"Why won't you trust me?" I cried, hating how my voice cracked into a whine. I bit my lip as people along the sidewalk glanced at me. Pretending I was oblivious, I quickly followed Alex across the street and reached for his hand, but he stiffened and jerked away. He turned toward me once he reached the corner, his icy blue eyes hard and his usual blank face set in a frown. I stopped at the edge of the road, gripping my fists and preparing for what he was going to say.

“Why are you so annoying? Even if it’s been a couple of weeks since you arrived, that doesn’t mean you can be friendly with me,” he said coldly. “Kent and Megan may like you, but to put it simply, I despise people like you.”

I blinked, taken aback. I knew we weren’t on good terms, but I never expected him to go that far. Pull yourself together, I thought, This is not the time to be sensitive. Don’t break down now. Holding back tears and ignoring the sting of his words, I kept my voice steady as I protested, “Why? I don’t understand. You ignore me when I try to talk to you. You avoid me when we’re together. You never gave me a chance. And yet–"

“Move,” he ordered, staring off to my right.

“Huh?” Scowling, Alex forcefully grabbed my arm. I pulled away, startled. "What are you–"

"You stupid girl!" Alex lunged at me with an alarmed expression, tackling me to the ground. There was a scream and the screech of tires.