Warrior Beautiful Read Online Free PDF

up.” Scout settled in her chair, tracing patterns on the granite countertop without looking at him.
    And what circle do you run in? He wanted to ask her. Scout was one of the most popular girls in school but he never saw her with friends. Everyone loved her, but she avoided group activities like they’d contaminate her with some sort of deadly disease.
    They worked for nearly another hour, testing different household products, until exhaustion set in and Scout started to giggle. Ever since they were little, anytime Scout was tired she acted the way most people do when they’re drunk. Apparently that hadn’t changed. When Trey brought out his mom’s hairspray, she laughed so hard she nearly fell of her chair. Trey watched her, trying to memorize it and hold it, because he knew it wouldn’t happen again. She would remember soon, and he would lose her again.
    “Hairspray, Trey? Really?” She bit her lip, trying to control her giggles, but she failed.
    “It might work. You never know.” He grinned at her.
    Hairspray didn’t work, so they went on a mission to find something else that might. They were in the process of mixing baking soda and shaving cream when Scout’s alarm went off. “I gotta go get Lil Bit. Should we take a break for the night and do some research?” She dropped her phone into her bag.
    “I’ll walk you. We can brainstorm along the way.” He grabbed his jacket, praying she didn’t object. She smirked at him as she slung her bag over her shoulder, but that was it.
    They walked out the front door in silence, but it was comfortable. Maybe she ’ ll forgive me. Maybe she forgot how I ruined her life, Trey thought as he kicked at a fallen leaf.
    “Can I ask you something?” She peeked at him from the corner of her eye.
    “Of course.” His heart tried to climb into his throat.
    “It’s been bugging me for a long time… I feel like if I just understood why…” she glanced at him again, quickly, and then away, wrapping her arms around herself to ward off the cold, or him — since he knew exactly what she was going to ask.
    “Why?”
    He stopped walking. She continued for a few steps and then stopped too, turning to look back at him. “I didn’t see the truck, Scout.” His voice cracked.
    Her eyebrows clashed and she shook her head. “No, Trey. Not the truck. I know you didn’t get hit on purpose.”
    “Then what—?”
    “Why’d you leave? Why’d you never, not once, come visit me?” There was pain in her eyes, fresh pain, like it had happened yesterday. But he knew her well enough to see the hope there, as well. Hope that he had a good explanation, a reason to forgive him.
    “Scout,” He came toward her several steps but she backed away. “You have to understand, I — I almost killed you.”
    “Yeah, Trey. I noticed that part.” Her gaze dropped to the ground, studying the rocks at her feet as she nibbled her thumbnail — something she’d always done when she was nervous.
    “I couldn’t look at you. I couldn’t… I couldn’t look at what I’d done to you. The guilt was too much.” His voice broke.
    Her eyebrows shot up and bright pink splotches rose on her cheeks. “You…” She paused, as if unable to form the words, holding up a small hand. “…You abandoned me because you felt guilty? When I needed you most you couldn’t be there because you felt guilty? ” The storminess was back in her eyes. She hadn’t forgotten, and she hadn’t forgiven him — it was all right there written on her face.
    He opened his mouth to defend himself, but she cut him off before he got the chance. “Do you know how many people came to see me while I was in the hospital for three months, Trey? Like twenty, that first week. And after that, three. Three people, Trey. My mom, my dad, and Lil Bit. Not you, not ever.”
    “I wanted to, Scout. You have no idea how much I wanted to be there!”
    “Then you should have been!” she shouted, her hands balled into tight fists at her