Page 158 of Bad Prince

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Her chin lifts just slightly.

Message received.

My stomach twists.

Fast.

Sharp.

Ugly.

I hate it.

I hate that I feel it at all.

So I don’t give it oxygen.

I don’t slow down.

I don’t speak.

I just?—

Turn my head.

Look away.

And keep walking.

But I do one thing.

One small thing.

My ponytail swishes sharper.

Higher.

Like punctuation.

Like I’m done here.

Like they don’t matter.

I don’t look back.

Because I won’t.

Because I chose this.

I chose me.

I chose the court.

The grind.

The future I fought for.

Not boys.

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