mind.
“I wish I could just disappear sometimes,” Libby whispered then scoffed. “Like a girl this size could vanish, right?”
“Hey,” I softly reprimanded, squeezing her arm.
“Maybe I should just go back and do what he wants. Five minutes of torture could save me from three months of agony.”
“Don’t say that.” My tone was much firmer than I meant it to be, but I was annoyed that she’d even consider it. “You’d hate yourself.”
“What if it’s the only chance I’ll ever get?”
“What are you talking about?”
“For physical contact. I mean what guy is ever going to be into me?”
“Libby, stop it. There’s a guy out there for you and he’ll be kind and sweet and not some jerk who demands blow jobs. You don’t want to be with someone like Carter. No matter how caring they might seem at the time, you’ll come away feeling shallow and tainted.”
She nodded, knowing I was referring to Chase.
Libby sighed. “When Carter first started taking me upstairs tonight, I thought about what you said at school. You know about him being untrustworthy?” Her nose wrinkled. “I was so annoyed at you and I didn’t want your voice in my head.” Her eyes landed on me, sparkling with a gratitude I wasn’t expecting. “But if you hadn’t warned me, maybe I wouldn’t have seen through his gentle persuasion. He was being so nice to me and even when he started unzipping his fly he was making it sound like were going to do this intimate thing that was special.” She shook her head with a cynical snicker. “He made it seem like we were already a couple. I would have fallen for it, but I couldn’t get past what you said.”
I gave her a soft smile as my insides flooded with intense relief. Thank God I’d said something. What if I’d just walked away?
“I’m sorry for going off at you the other day,” she whispered. “Out of all of Liam’s group, you’re one of the nice ones. You and Indie. I should have just listened to you in the first place. I guess I so badly wanted to fit in.”
“I know. I wish high school was easier for you and I’m sorry guys like Carter even exist, but like I said, the right guy is out there.”
Her lips puckered and she shrugged. “I’ve dreamed about having a boyfriend forever. I keep fooling myself into thinking he’s waiting for me somewhere. Any guy who ever talks to me, I practically fall all over them. I’m pathetic. The only thing people want me for are my smarts. Whoopdeedoo.”
“What do you mean?”
She shrugged, her features overrun with a guilt I didn’t understand. “Just people always want help with their homework and stuff. That’s the only time they ever talk to me.”
I frowned, trying to decipher her expression. Maybe I was reading it wrong, the light was dim, but did she feel guilty for helping people with their homework? I didn’t get that.
“Libby—”
“It’ll all be over soon anyway. I’ve applied to a bunch of schools on the east coast. Soon I can fly away from this place and start anew. No sisters to compete with, no mother to feel fat beside. Just me.” She drew in a shaky breath, but then turned to me with a smile. That thought calmed her and I didn’t want to disrupt it by now bringing up the homework thing.
“That’s cool, Libby. You’re gonna be great.” I grinned at her, my insides tripping as I suddenly wondered what my future held. No matter where I went, I now had this power. I felt like there was no starting anew anymore. I was cursed...or maybe blessed...until I died.
It felt good to know that Libby hadn’t crossed her own line because of something I’d said. It was with a sinking realization that I knew I wouldn’t have said anything if I hadn’t been able to see. I mean, yes, Carter talking to Libby was weird, but I probably would have brushed it off as none of my business. My newfound power was making me curious and that curiosity just helped someone.
Maybe blocking everyone out wasn’t
“I wish I could just disappear sometimes,” Libby whispered then scoffed. “Like a girl this size could vanish, right?”
“Hey,” I softly reprimanded, squeezing her arm.
“Maybe I should just go back and do what he wants. Five minutes of torture could save me from three months of agony.”
“Don’t say that.” My tone was much firmer than I meant it to be, but I was annoyed that she’d even consider it. “You’d hate yourself.”
“What if it’s the only chance I’ll ever get?”
“What are you talking about?”
“For physical contact. I mean what guy is ever going to be into me?”
“Libby, stop it. There’s a guy out there for you and he’ll be kind and sweet and not some jerk who demands blow jobs. You don’t want to be with someone like Carter. No matter how caring they might seem at the time, you’ll come away feeling shallow and tainted.”
She nodded, knowing I was referring to Chase.
Libby sighed. “When Carter first started taking me upstairs tonight, I thought about what you said at school. You know about him being untrustworthy?” Her nose wrinkled. “I was so annoyed at you and I didn’t want your voice in my head.” Her eyes landed on me, sparkling with a gratitude I wasn’t expecting. “But if you hadn’t warned me, maybe I wouldn’t have seen through his gentle persuasion. He was being so nice to me and even when he started unzipping his fly he was making it sound like were going to do this intimate thing that was special.” She shook her head with a cynical snicker. “He made it seem like we were already a couple. I would have fallen for it, but I couldn’t get past what you said.”
I gave her a soft smile as my insides flooded with intense relief. Thank God I’d said something. What if I’d just walked away?
“I’m sorry for going off at you the other day,” she whispered. “Out of all of Liam’s group, you’re one of the nice ones. You and Indie. I should have just listened to you in the first place. I guess I so badly wanted to fit in.”
“I know. I wish high school was easier for you and I’m sorry guys like Carter even exist, but like I said, the right guy is out there.”
Her lips puckered and she shrugged. “I’ve dreamed about having a boyfriend forever. I keep fooling myself into thinking he’s waiting for me somewhere. Any guy who ever talks to me, I practically fall all over them. I’m pathetic. The only thing people want me for are my smarts. Whoopdeedoo.”
“What do you mean?”
She shrugged, her features overrun with a guilt I didn’t understand. “Just people always want help with their homework and stuff. That’s the only time they ever talk to me.”
I frowned, trying to decipher her expression. Maybe I was reading it wrong, the light was dim, but did she feel guilty for helping people with their homework? I didn’t get that.
“Libby—”
“It’ll all be over soon anyway. I’ve applied to a bunch of schools on the east coast. Soon I can fly away from this place and start anew. No sisters to compete with, no mother to feel fat beside. Just me.” She drew in a shaky breath, but then turned to me with a smile. That thought calmed her and I didn’t want to disrupt it by now bringing up the homework thing.
“That’s cool, Libby. You’re gonna be great.” I grinned at her, my insides tripping as I suddenly wondered what my future held. No matter where I went, I now had this power. I felt like there was no starting anew anymore. I was cursed...or maybe blessed...until I died.
It felt good to know that Libby hadn’t crossed her own line because of something I’d said. It was with a sinking realization that I knew I wouldn’t have said anything if I hadn’t been able to see. I mean, yes, Carter talking to Libby was weird, but I probably would have brushed it off as none of my business. My newfound power was making me curious and that curiosity just helped someone.
Maybe blocking everyone out wasn’t
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