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Alexandru’s handsome face had turned rigid. “You know I’ve been in a meeting.Read my mind if you will.I’m not lying—-”

“Why is she here?” I was shouting now. Outside, Katarina had fallen silent but we both knew that she was still standing there, hearing everything that was going on. The whole school may be outside for all I knew, but I couldn’t seem to make myself care.

I just wanted to be mad.

I wanted him to be mad.

So damn mad that he would punish me the way I deserved.

It was better than having him find out the shameful truth.

“What’s gotten into you?” Alexandru demanded. “You are not being your usual self—-”

“And that’s what? Someone who just stands aside every timeshecalls for you?”

“You know it’s not like that.” Alexandru gripped my shoulders almost as if he was prepared to shake some sense into me. “All this time, you know I’ve been avoiding—-”

“Really?” I let out a hollow laugh. “You’ve been avoiding her? Oh, that’s rich,” I spat. “You may betryingto avoid her, but we both know you weren’t really trying too hard—-”

“Stop this.” A muscle started ticking in his jaw.

“No!” I shook my head wildly. “I want to hear you say it—-”

The door opened behind us, and Katarina appeared in the doorway, a troubled look on her oh-so-lovely face.

Emotions warred inside of me.

Jealousy, bitterness, even hatred, but most of all there was guilt, and it made me want to scratch her eyes out, just so she wouldn’t accidentally see the truth in mine.

The thought left me paralyzed with shock.

Oh God, when had I become this evil?

“I’m sorry for intruding.” Katarina closed the door behind her. “But I thought you two should calm down—-”

She thought we should calm down? Who cared about what she thought? She wasn’t part of this—-

I shut that line of thought down, but the effort left me shaking.

Why was I so vindictive? Evil? Bitchy? Why?

“I’m going.” I wrenched myself out of Alexandru’s hold. I had to leave before either of them realized how low I’d sunk.

I only managed a few steps before he spun me back around. “Where are you going?”

“Somewhere, anywhere I won’t have to see you.”

He froze. “What the fuck’s wrong with you?”

“Why do you even have to ask?” I was screaming again. I was losing it, and the more he kept me with him, the more I’d lose ituntil I was nothing but an empty shell, a being made soulless by my guilt.

“Zari—-”

“Let go of me! You want to be with her, don’t you? So be with her—-”

“I never said—-”

“But you’re always with her—-”