Before
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4mxZ56Gjs
Music pulsed around me as I walked through the party. I had to find Oliver. I hadn't seen him at all when I got here, but I did see Dakota.403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcxs6y12QB
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIs41PYgVwk
She was still pissed at me, that much was clear.403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYSIdIb8zz
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDCxTBWb1z
I found him upstairs, a cup in his hand. He saw me and grinned, then his nose turned up.403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ImoOljeli
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRktC57Fti
"Leah, what is that smell?"403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bGfhcrF5W
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNGXyGCTTV
I flushed and took the cup from him, drinking deeply. "Dakota is still mad. She threw her beer in my face."403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYdweEUKxI
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0flZXJMKJ
He scowled and grabbed my elbow. "Come on, I'll get you cleaned up. You can change your shirt if you want to."403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzjWYBevXl
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHw4xiNTb6
I nodded. "She needs to see what she's doing is wrong," I said as he guided me to his room. When he shut the door, I sat on his bed. "But I don't want to be the one to do it. She needs to take responsibility for what she's done."403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCBXxgq8F1
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW47h7EPEG5
While Oliver dug through his closet for a shirt, he said, "You're looking out for her. Who was it that you saw her with?"403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡggZgpOqD8q
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyZwfObH8V
"Mr. Grey," I said, my stomach tight.403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhHGdjJoS6
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWThpMHno9g
Ollie whistled as he threw a black top at me. "Nice catch."403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOhKUS9AC2
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0KL3u1ZVj
"Oliver!" I laughed. "That's terrible. He's a teacher."403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFsolwrLbM
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFAMuxQenoJ
"But he's hot," he responded, grinning.403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSTNqUnVus
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8IVbBogcw
"You're gross," I said as I put on the shirt he'd given me. "This isn't a joking matter. She could get expelled, and he could be fired, if anyone ever found out."403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWU0YngwM6z
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lbrMXoyrs
"Then tell her that," he said. He brushed a hand through his dark hair. "She needs to know what could happen, and she also needs to know that you're on her side."403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66E1yJiGqA
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQvbMy2gsa
"Of course I'm on her side," I replied. "Aren't you? You're her friend too."403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLphbBGrBO7
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6QPOlx8VS
He put up his hands. "Relax, Leah. I want you to understand the situation. How detrimental it could be if you came forward with this information."403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjaODkjoAn
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsu8kPzxji
I knew he was right.403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPgaW78Abn
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXesAOnp6Y
**
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwa5XQacQPa
I'd had a few beers before I found Dakota again, just to take the edge off before I spoke with her. When I touched her shoulder, she turned and her eyes widened.403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFGMVkZsIZ
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSoyqcOndi
"What do you want?" she snapped. "Are you here to run my life for me?"403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtM0HiMmENb
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaX0beoDFn
"Dakota, listen to me," I started. "Please."403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2OsNG4zHSj
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnykSLb6BV
"No." She pulled away from me, her eyes wild. "I don't have anything to say to you. This is my life. I make my own decisions, not you. Stay away from me, Leah."403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfo3e8N3Ek
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsIS8MaAfi
She tore away from me, then she was gone.403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqFechqCcP
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpgsIs4lLR
I followed her, out the front door, and into the driveway. When she got in her car and started the engine, my heart thudded in my chest.403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIS5do6hzsZ
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLI1MUaP3ea
I pulled out my phone and called her, but it went to voicemail. When her car disappeared, I called Oliver.403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUY6JetRdL
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ721PfuJYXE
"Hey," he shouted over the music. "Where are you?"403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WcsiHFOEO
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPeKN7xDJG
"Outside. Dakota left. Ollie, she's been drinking. I have to go after her."403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTZQFsK13S
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCgRaRrRId
"Leah, wait!"403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSx2bW7aY4y
403Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KZk4lUzHz
But I barely heard him as I got in my own car. I needed to get to her before she hurt someone, unaware that fate had other ideas.
