That didn’t sit right in my chest. It put me on edge. Her not wanting other people to know about us was something I’d dealt with, but right now I wanted to grab onto her and hold on tight.

My bruises were a mottled green-and-yellow mess now, still tender, but nothing I hadn’t made it through before. I wouldn’t go back for more. But my aches and pains now were my own doing. I poked at the cut in my lip. Whatever the hell I’d done last night, apparently the trees had hit back.

The pageantry and preening of the school parking lot had lost even more of its shine with the knowledge that, after the summer, if anyone here saw me around there would be whispers and rumors about me. The back of my neck heated and I clenched my fists at my side. I’d be another name on the long list of hometown heroes turned hometown losers.

I left, parking my car.

“At least we get to miss everything after third period.” Knox called over the roof of his car.

“For what?” I yanked my backpack out of my passenger seat.

“Talent freak show is today. Remember last year where Bobby McMillan almost lit the entire stage on fire?”

My high school recall was never as sharp as Knox’s. Maybe I could chalk that up to getting my bell rung way more times than he did as a receiver.

He stood beside me. “What the hell happened to your hand and your lip?”

I glanced down, flexing them. A drop of blood rolled down the back of my finger.

“It’s nothing. I’ll meet you inside.”

I left before he could respond and I ignored people calling my name as I passed by with my hands shoved in my pockets. It felt like they were lined with razor blades.

Bay wasn’t at her locker. Or first period. What the hell was going on? Things felt like they were spiraling, closing in on me and strangling the breath out of my lungs.

“Dare, you’re bleeding,” someone called out as I passed.

I stared down at my hand. Ducking into one of the bathrooms, I ran them under cold water and wrapped a paper towel around my fist.

The second period bell rang and I searched the hallways for Bay before heading to class.

Slipping my phone out under my desk, I sent her a message. No response.

“Dare.” Coach stood in the doorway to my second period classroom and waved me forward.

I scooped my backpack up off the floor and rushed out of the room, but I stopped just outside the doorway at the grim, tight look on his face.

“Let’s walk.” He nodded in the direction of the gym. “We’re down to the wire now and I didn’t want to leave you hanging.”

I licked my sandpaper-dry lips. “No word from any schools.” He’d have told me straight out if there were a chance.

He lifted his baseball hat and settled it back down like his head was overheating.