Chapter 4

The bruises on my ribs faded from purple to a sickly yellow over the next two weeks. Each time I looked at them in the mirror, I reminded myself that Austin's push had been an accident—but his indifference afterward was deliberate. That was what hurt most.

"You're going to be late," Jessica called from the bathroom we shared in our dorm. "Professor Wilson's lit class starts in twenty minutes."

I pulled down my shirt, hiding the fading marks. "Coming."

Jessica leaned against the doorframe, toothbrush still in hand, studying me with concerned eyes. "You've been moping for two weeks, Val.…