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threat of snow has been looming over us.
    I rub my arms and power walk in the direction I think he went. If he is cutting class, there is only one place to go to stay out of the view of teachers: the wall next to the football field.
    My mind spins with the information I learned from Cardelian. He said things with Jaxson are complicated. He was so vague, my I mind jumps between conclusions, and it wouldn’t be the first time. I just know there is more to Jaxson than the typical, anguished teenage boy. There is a story behind him, and who better to find out his story than me.
    I jog to the wall, and the closer I get, the colder it seems to become. When I round the corner, I almost smack right into Jaxson. The hood of his jacket casts his face in shadows, making him seem dangerous. I slowly drag my eyes to his face until I’m looking into the palest blue eyes I have ever seen. The color makes him seem other worldly, they pierce me to core. Ice runs though me, and I want to look away, but his gaze holds mine. My heart clashes against my ribs and fear grips me in a warning.
    “Oh, sorry.” I suck in a sharp breath and take a few steps backwards.
    He looks like he is ready to pounce.
    “I didn’t know anyone would be out here.” I give him my best innocent smile. “I always come out here to … to …”
    I take in Jaxson one more time. He’s dressed in black from head to toe. The only color in his wardrobe comes from a silver chain draped around his neck that is clasped together with a padlock and several other chains hanging from his pockets. He brings his long fingers to his lips, taking a drag from a cigarette. His black gloves are cut crooked and the yarn is frayed on the ends.
    He brings his long fingers to his lips, taking a drag from a cigarette. His black gloves are cut crooked and the yarn is frayed on the ends.
    “I came out here to smoke,” I blurt out.
    He cocks one perfect brow at me as if seeing right through my facade.
    “Nothing like some fresh air and a good smoke to get the morning going.” I swing my arms, making large hand gestures, and bring my fingers to my lips pretending to smoke. “You know how it is …. Sometimes, the stress of being in high school, I’m just like ‘gosh its stressful I just need to smoke.’ Yep, every time I get a chance, I get my smoke on.”
    I rock back and forth on my heels, and he gives me a look that says he’s not buying it, but he’s not leaving, and that’s a good sign. “Yeah, I smoke all the time. I’m a two pack a day kind of girl.” I dig around in my bag, pretending to look for cigarettes. “Where did those little sticks of relief go?”
    Why did I come out here? Curiosity I guess. Curse my author nature. I’m totally doing a character study on him. Yep, that’s the only reason I came out here.
    “I can’t seem to find my pack. Can I get one of those?” I ask.
    He pulls out a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket and lights one before handing it over. I stare at the menacing, glowing stick of cancer in his fingers. Every lecture from health class, poster, and commercial I have ever seen runs through my head, but I take it from him anyway. His cold eyes stare at me, waiting to see what I’m going to do. Daring me.
    I look at the cigarette in my hand like I can get sick from just the touch. I have never smoked a cigarette in my life, but today seems like a good time to start. I smile and pull the death cloud into my cheeks, carefully trying not to inhale it.
    Yuck, how can anyone do this? It tastes like I’m smoking dirty socks.
    “ Mmm . Just what I needed.” I smile and blow out the smoke. Gross, gross, gross. “Have you been smoking long, or is this a new hobby of yours?” I ask. I can feel the poison already soaking into my lungs.
    Will I become an addict instantly, or will it take some time? How soon will it be before I’m swindling my aunt’s life savings away just to get a pack of cigarettes?
    He gives me another pointed look and