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me my breakf ast like everything was normal. “Your father and I are on for the next four days. I made your dinners for each night. Come straight home after practice and eat. I’ll check on you when I get home.” She poured a glass of orange juice , smiling like a saint.
    I nodded, not wanting to talk about it. It was fine by me if they worked seven days a week. I did my best to eat my breakfast, but I wasn’t hungry. I just wanted to get out of there and go to school. When I cleared my half-eaten plate, my mother said, “You don’t have to be so dramatic, Mari. I know you’re upset, but you still have to eat.”
    I just looked at her. I couldn’t think of what to say to make her fathom how betrayed I felt. She dropped me off at school without another word. As soon as she pulled away, I felt better. Four days on my own would help. They’d come home from work in time to drop me off at school. We’d barely see each other.
    After going to my locker, I looked around for Trystan. He usually haunted this hallway before first period, but I didn’ t see him. I went to class, listening to the teacher droning on. I didn’t get a chance to look for Trystan again until our free period. When I walked into the auditorium I heard Tucker speaking softly and rapidly to Trystan, “ … is not okay. You can’t skip class like this and then expect to walk at graduation in June. If there’s something you need to tell me, some reason for your tardiness, tell me. You don’t have to fight the whole damn world by yourself.”
    “I’m fine,” Trystan used a tone that said he was fi nished talking about it. When Trystan turned around, I saw an angry red gash marring his cheek.
    The smile I had on my face faltered and slipped away. Tucker looked at me and then back at Trystan. When I was closer, Tucker s aid, “Talk some sense into him,” as he jabbed his thumb at Trystan.
    “What are you talking about?” I asked, not understanding.
    Tucker sighed, “Ask him how he got that cut on his face and make sure he had a tetanus shot. He won’t talk to me.”
    Trystan’s shoulders tensed as he looked after Tucker, who was walking away, “That’s because there’s nothing to tell. ” Tucker walked through the door and left us standing in the aisle alone. The empty seats surrounded us on all sides, the stage lights dim and glowing golden . When Trystan looked back at me , his expression softened, but the slant of his mouth said he still thought he needed to defend himself, and I didn’t want that.
    Before he could speak, I said, “ I only want to ask you one thing.”
    “Really?” the corners of his mouth tightened again. “And what’s that?”
    “Will you hold me?” Tears welled up in my eyes and streaked down my cheeks. Trystan instantly became the man I knew, and fo r got about his worries . Stepping forward, I walked into his arms, and he held me tight.
     

 
     
    CHAPTER 7
     
    ~TRYSTAN~
     
    When sunlight poured into Trystan’s room earlier that morning , he tried the door . Still locked. Glancing out the window, Trystan saw that his dad’s car was gone. Shit . Trystan stretched, his back aching from sleeping on the hard floor. His dick of a dad turned the heat off so that he was freezing , too. Although it was cold, Trystan refused to close the window last night. It was better than being trapped in the darkness. It was a good thing Trystan didn’t take off his jacket when he walked through the door.
    Running his hands through his hair, Trystan looked at the door. He knelt in front of it wondering what time it was, if he was late for school yet. The teacher’s would ride his ass, threatening to not let him graduate. Some tried to threaten him by saying he couldn’t walk at graduation—like that was a threat. He didn’t care if he walked or not. It’s not like anyone would show up and clap for him . No one cared what happened to Trystan Scott. While the other kids got pats on the back and ushered off to college,