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She shook her head. “Nothing to be sorry about. If anything, you should apologize to him for keeping it from him for so long.”
“Thanks.”
“Just trying to tell it like it is.”
I paused. “He was so angry, Allison. I mean, just furious. Standing on my porch, drenched in water. Fists clenched. Teeth grinding together. I mean, I didn’t even get a chance to respond before he stormed back off through my drowned front yard. I’ve never seen him like that before. I’m worried about him.”
“He probably feels betrayed.”
“And I feel like shit for that.”
“How are we doing back there, ladies?” our teacher piped up from across the room.
I tried my best not to sigh. “Doing great, Mr. Abernathy.”
He nodded. “Wonderful. Now get back to work.”
Allison picked up her pencil. “Right away, Mr. Abernathy.”
We kept our heads down with the experiments and the descriptions until his attention was off us. Then, Allison flickered her eyes over to me. I felt her studying me. Trying to figure out what the fuck to say next. And I hated it. I hated all of this. I wanted to talk with Michael. I wanted to explain what had happened, to tell him the kind of life Clint actually led, because I knew Michael well. I knew if he knew, he’d look at this differently. Despite the fight. Despite the blood. Despite the anger.
Then I felt my cheeks flush with red.
“I’m so embarrassed, Allison.”
She rubbed my back. “He’ll come around soon enough. He has to.”
I scoffed. “Does he, though? Because right now, I’m the all-around shitty friend.”
“He just doesn’t get it right now. He needs to cool that hot head of his, and then yes. He’ll come around. He always does.”
“Have you ever seen him this upset before?”
And when I looked over at her, she shook her head.
“I haven?
??t, no. But, I know what he’s like when he gets frustrated with schoolwork. Or his parents. He loves you. Just like I do. And when he’s done pitching his fit, he’ll come around. Trust me.”
I shrugged. “If you say so.”
“Boys just don’t understand this kind of thing.”
I scoffed. “Well, add me to that bunch. Because I don’t get it either.”
She sighed. “Look, in the end, it doesn’t matter. It’s over, right? So just give Michael some time and he’ll bounce back eventually. I’m sure of it.”
“I really hope you’re right.”
“If you’d like to share with the class, I’m sure all of us could take a break to listen.”
I bit down on the inside of my cheek as Mr. Abernathy’s voice rose above the class. My eyes locked with his, and I saw him staring at me with a cool look on his face. He thought he was clever. Smart. Observant. But all I did was smile politely at him before drawing in a deep breath.
“No, sir. Just talking about the experiments and how they relate to real life. You know, like how I’d enjoy melting a very specific boy I know into a puddle of goop just by pouring this blue substance over his head.”
“Rae,” Allison hissed.
Mr. Abernathy’s eyes widened. “A boy?”
