My ankle healed faster than anyone expected.
By Monday, the bruising had faded into faint shadows and the swelling was nearly gone. I still limped a little, but it was nothing compared to the throbbing pain that had kept me trapped in bed last week. For once, I felt grateful to walk down the halls of school again, even if the fluorescent lights buzzed too loudly and the chatter of other students pressed like static against my ears.
Taylor stuck close, carrying half my books even though I kept insisting I could manage. His only response was a shrug and a grin, like it was a personal sport to ignore me when it came to things like this.
“Locker looks like a crime scene,” he teased as I tugged the metal door open. The inside was a disaster, papers shoved carelessly, a sweater hanging half o
