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Back The Infinite Noise Save as PDF
Chapters (70)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  69. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  70. Newsletter Sign-up

“I don’t need you to protect me.” The wall erodes a little and I feel the flutter of nerves before I feel the wave of anger. But I’m not worried about drowning in it—it’s not directed at me.

“I know that,” I say evenly. “But that doesn’t mean I can just stand by and let him talk to you like that.”

“He’s been talking to me like that for years.” Adam rolls his eyes and the wall goes up again.

“What, really? I thought it was just stuff about you being a nerd, not…” I trail off, letting the F-word hang between us. Impossibly, the wall grows thicker.

“Well, okay, yeah, that was the first time he’s gone that particular direction.” Adam shrugs. “But I can handle Bryce.”

“You shouldn’t have to,” I tell him, taking a step closer in the hopes he’ll uncross his arms, and with them, bring down the wall. It works. Something in him softens and he looks in my eyes for the first time.

“How did you do that?” He matches my volume, speaking like we’re in one of our rooms, not a school hallway.

“Do what?”

“Know exactly what to say to people. It’s like you take off their masks.”

His eyes are roaming my face like the answers are somewhere in my frown lines. A rush of nervousness—my own—floods my veins.

“I—” I start, having no idea what to say. “I don’t know. People are just … easy to read.” Even as I say it, I know I’m not convincing him.

“Right.” He nods skeptically. “Well … thanks, I guess. For intervening. Again.”

There’s a small smile on his face but sadness in his eyes and I want to kiss him into oblivion.

“Yeah,” I breathe. “No problem.”

37

ADAM

“I can’t believe you haven’t heard this album yet,” I say, typing rapidly on Caleb’s computer as he leans over me. I can smell the spicy scent of his shampoo and it fills my head with distracting vapor. I focus on the task at hand: getting Caleb to listen to the newest Panic! at the Disco album.

It’s been a few weeks since the double-whammy birthday incident/Bryce encounter and things have thankfully gotten back to normal. As promised, I’ve been spending weekends at Caleb’s with his non-humiliating family but his inferior music collection.

“I mean, I know a lot of their songs,” Caleb says, close to my ear as he watches me pull up the album, “but I don’t think I even knew they came out with new stuff.”

“Well, prepare to have your mind blown.” I hit Play on the album and a shrill chorus comes chanting through Caleb’s speakers.

Tonight we are victorious