Chapter eight.

Ever since that day Megan caught Neil and I making out, I avoided Neil like a plague, and I'm glad he respected my decision. Our conversations were monotone and I reduced the way I saw him. Sometimes I wondered what happened between him and his mother to warrant him asking what if I'd lie to my mother. I contemplated asking Jim, but concluded it might be personal to him.

Of course, I had to tell my friends what happened to work that day. They all laughed and tried to cheer me up, saying Megan was a big bitch. I left out the part where she lashed me with words and made me cry on my pillow for weeks.

I was stronger now.

Dropping Mr. Honduras—I switched back to calling his last name because, according to Megan, I shouldn't be formal with him. And I couldn't agree more. After dropping his coffee, I hurriedly turned back to the door to face the screen of my laptop till he needed me to do one thing or the other. He stopped me. The last time he stopped me, it didn't end well.

I turned