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Chapter Twelve [Sensitive Content]

"I mean to say you shouldn't go with Dexter," Ryan clarified, "because he asked if you two could hang out."

I swallowed down the lump in my throat. How does he know about that? Taking a little step back away from him, I clutched my books and repeated my thought from earlier, "What..?"

"He's not the hero kinda guy he makes himself to be," he muttered under his breath. His eyes cast a dark look between the two of us. "No matter what he does, he will always have sins. He isn't a nice guy."

I tried to bite back my tongue, but instead, I retorted rashly, "Like you could do better! You tried to kill me, and he was the one who saved me!"

Before I could even blink, I almost screamed when Ryan appeared right in front of me, his hands resting on my shoulders. His grip was tight, clasping my body like his life depended on it. Again, the irked expression on his face didn't go away as he desperately tried to explain to me what was ahead.

"Dexter is a little cunt!" Ryan exclaimed loudly to me. "You don't know the things he's done! You won't know until you go with him, but you shouldn't because that'll be your downfall, Meredith!" My name in his voice echoed in my head. He.. said my name. "I have my reasons for my sins! He has no excuses! I thought you were fucking smart! Think about it; he's always watched you get beat up by me, and now of all times, he stands up for you out of nowhere?!" I was shoved aside, lightly hitting the wall. Ryan stormed off, yelling over his shoulder, "Where's your mind gone?! Be like your mother and think!"

The doors of the school slammed shut.

~~~

After trying to understand Ryan's explanation, I realized he was telling me the same thing Lukas told me. "I feel that him asking you to 'hang out after school' means more of 'I want to get in your pants so give me some sort of consent but not really'." My gaze dropped as Lukas's words rang in my ears, and I sighed. I had holed myself up in the restroom, where they were still available freely, even after school hours were over. I knew that Dexter was outside waiting for me, and I knew that I had to reject him.

I can't go.

Sighing once more, I grabbed my backpack, walking out. Before I reached the entrance of the school, I heard voices yelling at each other. Peering from behind a pillar, my eyes widened when I saw Ryan and Dexter talking. Whatever Dexter said provoked Ryan, because he looked aggravated and enraged. Hesitating on whether or not to choke the boy to death, he instead walked off, his hands in fists. I emerged from my hiding spot when he disappeared, his words lingering faintly in my mind.

"No matter what he does, he will always have sins. He isn't a nice guy."

I swallowed down my pride when Dexter's eyes lit up upon seeing me. I tried to say hi, but could only muster a small smile, waving reluctantly. His hands were in his pockets as he said, "Hey! What took you so long?"

I awkwardly tried to come up with a lie, standing in front of him. "Miss Smith had me stay behind because of the whole handcuffs problem." He nodded, and I quietly thanked the lords above for him thinking I was telling the truth. "The school hasn't received a new pair yet, so she lectured me about being careful."

Dexter laughed lightly, but the pit in my stomach couldn't urge me to do the same. "So, you ready to go?" He asked.

This is my chance.