Not wanting it to be true, praying I’m stuck in some crazy nightmare, I repeatedly smack the digital clock on my nightstand, willing it to work and show an alternate time. It was working last night but appears completely dead this morning.
My eyes flash back to my phone, reading 8:42 a.m. Forty-two minutes after the lab final has started.
Nauseated, heart thumping madly in my chest, I jump out of bed and throw on my shoes. Without a second thought I race out the door without my coat or anything, only wearing my pajamas, which consist of some old sweats and a ratty T-shirt, and sprint to the science building.
Out of breath, my lungs on fire, gulping in the cold air, I force myself to push forward and race across campus as if my life depends on it. Halfway, I stumble over my feet and nearly fall flat on my face, the rough texture of concrete scraping my palms as I catch myself.
I hop right back up, pushing my legs to go faster, and eventually, after what feels like miles, I burst through the science building doors. Skidding around the corner to the anatomy lab, I stop in my tracks, spotting a group of three huddled outside the door.
Delilah and Rat Boy’s backs are to me initially, each of their hands on Olivia’s dejected shoulders in a comforting manor. Olivia’s face is on full display, the hurt written across her face eminent, destroying me.
My less-than-subtle entrance catches their attention, my breathing rapid, chest inflating and deflating quickly as I stand frozen. Helpless.
Rat Boy looks over his shoulder at me, a hard, knowing glint in his beady little eyes, like he expected this to happen. Even Delilah’s eyes are hard, cold, as they land on my face.
Olivia’s eyes glance up at me and her face crumples. I nearly stumble back at the look in her eyes. The disappointment—the betrayal—in them.
Hesitantly, on wobbly legs, I take a cautious step forward.
“Finch,” I say softly, a plea in my voice.
She shakes her head, tears misting her eyes.
Words clog in my throat as I take more steps toward her, my feet feeling like cinderblocks.
“Finch, I’m sorry,” I whisper remorsefully, my throat unbearably tight.
She only looks at me, hurt and confusion in her brown eyes.
“Finch,” I plead desperately, reaching for her. “I didn’t intend for this to happen, I swear.”
Reluctantly, Delilah moves out of the way, but all one hundred and twenty pounds of Rat Boy stands firmly rooted in front of her.
“Clearly she doesn’t want to talk to you,” he spits.
“Clearly, you need to stay the fuck out of this,” I spit back venomously, shoving him out of the way.
“Finch,” I say, much more gently, softer, reaching for her face.
She flinches away, like she can’t bear for me to touch her, absolutely breaking my heart. “Don’t,” she says, her voice firm but weak.
“Finch, I swear—”
“You’re lucky Tracy is nice enough to not make her take the final alone,” Rat Boy cuts in, not knowing when to shut the fuck up. “Not that she needed your or anyone’s help anyway.”
“I told you to stay out of this,” I bite out curtly over my shoulder at him.
“But at least she got to work with us. People she cancount on,” he persists, clearly provoking me. “And don’t for a second think you’re getting credit forourwork.”
I spin around, baring my teeth. “Shut the fuck up!”
He squares his scrawny shoulders. “You were just using her to pass the class, weren’t you? You’re only showing up now to make sure she took the final for you, right?” he accuses. “I always knew you were good at using girls. I just thought you only used them for sex.”
White-hot rage flashes though me, and without a second thought I swing, and my fist collides with his jaw. He stumbles back, tripping over his feet. Landing flat on his ass, he yelps in surprise and pain.
“Throw my past in my face one more time,” I challenge him, looming over him. “I fucking dare you.”
I snatch him up by the collar of his shirt as he tries to scramble away and slam him back against the nearest wall. “She’s nothing like the others,” I spit dangerously, my knuckles turning white as they wrap tighter around the collar of his shirt as he squirms to get away.
