hear. Did the music stop? Is the party over and that’s the reason Brook came looking for me? I’m not sure. My mind is probably playing games with me because the only thing I can hear is their voices and rapid thumping of my heart.

“But…”

“Go!” she cuts him off again. “You are only making her miserable.”

“What’s going on here?” A new voice joins the argument as Brook’s words still linger in the air.

I lift my head abruptly and my eyes widen when I see Max standing in the middle of the hallway, his hands crossed over his wide chest, his grey eyes the darkest shade possible. The color of the sky in the storm.

Not far behind him are Jeanette and Andrew.

Jeanette’s eyes move from one person to another, a blank mask on her face. Andrew, on the other hand, looks highly amused. His famous, arrogant smirk is in place as he looks at the drama unfolding in front of him.

As soon as she hears his voice, Brook turns around on her heels and points her finger at Max. I have never seen her so worked up before; the smoke is coming out of her ears and she’s spitting venom.

“Nothing that concerns you, Sanders.” Brook stands in front of him, poking her finger in his chest. “If it weren’t for you, nothing like this would have happened. But no, you had to come here and mess everything up.”

“Brook, it’s not his fault,” I murmur at her at the same time Jeanette comes to stand by her brother’s side and pushes Brook away.

“Don’t you dare talk to him like that! He didn’t do anything but be nice to you, and you are being your bitchy self all the damn time.”

“Ohh, like you are one to talk! Miss I couldn’t feel if emotions bit me in the ass…”

“Brook, stop it!” I come between the two of them who are now chest-to-chest, shouting insults at one another. “Stop it, all of you!”

The dead silence falls over us. Everybody’s eyes are now glued to my tear stained face. Taking a deep breath in I, look over all of them.

Well, mostly all.

I’m not looking at him.

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