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“No time.” Then she looks at Charlene. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to run. I’ll see you later in chemistry.”
“Is everything okay?” Charlene asks.
But Layla’s already walking away, carrying our tray back to the cafeteria to throw away the trash. I grab my burger and follow her, taking big bites to finish it off. I need the calories.
“Wait,” I say to Layla just as she’s about to return her tray, along with her mostly uneaten lunch. She hardly touched her wrap. I snag it off the tray before she can throw it away and hold it out to her. “Eat.”
She frowns. “I’m going to be late to class.”
I check the time. “You’re not going to be late. Eat some more,please. A few more bites, at least. You need the protein.”
She huffs. “Fine.” Then she opens up the wrap and picks out the pieces of grilled chicken and shoves them in her mouth, chewing furiously.
It’s all I can do to keep from smiling.
I’m not sure what happened to her back at the table, but I need to know. Was it Reese who set her off?
When she’s eaten all the chicken and finished her tea, I set what’s left of her wrap on a tray on the conveyor belt and take her backpack from her, throwing it over my shoulder. “Let’s go.”
She follows me out of the cafeteria, and once we’re out on the sidewalk, she takes off toward her next class.
“So, what happened back there at the table?”
She shrugs. “Nothing.”
“Layla, wait.” I grab her arm and pull her to a stop. “Tell me what happened. Was it Reese or the voice?”
“The voice.”
“What’d she say?”
She looks away. “It’s nothing.”
I know Layla well enough to know that when she says it’snothing, it’s probablysomething. “Tell me what she said.”
Layla turns pained eyes on me, and I watch them fill with tears. The words come out of her in a bitter rush. “She said he wants to fuck me so he can brag to his friends. She said he’s not really interested in me. No one is. I’m too defective for anyone to waste time on. I’m just atrophy fuck.” Then she pulls away and resumes walking.
Ignoring the hollowness I feel in my chest, I rush after her. When I catch up, I lean in and say something I have absolutely no business saying. “She’s got it all wrong, Layla. You’re amazing. Reese would be damn lucky to go out with you, and he knows it.”
Her expression transforms instantly from devastated to hopeful, and that makes my chest hurt even more. I need to help this girl, even if it makes me miserable. “Do you like Reese? Do you want to go out with him?”
Stifling a smile, she shrugs. “I hardly know him, but he seems nice. I wanted to say yes, but I chickened out, especially whenshestarted in on me.”
Fuck.
This is going to suck.
“If you like the guy, then tell him yes.”I can’t believe I just said that.
Her shoulders drop. “It’s probably too late.”
“Trust me, it’s not too late. He stormed off because he was pissed atme, not at you. If you talk to the guy—hell, just smile at him—he’ll ask you again. I guarantee it.”
She smiles. “You really think so?”
Reluctantly, I nod. “I know so.” If my client wants to go out on a date with this guy, I have no choice but to help make it happen.
Even if it kills me.
