4TH
DEAN PARKER
71 PTS
I knew it. I planned for this. But still, my stomach falls like a cement brick.
A difference of one point.I’m going home because ofonepoint.
I’m going home.
37
OH. OH NO. MY ACTIONS… HAVE CONSEQUENCES?
SEYOON
Even though I knew it was coming, hearing Garrett say it out loud makes it real.
This is the end.
Dean’s leaving.
I try to imagine being here without him. Falling asleep without the easy rhythm of his breathing in the bunk above mine. There’ll be no more bickering over something stupid, no more watching how the sun catches the gold in his eyes when he rolls them, making me forget what we were arguing about. There’ll be no more stargazing together, or swimming in the lake, or playing card games until one of us accuses the other of cheating. He’s leaving, and we’ll never get to talk about his confession, the one still tumbling around in my head. No—we’ll never talk again,ever.
I glance over. He’s already watching me. Dean’s eyes flicker in the firelight. The possibility of this being the last time he ever looks at me is so awful that the words spew from my lips without a thought.
“Wait.”
Heads turn my way. I’ve stood up without realizing. My heart races faster than my thoughts. I can’t feel my legs. I can’t hear anything over the rushing in my ears, the blood hammering in my head. I don’t know what I’m doing, all I know is I can’t—I can’t losehim.
I can’t.
“Can I give some of my points to Dean?” I blurt out, tripping over my tongue to get the words out fast enough. “I know we can’t split because we’re not in an alliance, but I’m not asking to split. Just—I just want to give him some of my points. Five. How about five? That should—”
Vendredi shoots up, her face twisted.“What?!”
And then, all at once, I realize what that means.
