drizzle and the suffocating
ked onto the wooden bleachers f
ying shade of gray. The weekend chemotherapy sessio
senior's breakup. Claire couldn't hear a word. Th
Vice Principal Prynne
ice echoing loudly. "I want to address a disc
eds of heads turned toward the
lack hoodie pulled up over his head
ps. He didn't rush. He ignore
crophone. He didn
tal mesh of the micro
reech of feedback blast
red their ear
e caused," Bishop said into the mic. His voi
ront row booed. A group of girls whis
hed the micr
or we will not tolerate!" Prynne yelled.
Claire's hands ball
thought about him saving the boy in the alley. She thought ab
people cheering against h
. Combined with the toxic chemica
blackness rushed i
her ears turn
ward. Her body wen
's shoulders to stop her from tumbl
through the n
Bishop had been t
k eyes frantically scanning the massive wall of wooden bleachers. He saw the sudden commotion, a ripple of panic spreading through t
d terrifying ignit
ed off the side of the stage, land
back here!" P
crowd of standing students. He moved with such vio
en bleacher step
hite face and the cold sweat on her forehea
w out of the wa
assive arm under Claire's knees
ffortlessly aga
through the entire gymnas
She could smell the clean scent of laundr
weakly. She saw the hundre
ered, her voice barely audi
on bands. He looked down at her, his eyes
ered softly. "I'm tak
out the double doors, leaving th
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