#Chapter349

“I’m fourteen, and I don’t need more friends. I met some kids at school that are okay. I prefer to just do things by myself.” I stare at what I’m doing and sigh heavily, trying to zone him out and not give him more attention than necessary, irritated and I don’t even know why. I realize that my panic attack is gone, it’s fizzled out and so has the fear, instead there’s an air of unease that’s not even that overwhelming. I glance up at him again and no longer feel like I should bolt out of his presence.

I guess maybe he’s more like Jake than I realized,...