【】aschallengeinhereyes.”iosay,thehel</p>

seesit,youdalreadyleft.hervingoninresponse.san</p>

francisstifledher.sheuldntpaintthere.sherated,</p>

andbored.”</p>

”ifshe.therehings</p>

sheuldhavedoneanddidnt.”hetoldhielftohis</p>

eorplace.butkatherineevanshadsheda</p>

festeringscab.</p>

hestoodhisground.”shebladbecauseshewasbored”</p>

katherinegaveasllshrug.”theonlypersoodothings</p>

hiyyouaround.”</p>

”no,ieorplace,buthell,this</p>

friendofraent,andbeyondkeeping</p>

hisvoiceloletthechargegounanswered.”iwas</p>

ytailofftobuildasuessfulprae,sothatiuld</p>

keepushousedandfedand,p.s.,letherpainthout</p>

eaingney.sheoneyfroerparents.iedto</p>

givehereverythingithoughtshedeserved.”enoughavoiside</p>

hiaid,buttherestofhiidntlisten.”inthehelldidi</p>

askofhertodressupandgooutoeaweek</p>

uchgodonlykneenoughasakid.shewas</p>

raiseddressingup.sheulddothepartythinghhereyes</p>

closed.</p>

besides,sheknee,</p>

youhavetobeseen.</p>

””shek,”katherinehetravelingbotheredher</p>

re.</p>

tohearhertell,youoreoftenthannot.”jack</p>

tuedah,thentuedbathevery</p>

beat.”raeabout</p>

you.iye”</p>

”itsexingbewildered,”andyouasked.</p>

israchelsfriend.iloveherandthegirls.theyrelike</p>

faly.</p>

idonthurt.”</p>

”andidoeoff,hekeptgoing.</p>

ifsilytospitekatherineevans,jaktohisdaughterslike</p>

glue.hestayedatrae,tooktheo</p>

breakfastinthecafeteria,retuedtosithrachel</p>

again,tooktheolunbethaneurologist</p>

frohecity,oseeracheltheday.</p>

ofthedi,the</p>

nurseheadingtheeindy</p>

on.shepness,and</p>

thickglasses,buttheretoher,anendearingshyness.</p>

shespokesloedkindasuldbe.ifkarabates</p>

eacher,dyonhegirlshungonherevery</p>

word.</p>

”keeptalking,”shetoldthe”tellheryouvebeendoing.”</p>

shelookedatrachel.”tellherjokes.tellheryouresad.or</p>

angry.orscared.”shelookedatthegirlsagain.”youlaugh,or</p>

althings.shelluandthe”</p>

”ifanthaasked.</p>

dystudiedheroportant.see</p>

”thoughshehegirls,jacklooked.shewas</p>

ssagingrachelsshoulder,hadbeendoingittheeshewas</p>

talking.</p>

”yourtherfeels.tougisaonstrated</p>

easuredvents.”dontbeafraidtoliftherhand.orbend</p>

herknee.</p>

orbrushherhair.orveherfingersortoes.”sheletthatsink</p>

in,thenasked,”doesshehaveafavoritest”hopeseyeslit.</p>