Isaiah pauses. “It’s Beth. If she knew what her mom is mixed up in, she’d try to fix it, and then she’d end up in trouble that I couldn’t fix.” This is the kind of guy Isaiah is: loyal to the end and a fixer. Even if the person he loves doesn’t want to be helped.

Jocks usually aren't smart. Their muscles feast on their brains.

Beth’s voice broke. “I can’t lose you guys.” And there it was. She sat here bleeding because she loved me and Isaiah. For the millionth time, I wished the system was a person. One person I could name, know and hold responsible for screwing every single one of us. Right now, Beth’s mom’s new boyfriend would have to do.

I convinced myself that everything was going to be okay. This is what happens when you believe in in hope. Karma comes around and destroy it.

“Hi, Isaiah. How are you doing, Beth?” Echo asked.Beth took a long draw off her cigarette, glaring at Echo. Standing her ground, Echo stared back, pretending Beth’s fury didn’t matter to her. Pride flooded my body.

Isaiah and Beth sit on the bed and munch on a shared container of pepper steak. “Stop bogarting the rice.” Isaiah moves some of the pile from Beth’s side of the container, and she darts her fork as if to stab him, but he quickly snatches his hand back. “You got the egg roll,” exclaims Beth. “I get the rice. That’s how stuff works between us, so stop messing with the system.

If he’ll let me. But he left the hospital without talking to me. I don’t know what that means.”Screw that. “Yes, of course I’ll see him again. Isaiah and I are friends and he’s going to realize that evenif I have to take a two-by-four to him.

Su corazón sigue en el ritmo constante del que he llegado a depender. Isaiah es mi roca. La cadena que me mantiene unida cuando estoy lista para derrumbarme. Es el ancla que me mantiene a flote cuando me voy muy lejos. Su corazón ha sido el único ritmo constante en mi vida y no quiero dejarlo ir.—Te amo.

She’s out of your league.”Beth giggled. “That’s because she turned you down flat freshman year. Isaiah thought he could date up and asked a sophomore out. Little did he know Ms. Perfect had been dating King Luke for a year.