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My hand covers my rapidly beating heart.

“I-I...” he stutters, making me lift my gaze from his shoulder to his eyes. Andrew Hill doesn’t stutter. He’s the leader, the ruler. He rarely ever has to say something before people try to make his wish come true. “That didn’t come out right.” He scratches the back of his head. “Sorry.”

His silent words surprise me so much I’m left without words.

“I just...” He shifts weight from one leg to the other making me frown. If I didn’t know better I would think he’s nervous. But why would Andrew Hill be nervous around me? “Derek’s a mess.”

“Out of all people, he sentyouto talk to me?” I cross my hands over my chest in defiance. “I’m not interested.”

I try to walk around him, but his big body is in my way, surrounding me, caging me in. “No! He doesn’t know I’m here.”

“What? You need homework or something?” I start going through the books in my hands. “If that’s it, just take it and leave me alone.”

“No! God dammit!” His hands bang against the locker on both sides of my head. Before, an outburst like that would make me shake. My voice would become weak and I would do my best to become invisible. Not today. “Will you just shut up and listen?”

My eyes grow wide, and I nibble at my lower lip, but that’s the only reaction I give to his tantrum.

Through the years, he’s been a lot of things. Egocentric asshole. Selfish idiot. Cocky bastard. But never crazy intimidating.

“I came on my own. Derek... he’s a mess. You should go and talk to him, give him a chance to explain. It wasn’t his fault. It was mine.”

“What?”

“Just ... Just give him a chance to explain.”

He takes a step back from me, his hands falling to his sides.

“Why are you doing this?” I look at him, completely confused. “I thought you hated me.”

Andrew looks at the floor, shaking his head.

“I always hated what you could do.”

“And that is?”

“Take my best friend away from me.”

With those words left hanging in the air, he turns around and walks away from me. He doesn’t turn around to acknowledge me when I call his name.

What the hell just happened?

* * *

“What do you mean you’re not going?”

I want to roll my eyes at Jeanette’s pursed lips and narrowed eyes that are shooting daggers at me, but I contain myself. At least until I turn around and start rearranging the stuff on my desk.

For a girl that prides herself for being a loner and not needing anybody, she is starting to spend a lot of time surrounded by people, telling them what to do and messing with their lives.

“I told you before, I’m not going to the game…”

“And did we make you go? No, so...”

“… and I’m not going to the party,” I continue like she didn’t say anything at all. “I don’t want to see him or be around people who know him. Chances that he’ll be at the party with his new Barbie doll are big. I don’t have to watch that.”

I won’t let him break my heart over and over again.

The last two days at school, after Max and Brook got me out of the bed and after theincident, have been… hard.

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