AMBER
Principal Han’s words felt like they had sliced right through my chest.
Mason… dead?
For a second, I couldn’t even breathe. My head buzzed, my ears ringing so loudly that I couldn’t hear the gasps and murmurs around me. The floor seemed to shift beneath my feet, and all I could see was Mason’s face the last time I saw him—bruised, tired, but still smirking like he could handle anything.
He had saved me.
He had risked himself to get me away from Vanessa.
And now… he was gone.
My throat closed up as a wave of guilt crashed over me. If he hadn’t helped me, maybe he would still be alive. Maybe they killed him because of me.
I could feel the weight of stares all over my back, but I didn’t care. Before the principal could even step down from the podium, my body moved on its own. My
