he looks up at my face. I don't
ing her back into the scarce coverage of the bush. Her shirt is gone an
anuary, but it'
r the girl's chest from my line
guy who actually cared about her would not have her half-naked in
the rest of the Golden Boys ar
nother while Viktor tries to get the
Caleb and hi
"He's a quarterback," she'd said to me, raising her perfectly manicure
my mom that I had
red to her that she had n
were what mattered. That's the on
he air, flagging me down. "Where
e to feel her up in the trees when I le
air and eager hands. Jordan or George or s
wrapped awkwardly around Anika li
I think I
Why? We haven't even lit
they always do. One of her favorites: Stay in the
me one time when I came home from a party early with a s
she apol
make tha
nt me right back to the party. I'm not raising a
esson
waltz away from
lso can
h, I can't stomach a few
ing I'm
I have it a
the broken daughter
etend it's beneath you.
harp laugh. "Cavemen invented fire, like, thousands of years ago. I dou
ally after how hard I rode her for paying m
ng with me, anyway. Her bar
t a separate party
ead. "I don'
own. "We can round up the best guests. Meet back at your house? Your mom is al
confide in, the people you tell everything to.
he social currency I provide to give
eally like to live with Momma is long
on m
never for
t list," I snap. "You couldn't eve
s across An
ch. I hate hurting her. Why am I
as kind of... scattered today, but let me make it up
ka,
d Jennifer has those Bluetooth speakers in her trun
tience. "I'm just
's reminded that the status quo is still the status quo, remember? That's what you said today. If you leave, pe
ll going in my head,
stand up t
blush, you
sed to be toned. What's this han
e eaten enoug
have
have
have
to stay here a
hout, grabbing the attent
d dismiss Anika wit
anymore, and I don't want you following me home like a lost puppy. S
, but I turn and stomp away
because I feel my chest constricting in the famili
ter under my breath as I tr
ways says, looming over me like the Grim R
scratch and claw at my throat,
ving room in my leotard and tights while Mo
I fall sideways and clutch
the edges. I still can't breathe.
mories kee
gown is pale pink and gorgeous, flowing in layers of tull
the seamstress to tak
the time of the p
s ri
lls, and starvation, my wais
e blames the weight loss. "You're too skin
mples, tempted to yank fistfuls of hair out of my
isn't
g me to throw a par
or chase me through the house, screamin
ar footsteps mo
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