His Secret, Her Salvation

ns. She was in the same group as Brendan and the others, her eyes fixed on me with a familiar venom. Back in eight

ollar. So, we lived in a normal house in a normal neighborhood, and I went to public school. Sarah

ame very friendly, asking me to hang out, complimenting my terrible school projects. I wasn't inte

hat our car was a rusty piece of junk. People started to avoid me. The memory was old, but the feeling of isolation it brought was still sharp. Seeing her here tonight, stand

d table at the very center, reserved for my father an

, his voice a loud whisper. "O'Connell, get ou

"These are reserved. Every seat is assigned

extra chair placed at the chairman's table for security or a

at? Did you read it on the internet while

face. "Oh, leave him alone, guys. He's just trying to

rove me wrong, flagge

aid, pointing to a nearby table filled with

e cannot add any chairs. The seating arrangement is fixed as per the fire

ctly what I had said. He looked at me, a flicker of con

members talking," he muttered to Kevin, lou

supposed to be at Brendan's table got an urgent

me with a look of magnanimous pity, as if h

cky day. Since Mr. Thompson had to leave, you can sit down. But don't touch an

charitable. He thought he was gi

looked at the empty ch

nk you,"

say? Are you turning down a free meal

the food," I repli

refusal seemed to bother them more than any angry outburst would have. They couldn't understand it. In their world, someone

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