“Aimee went to meet Brent in the gazebo. I followed her.” I could say that much, at least. “Then I got really tired, and I… well, here you are.” He sighed. “This was dangerous. If you had called me before you went, I could have gone with you.” I supposed now that I could have done that, though I w
Aimee’s eyes were red from crying. She carried a full tissue box under her arm, with several tissues bunched into her hands. When Brent saw her, he tossed his megaphone aside, rushed toward her, and dropped onto his knees at her feet. “Aimee,” he said, begging. “I’m so sorry for the way I treated
Asher’s hands formed fists. I pressed against his side. “I want to go.” Her rumors were so outrageous. She only thought I had so many partners because Joseph had gotten mad when he found out I’d spend seven minutes in the closet with Asher during the competition trip. But Joseph and I weren’t excl
I reared backwards in my chair at Asher’s words. He couldn’t be serious? How many other boyfriends do you have? Immediately his hands came up, palms forward in a defensive position. Yet his face remained blank. And a blizzard raged in his eyes. “I’m not judging you, I swear,” he said, voice tight
I couldn’t breathe. Aimee knew who I was. Aimee knew I was pregnant. “Hey! Hey, it’s okay.” Aimee placed her hand on my shoulder. “Breathe with me, alright?” I did as she asked, following as she exaggerated each breath, in and out. In and out. Eventually, slowly, my panic subsided into moderate a
I felt embarrassed that Joseph was the father. If it had been Asher… It didn’t matter now. “Friends don’t pry,” Aimee said, giving me a soft smile. I was grateful to her. I wondered if, as a friend, she wouldn’t mind doing something else for me. “Say, Aimee. There’s this challenge tonight…” I wo
Asher drugged? That would explain the way his eyes couldn’t seem to hold focus, and why he could barely stand on his own. He didn’t just look weaker, he was weak. I doubted he could even throw a punch like this. Had something been in the water? Was that why he had smacked the bottle out of my hand
Suddenly I remembered a conversation in months past, when Asher had made me call an Academy Academic Advisor. That advisor had told me that the Academy supported students who solved their own problems. Would they even do anything if we told them Asher had been drugged? Or would they take it as a si