“Vera?” Tad asked from behind me. “Yes?” I said not turning, but speaking into my locker. “Would you please come into my classroom? I need to speak to you,” he ordered with his voice soft. I followed him into his classroom and glanced over my shoulder to make sure that no one was within ear shot, but before I could speak, Tad did. “It’s like you don’t respect me anymore, and I know this sucks, but I don’t like it either.” “No, that is not it,” I replied my voice cracking. “I can’t sleep anymore and everything…everything reminds me of what I’ve lost. Between you and my parents, everything is gone. I know I shouldn’t treat you like this—” I trailed off, biting my lip as I stared at the wood grain of his desk. “I get it, you were trying to show me something was wrong…I knew it, especially after you bailed on school after my class,”
