“I have a boyfriend,” I say, interrupting him. I try to move around him, back into the crowd, but he doesn’t want to let me go. His hand snakes out to catch mine, and his voice cuts through the music.

“I thought fat girls didn’t like to play hard to—”

I lunge forward when I see Taylor slipping out of the room, but Christopher is right behind me still.

“This is my boyfriend,” I announce abruptly, flinging my arms around Taylor’s waist. Christopher looks back and forth between us. I hate myself for resorting to this, but I need to make him stop. Fat isn’t a dirty word, and I proudly claim it—still, it’s shitty to hear it used like a weapon.

Taylor rests his arm around my shoulders.

“Oh yeah,” he says, raising his voice over the music. “We’re a thing.”

Christopher pauses, and then he says, “I thought you were a—” to Taylor. He waves his hand in a vague circle.

“A what?” Taylor says, tilting his head. His voice bright and curious.

Christopher sputters before he says, “Into dudes. Or whatever.” Hand wave again.

“Nah, man,” Taylor says very solemnly. “It’s a spectrum.”

I turn my laugh into a cough.

“Cool,” Christopher says. “Right.” A glance for each of us, and then an extra glance for my boobs. Up and down my body, and I get the skeeves. “See ya,” he says. He bumps Taylor’s shoulder when he pushes past us.

“Nice,” Taylor says, and then looks down at me. “What was that?”

“I’m sorry,” I say, collapsing against Taylor’s side. “I needed him to leave me alone.”

It feels terrible to hide from one guy behind another, like I can’t just speak for myself. It feels terrible, the way Christopher talked about my body as if he’s allowed to. I feel like I have ants crawling all over my skin.

“He has a crappy reputation,” Taylor says. He rests his cheek on the top of my head, and I sigh. “I’m sorry, Addiebear,” he says.

“Me too.”

“If we’re eloping, I have to tell Damien first.”

I laugh, straightening up.

“Dance now,” he says. “Okay?”

I nod and let him tug me down the hall, back into the crowd, and I stomp Christopher off like snow from my boots.

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