Before
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFK5GODFpO
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxzL5rqOHq
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4O0aw4JIrJ
She was still pissed at me, that much was clear.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHsGyFCZplG
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJ8Wgaikor
I found him upstairs, a cup in his hand. He saw me and grinned, then his nose turned up.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw0j7gTMKq6
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBYVVISjVQ
"Leah, what is that smell?"436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXPI90QDmA
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZA8CDMFTyz
I flushed and took the cup from him, drinking deeply. "Dakota is still mad. She threw her beer in my face."436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhExIY4ps3z
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DmQwkBGcM
He scowled and grabbed my elbow. "Come on, I'll get you cleaned up. You can change your shirt if you want to."436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlx8IVvUtF4
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FLsiWMARL
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."436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNZnys6ZXX
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1e3rV7MJXA
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?"436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQqGVLyb1O
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5BcE2kEx0
"Mr. Grey," I said, my stomach tight.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqOOew9n8C
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmjB1Tq9yu
Ollie whistled as he threw a black top at me. "Nice catch."436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxwnatRLGd
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qZfDXpa5G
"Oliver!" I laughed. "That's terrible. He's a teacher."436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0HUhBUp8N
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡul7SI3AOyI
"But he's hot," he responded, grinning.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZ0LDdjpoF
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoX4dQ99shn
"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."436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypfGKiW6fL
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtiXSft71E
"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."436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFzqvntbF3
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8J87oUCrgS
"Of course I'm on her side," I replied. "Aren't you? You're her friend too."436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBoL09i9Gf
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw0pmJnevkJ
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."436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrkXFeMou3
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvEsIyy7nP
I knew he was right.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgOxS5kuRI
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡniMI3eIzFM
**
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jKvfH2QUb
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYW2vUO1EJ
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMuiM5dKAk
"What do you want?" she snapped. "Are you here to run my life for me?"436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68HrgB82Ip
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡociYj3cLQq
"Dakota, listen to me," I started. "Please."436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmb7s0UKODI
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvU9lMg1JMe
"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."436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUA0UKoqfqK
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMov9u1zcQ
She tore away from me, then she was gone.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrdyTLvuvm
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SB1EVKnS3
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.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5hrAIgx8A
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUvKkD6DwL
I pulled out my phone and called her, but it went to voicemail. When her car disappeared, I called Oliver.436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAEq4MNNDU
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUkXTV4HUY
"Hey," he shouted over the music. "Where are you?"436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAFR4WZp4T
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfCJLdqz6e
"Outside. Dakota left. Ollie, she's been drinking. I have to go after her."436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXqWr1dvICB
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKEIVfa6VE
"Leah, wait!"436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzWTIzZms4
436Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SVs4LrEAH
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.
