Marked By Fate

n't r

to step a

ough to keep me blocked in. The crowd behind

get special treatment?" she asked, mock-sw

nd poisonous. Fake as

lightly tugging on a loose stran

back ins

hers l

my hair. "Is this the part where you cry and r

of my way

rds we

lenced her

a s

f surprised that

me fake smile twisted her face, and she reached up t

ward again, t

idn't

aybe it was the laughter. Maybe it was the months-or years-o

knew, the words wer

Of. My. Fuc

th

oved

inned

, the next she was up against the wall, her arms locked at her

hers went

ter nor

with wide, shocked eyes. She wasn't pretending anymore. The mask ha

or bur

scene in front of her. I stepped back fast, d

head, bac

id I j

. It wasn't plann

I keep my head down. I walk away. I

cked between us, her

yelling. For detent

dn't do an

just enough to be h

's en

t t

around the class

k to your seats or

ne a

e lau

ved in

dy trembling, still not sure what I'd done o

for a beat longer before picking herself

t

hallway, breath hi

t feel

't fee

lt a

clung to me like smoke. I kept my head down, but I could feel it-every pair of eyes tr

as dif

ios

fus

even

laughed at. But after what happened in the classroom-after I shoved Ava against the

cafeteria, the same isolated corner I alw

ast it h

alf-stale bread. The usual insult to injury. I didn't care. I wasn't

d picking at my food without looking up. If I didn't acknowledge them, maybe

ment, it

und of hesitant footsteps and

" a voice s

oked

ss

, holding her tray, her e