Flutter Read Free Page A

it would just make her want to do it more.”
    I threw a pair of boots in the bag, and then struggled to zip the bag up. Obviously, I was much
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    stronger than the stupid metal zipper, but I hadn’t figured out to use my strength at all. I had been constantly
    breaking things, and I had yet to figure out the medium between using too much and too
    little force.
    “Here.” Jack came over and knelt on the floor next to me so he could zip up my bag for me.
    “Thank you,” I said softly, and looked down at the bag so I wouldn’t look at him.
    “Alice, why do you even wanna go?” Jack asked plaintively.
    “He didn’t do anything wrong,” I told him quietly, and he rolled his eyes.
    “He tried to kill you, Alice!” Jack shouted, and the pain from seeing me almost die sprang fresh in
    him. That had been one of the most agonizing moments of this life, and it was hard to feel what he felt, the
    terror and desperation that had he gone through when I had been dying.
    “He didn’t mean to,” I insisted, and that was only half a lie.
    Peter had never really wanted to hurt me, but he didn’t know what to do about anything.
    When I had
    asked him to end my life, he had refused, so I had bit my lip hard enough to draw blood, and I knew that he
    wouldn’t be able to reject biting me then. I had forced him into biting me, and Jack had rushed in just in time
    to stop him from finishing the job.
    “But he did, Alice!” Jack growled. “He hurt you constantly! All he ever did was push you away and
    treat you like crap and almost murder you! What about that is so endearing to you?”
    “He didn’t ask for any of this, Jack!” I shouted. “He didn’t ask to feel the way he did about me, and he
    just wanted it to stop! So did I! So did you! But he’s the only one being punished for it! And you of all people
    should understand what he’s going through! You got me! You won! And now he’s alone and
    suicidal
    somewhere because of me! I can’t just let him die!”
    My intensity only hurt and bewildered Jack more. He leaned back, resting against a row of shelves that
    were filled with his Converse. His expression had gone lax, and I knew he had resigned
    himself to me going,
    but that didn’t mean he felt okay about it. In fact, his own resignation bothered him.
    “Jack, listen to me.” I took his hand gently, and his sad, blue eyes met mine. “Ezra’s not going to let
    anything bad happen to me. You know that. And I love you , okay?”
    “I don’t want you to go, Alice,” Jack said simply. “Please. If you love me. Don’t go.”
    Seeing him like that, so desperate for me to stay, broke my heart. I never wanted to hurt him, and
    whenever possible, I’d do whatever it took to make him happy. If Ezra had shot me down, I wouldn’t have
    fought to go, but if he agreed, then he obviously thought that I could be of some help. It was heart-wrenching
    to see Jack so unhappy, but if causing him a few moments of misery would save Peter’s life, then so be it.
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    “I’m sorry, Jack.”
    From downstairs, I heard Ezra calling my name, telling me that we had to get going. I pursed my lips,
    watching Jack and waiting for him to respond somehow. Part of me expected him to yell and demand that I
    stay, but that was never his style. He lowered his eyes and gently rubbed his thumb along the back of my
    hand, making my skin tremble. Finally, he exhaled deeply.
    “I’ll drive you,” Jack whispered and started getting to his feet.
    “What?” Milo protested incredulously. “You’re just letting her go?”
    Jack was still holding my hand, so he helped me to my feet. Milo had his arms crossed over his chest
    and stood just outside of the closet door, glaring at the both of us for being so stupid. Jack leaned over and
    picked up my bag so he could carry it downstairs, even though I was strong enough to do it myself.
    “What am I supposed to do?” Jack gave Milo a helpless look and shrugged as we walked past him.
    “I told