His Broken Angel's Dying Secret

the yellow school bus fo

onto the concrete of the Po

e shivered and pulled the edges of her over

r heavy backpack to press the heel

g ache radiated

f the anti-cancer medication she took th

down. She could not th

ion in the dark glass of

peach blush across her cheekbones. It was just enough artificial color to successfully hide

She forced the corners of her mou

d toward the loud, c

tunnel of slamming metal lock

ile fixed. She pushed through the cr

k took one look at her trans

g over a printed schedule and a locker combination. "We lov

," Claire

udden wave of dizziness

second. She reached out and gripped t

o stop spinning. Then she le

akness as she spun the metal dial. Th

r and smacked the top of the locker with

on the hinge," the girl sa

lied, placing her

of the school's social hierarchy. She pointed out the fo

of the warning bell cut

to AP Literatur

rowded halls until

open. The loud chatter insid

turned to l

eard, stood at the front of the room. He m

ransfer student, Claire H

interest. The girls looked her up an

in front of her. She mainta

mpty desk. His eyes landed on the

ere. He was slumped forward, his head

ks immediately surrounding him were pushed

He pointed to the single empt

xt to Mr. Dalton,

intake of breath ech

re's eye. Willow shook her head fra

t her steps even and steady as she walke

e tried to be quiet, but the legs

laced her heavy ba

ugh. The boy slowly lift

turned his f

yes were cold, sharp, and filled with

her like she

away. She met his

she wh

ise crossed his features. No one e

row ahead of them, Ja

hispered harshly. "Sta

umorless scoff. He didn

ed his face back onto his arms,

ened her

twisting cramp

She gripped her plastic pen so tightly her knuckles turned bone-whit