I narrowed mine back and stood.

Becky gasped, "What are you doing?"

I was tempted to shrug her off. I didn't know, but something propelled me across the lunch room. I stopped before their table and heard a lot of conversations hush. The football team sat at the 'popular' table, but most of the really popular girls sat at the other end where Adam was with the other varsity starters. Jill, Lydia, and Jessica sat at the far end where Jeff was, along with the other second string guys. Jeff was third string, actually.

Becky bumped into my elbow, and then apologized under her breath. She was panting from her hurry.

"Sam!" Adam called over and waved at us.

I ignored him.

Becky took my arm and hissed in my ear, "We can sit by him."

I shrugged her off and glanced up. I didn't know what made me look, but my fake father had entered the lunch room. He was dressed in his coach's apparel, a professional looking running suit with Fallen Crest Academy printed on his left shoulder underneath our school's crest.

"Yes?" Jill snapped at me. She tried to sound bored, like I was annoying her, but I heard the apprehension underneath it.

At the sight of David, everything hardened in me again. I was growing used to that feeling and I looked back at her. There was an added edge to me when I stepped close to their table and placed a hand right in front of her.

"Sam?" Jeff leaned forward and whispered. "What are you doing?"

Jessica still refused to look at me. Lydia had both her hands over her face, but her fingers were spread. She watched from behind them and I saw that she was holding her breath.

"You're wasting our lunch time," Jill snapped. "What do you want, Sam? You're pathetic."

Then Adam was beside me and his hand held my elbow. He pulled me back against him and spoke into my ear. As his lips moved, they brushed against me and I shivered from the teasing touch. "Sit with me. Let this go. Trust me, it won't be worth it."

"Fine." I released everything in me when I surrendered with that word.

He nodded and started to pull me away. I saw the looks of relief on Jessica, Lydia, and Jeff's faces. Jill looked disappointed, but David stepped in front of me. He gave Adam a polite nod. "Do you mind if I have a word with Samantha?"

I stiffened in Adam's hold and he cast a concerned look at me. Then he reluctantly nodded. "Sure."

David gestured towards the hall and I followed at a slower pace. I glanced back and saw that Adam had pulled Becky to sit beside him, but she watched me. Her eyes were small and she was biting her lip.

Then the door was pushed open and we stepped out into the empty hallway.

David gestured ahead. "My office?"

I rolled my eyes. "Is this about your car?"

"My office?"

I heard the forced politeness and followed. Everything in me was cement. I didn't care, not one iota, but I followed anyway. I was more curious to what he had to say and then when we were in his office and he shut the door, I knew he meant business. He indicated the couch across from his desk.

I perched on the end.

He took his seat and folded his hands on the desk. He looked at them.

I waited.

No one spoke.

Then he cursed under his breath and looked up. His eyes were bleak again.

I frowned. I didn't care why he looked like that. It made no difference to me now…

He started, "Do you know how much trouble you could've been?"

"If you had called the cops?"

"Yes," he snapped out. "Samantha, this is not a joke."

"I'm not laughing."

"If anyone else would've seen and had called the cops, I wouldn't have been able to protect you. The cops have the right to press charges, even if the offended party doesn't want them to."

"So you're saying you don't want me charged?"

He sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I didn't call the cops for a reason."

"Why's that?" I was in shock at my own voice. I sounded so bored.

He bit out a few curses. The hostility of them drew me upright again and something stirred in me. It was like I was coming awake again.

He glared at me. "Of course, I don't want you hurt. Why would you think that? I raised you, Samantha."

"Even though I'm not your daughter."

His chest heaved up and down and he looked like he was fighting for control. His voice was strained a second later. "I loved you, all your life, like you were my daughter. And what happened to you wasn't your fault—"

I shot to my feet, though I hugged myself. "According to Analise, it was both of your faults."

"I loved her." He laughed to himself. The sound sent chills down my back. "Because I don't make millions or because I'm not handsome like him doesn't mean that I didn't love your mother. I loved her very much."

I blinked. And everything was gone in the next moment. My anger vanished. My sarcasm, my self-loathing, my hatred for him—all was gone. And I collapsed down on the couch again. My face was buried in my hands.

He continued in a distant voice, "I loved my marriage how it was…" His chair squeaked and his voice was clearer now. "Stop hanging out with the Kade boys."

I looked up.

He watched me intently, his eyes never wavered away. "They are not good for you. They are dangerous to you."

It all shut down again and I stood. "I thought you said to make friends?"

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