the first time I saw him at Davey’s. I’d just been too busy fighting against it to realize it.
I was a fucking idiot.
“No,” I whispered, my thoughts far away. I leaned down and kissed my sister on the cheek. “I just need to think for a while. Thank you.”
The next morning I texted the girls, asking them to make their own way to school, and headed in early. I’d planned to wait for Hendrix in the parking lot so I could talk to him, swallow my pride and apologize, but I needed to pee, so I ducked into the school—and that was when I saw the posters. Everywhere.
I’d started attacking them immediately and had still barely made a dent. I’d only managed to do one hallway and the stairs leading to the back entrance.
“Donna!”
At the sound of Amaya’s voice, I looked up from stuffing paper into the trash can.
Amaya, Harlow, and Mena jogged up to me. Other students were milling about too, and I glanced up at the clock. It was only another twenty minutes until the first class.
“Did you tell anyone?” I demanded, my focus on Harlow.
“No.” She shook her head. “I would never . . . oh my god.”
“Help me get them down,” I demanded.
“Have you told a teacher?” Mena asked as the others started tearing down posters.
“No.” I shook my head. I’d been so panicked I hadn’t even thought of it. “I just started tearing them down as soon as I realized.”
“I’ll go find someone.” Mena rushed off toward the office.
She’d hardly disappeared around the corner when Hendrix came storming down the hallway. The girls stopped ripping down posters as the few other students in the hall darted out of his way. He was furious, shoulders tight, eyes narrowed, scowling—and he was heading right for me.
I knew what this looked like. I rolled my shoulders back and steeled myself, facing him.
He stopped right in front of me and smacked the pile of papers out of my hand, his fist crunching around one as the rest fell to the floor.
“It’s a little late for that, isn’t it?” He cocked his head and leaned in. Anger was rolling off him in waves, but his voice remained low, seething. “Why bother taking them down when you went to so much effort to plaster the entire fucking school?”
I forced my own voice to come out steady. “Hendrix, I didn’t do this.”
He chuckled, the sound devoid of any humor. “Oh, of course. The princess doesn’t get her hands dirty. You had the help do it for you.”
“Hendrix, I didn’t do this,” I repeated, my fists clenching at my sides.
“You’re fucking unbelievable.” He was so close now, I could smell the cinnamon on his breath, feel the heat of his rage. “I know I got on your nerves, but all I ever did was try to help you. What I told you yesterday was . . .”
He squeezed his eyes shut for a second, beating back the pain that flashed for just a moment across the stormy pools of gray.
“You keep saying you want me to leave you alone—fine. We’re done. You’re on your own, Donna. If you end up dead in a ditch, I no longer give a shit. I’m done with you, you spiteful bitch.”
He took a few steps backward, balled the piece of paper in his hands, and threw it before turning around and storming out. The ball of paper hit me in the chest and bounced to the ground harmlessly, but I flinched so hard. My whole body stiffened with the impact—of his words, his rage, his hurt, all directed at me. And I knew I deserved it. I wasn’t responsible for the posters, but that pain in his face—that was my fault.
Tears stung the backs of my eyes, but I forced them back. There was no way in hell I was going to let myself fall apart in front of all these people.
More and more students were arriving every minute, most of them now throwing me confused, curious looks. Mena rushed back from the office, but several teachers had appeared already, tearing the rest of the posters down while trying in vain to keep the students calm.
The girls surrounded me, all looking worried.
“Donna, what’s going on?” Amaya kept her voice low, her arms crossed.
I looked around at the chaos once more. I couldn’t stand there and talk to them. I needed to do something.
Drew was standing a few feet away. One hand rested on his hip while the