My thoughts shifted to my mother and the happiness I felt I was constantly blocking her from. I slumped further down in my seat, the weight of guilt holding me down like an iron grip. They had both lost someone too. Not the same person, but one of the same significance. I rolled my eyes at myself, hoping no one would catch on to the silent conversation I was having with my conscience. Was putting up with Brynn every Friday worth my mother’s happiness? I sighed deeply. Of course it was.

Damn! Why couldn’t Brynn be the slightest bit tolerable?

But I already knew the answer.

Because nothing ever came easy.

Nothing that was worth having anyway.

Chapter Four

“So how do you think you did?” Garreth asked, placing his hand at the small of my back as we shuffled out the door.

I drew in a deep sigh. “All right, I guess.” Thank goodness calculus was over. Now I just had to sweat it out waiting for Mr. Malone to get the grades in.

We edged our way to the south hall, in the direction of my locker.

“Just for the record, it was a little hard,” Garreth said sincerely.

“A little hard?” I said back, my eyebrows arched with skepticism. I knew he was joking. “Go on, admit it. The test was a piece of cake for you.”

“Well …” he couldn’t contain the smile any longer.

I leaned toward him, whispering, “And where do Guardians learn calculus?”

He leaned in, playing along with my little game, “From the great Angelic Encyclopedia.”

I pulled back slightly.

“You are joking, aren’t you? There’s no such thing.”