Before
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBiKmoZGJ2d
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8V684CmTxy
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYTTVy7GPy
She was still pissed at me, that much was clear.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVrxLtj4A0
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2MNqGmpTD
I found him upstairs, a cup in his hand. He saw me and grinned, then his nose turned up.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDYL9Htd8q
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOkOTrE5Oh
"Leah, what is that smell?"458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdxrShZVkZ
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtnWKwxEHI
I flushed and took the cup from him, drinking deeply. "Dakota is still mad. She threw her beer in my face."458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkZzFFQSHe
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oxqOn4uOx
He scowled and grabbed my elbow. "Come on, I'll get you cleaned up. You can change your shirt if you want to."458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12M5YqZh7z
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvrtrNU3AR
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."458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSMELGWacv
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1fIefFS08
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?"458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhhxYPM8TG
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtVC8t8yp7
"Mr. Grey," I said, my stomach tight.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNMhsxzAVL
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcf5cNGpnGo
Ollie whistled as he threw a black top at me. "Nice catch."458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaan1o3UY99
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNJ1cJ49lY
"Oliver!" I laughed. "That's terrible. He's a teacher."458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7aSlQ3GMV
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0S0Pm1dYv
"But he's hot," he responded, grinning.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQDHnjIHjm
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRexS8zRE3L
"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."458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CXovs2Guk
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJtLDk8Oz9
"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."458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEU09WwwqBp
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2tGIehB2V
"Of course I'm on her side," I replied. "Aren't you? You're her friend too."458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbST1wMtdn4
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajfcPruxQW
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."458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFPmrxtbT4
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCBMukVmLBM
I knew he was right.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BObiLWbnC
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamui9HuLGh
**
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqZDmQfbUD
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6L6J9Qn01s
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRy05aVJLL
"What do you want?" she snapped. "Are you here to run my life for me?"458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsCQuJSCjj
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspBJEsCmum
"Dakota, listen to me," I started. "Please."458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXSPz5cVZG
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYXwDQnDVb
"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."458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNuK3P7NfD
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZhz7KqjjM
She tore away from me, then she was gone.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPw46dcDoM
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPdZwtYaB8
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1cxZEtsIM
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0pvilv4GX
I pulled out my phone and called her, but it went to voicemail. When her car disappeared, I called Oliver.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQ2B0fXVI0
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWJreCoEAC
"Hey," he shouted over the music. "Where are you?"458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKg3OTqDeJU
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGIlFrpz5h
"Outside. Dakota left. Ollie, she's been drinking. I have to go after her."458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMwEjFfNx1
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6TfpbiA7P
"Leah, wait!"458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2m5HIiQw08
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19ecwmW9g2
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.
