Abi looked at her hands, which were shaking in her lap. "You once asked me why I was dating Dean and I told you I had too. You never asked me why I had to. Didn't you wonder?"

Gio stopped stroking the girl's heads. "No, I just assumed you meant you had to because you were in love with him."

Abi's head came up and he could see fire in her eyes. "Love him? You think I love him? I hate that monster. He asked me to date him and I told him no. I told him I couldn't date him because I was in love with you! He said...