“Come on.” He grabs me by the wrist and drags me through the crowd.

“Do you think she's telling the truth?” I ask, refusing to let myself wonder about the when, where, and how of Ranger's sexual encounter with Kesha. It must've been last year, right? Why do you even care, Charlotte?! There's more important shit to worry about; let it go!

“I have no idea. Maybe.” He pulls me over to my dad, and pauses politely next to him while he finishes whatever conversation he's having with the headmistress of Everly.

“Mr. Woodruff,” Dad says, looking between the two of us, his eyes fixating on the spot where Ranger's fingers are curled around my wrist. As if he can sense trouble coming, Ranger releases me abruptly. “How can we help you?”

“Could we speak to you outside for a minute?” Ranger asks, managing to keep his voice even. Me, I feel all tongue-tied. I'm not even sure how to talk about what just happened. Part of me wonders if it's even real.

Dad nods, and we head outside, just to the left of the door, and the silence settles over me in a wave.

Two people in hooded sweatshirts attacked me tonight. There was a noose, hanging from a tree. Part of me wants to believe it was all some sort of elaborate prank, but … the rest of me wonders if I just slipped through death's fingers.

“What did you want to talk to me about?” Dad asks, and Ranger and I exchange a long look. As if he can sense how tongue-tied I am right now, he turns to my dad and tells his version of the story.

“I know it sounds crazy,” Ranger adds after he finishes, glancing over at me as he lifts his shirt and shows my father the wound on his chest. “But I think the same thing that happened to my sister is happening to your daughter.”

“My daughter?” Dad starts, looking over at me. I cringe and shrug, digging my fingers into the pockets of my baggy pants. He's probably got the wrong idea, but I don't care. Tonight's been … awful. Just awful.

“Yeah, well, my secret may have slipped a bit …” I start, and Archie sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. He's got a big, stately Roman nose. I inherited some things from him—namely his stubbornness—but I definitely got most of my facial features from Mom. “But does that really matter? Have you been listening to what we've been saying? Some psychos tried to string me up to a tree.”

“Mr. Woodruff,” Dad says, dropping his hand from his face and sighing. “Could you please step inside for a moment, so I can speak with Charlotte privately?” Ranger's eyes narrow, but he nods briskly and turns away, storming back into the building with his giant combat boots, and his blood-soaked sweater. My heart aches strangely as I look after his retreating back, turning slowly to face my father. All I want right now is a hug from him. From anybody, really. But Archibald Carson is the last person in the world that would ever offer me one. He's just not the touchy-feely type. “I've been speaking to May Emille, the headmistress of Everly Academy.”

My eyes widen, and my lips part.

“You're sending me away?” I choke out, knowing I'm probably being irrational. Dad looks at me in just such a way that there's no doubt about that. My irrationality, that is. He better not be serious about the rest of it.

“She's willing to take you midyear. I've already spoken to the board, and based on the previous incidents, they're willing to transfer the tuition gift that comes with my position from Adamson to Everly.”

“Mom's gone, and now you want to bail on me, too?” I ask, feeling this hot, itchy sensation take over my skin. “I lost all my friends when we moved.” Tears are coming now, but I know they're from more than just this conversation. What happened tonight was totally fucked up. Could it have been just a cruel prank? Sure. But Jenica died at the end of a rope, didn't she? My mortality is looking me straight in the face, and I don't like the way she stares. “Friends I've had my whole life. You dropped me in the middle of some dark forest in Connecticut, and threw me to the wolves.”

“Charlotte,” Dad starts, and there's no sympathy in his voice, just pure frustration. “Based on what you're telling me tonight, it's not safe for you at Adamson. Sending you elsewhere is a given.”

“One of my attackers tonight was a woman!” I snap back, throwing my arms up. I'm just done with this conversation. I guess I'd sort of expected Dad to hug me, tell me he was just glad I was okay, call the police. But not this. “We're at a camp, in the middle of nowhere. Maybe this isn't just an Adamson thing? I'd rather not leave, thank you very much.”

Besides, I've just started making friends with the twins. And … maybe I'm a tad attracted to them. Or Spencer. Or even … well, definitely not Church. No way.

“This isn't a debate, Charlotte,” Dad tells me as I gawp at him.

“I'm not starting all over again,” I blurt, rubbing my hands over my face. “Besides, if this shit can follow me to the middle of the woods, who's to say it won't follow me to Everly?”

“I've heard what you had to say, but I'll be making the final decision,” Archie says, looking up and out across the lake. “Get inside and don't leave the building without me or another teacher beside you. I'm going to talk with Ms. Emille and campus security.”

“Somebody just tried to hang me from a tree limb!” I shout, but Dad remains impassive, grabbing my elbow and steering me inside. He parks me on a chair in the corner, and I'm just too frustrated to say anything else. My hands are shaking, and I'm fuming.

“Are you okay?” Ranger asks, appearing beside me and kneeling down, his combat boots squeaking on the shiny wood floor. The music playing right now is slow and soft, but all I feel like listening to is angry rock.

I turn to look at him, his dark blue eyes locked on mine, and full of shadows.

“Dad wants to send me to Everly to keep me safe,” I whisper, and Ranger's eyes go wide. He shakes his head sharply, the corner of his lip turning up in a sneer.

“You can't go to Everly; Jenica went to Everly.”

“What?” I choke, sitting up suddenly and putting my hand over his on accident. A spark travels up from my fingers and into my chest, like a shot of adrenaline to the heart. He snaps his hand away quickly, making me wonder if we both felt it. “Wait, when?”

“The whole reason my mother petitioned to get her into Adamson in the first place was because she was being tortured at Everly. She was bullied relentlessly, up to the point where Mom thought she was in serious danger.” He reaches up and runs his hand down his face like he's just suddenly tired. “Since Dad was on the Adamson Academy school board, it made the most sense to send her there …” Ranger rises to his feet, and I follow him up.

I don't want to be left alone right now.

Really, all I still want is a hug.

My eyes shift over to his as he stares down at me.

“I can't believe you're a girl,” he whispers, reaching up to touch the back of his head. “Not that it matters because I still don't like you.” My lips twitch in a slight smile. “You're still an asshole, you know? Regardless of what's underneath your clothes.”