I nod and then we walk back across the grass toward the parking lot. We remain quiet, and I know she has to be worried that something’s wrong; I can see it on her face. I want to assure her everything’s fine, but I can’t get the lie to leave my lips.

After we get into my car, I free a trapped breath and just spit it out. “Piper texted me last night.”

She bites her nails, which I’m starting to notice is a nervous habit of hers. “Okay . . . ? I’m not sure what to say to that.”

“You don’t need to say anything.” I take her hand, holding onto her, and rip off the Band-Aid, telling her what happened.

She shakes her head a thousand times after I finish telling her, but doesn’t utter a word.

“Please say something,” I beg her, desperate for her to tell me that everything will be okay, that she can forgive me for getting her into this mess.

“No,” is all she says.

“No, what?” I tighten my hold on her, afraid she’s going to bolt.

“No, you’re not going to do this,” she says with fierce determination.

I’ve never seen Luna look so angry before, and it startles me a little. “Luna, I know it’s really bad, but I have to do this. If I don’t, then Piper will—”

“Screw Piper and her threats,” she cuts me off, scooting across the seat until our knees are touching. “I’ve spent my whole life putting up with people like Piper, and I’m getting really tired of bowing down all the time. I don’t want to be a coward anymore. I want to face this, just like I’m going to do with my parents.”

“But what if she tells everyone?”

“Then she tells everyone. Words can only affect you if you let them, and I’ve let words affect me way too much over my life. I’ve let them control me, make me afraid, make me question what kind of person I am, and I don’t want that anymore.”

“I don’t want that for you, either.” I cup her cheek, caressing her skin with my fingertips. “But what if she tells the store owners?”

A soft breath trembles from her lips. “I’ll deal with that if it happens, but Piper doesn’t have any proof that I actually stole anything, so the store owners can’t do anything to me other than look at me differently. And I guess that can be my penance for making the choices I did.”

I love her self-confidence, but I’m still unsure if I want to see her go through this.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” I ask. “Because a dance is just one night, but Piper could drag this thing on for months.”

“Even if you did go to the dance with her, that still doesn’t guarantee she won’t say anything to anyone.” She mulls over something, sucking her lip between her teeth. “Grey, I only want you to go to the dance with Piper if you want to go with her. Don’t do it to protect me.”

“I didn’t even want to go to the dance with her when I was dating her.” My fingers slip through her hair and spread across the back of her head. Her eyelashes flutter as I draw her toward me. “I kind of had my sights set on someone else.”

“You did?” she asks, slightly breathless.

“I did, but I’m not going to ask her right now. I want to ask her the right way and make a big deal out of it so she can have time to think about her answer.”

“I think she might say yes.” Her chest heaves as our lips brush.

“I sure hope so.” I kiss her again and again, tasting her lips. “Are you sure you want to stand up to Piper?”

Her breath dusts across my lips as she exhales. “I should’ve done it a long time.”

“No matter what happens, I’ll be here for you.” I move in for another kiss but stop. “You know that, right? I’m not going anywhere.”

She nods. “I know, and I’m glad. It makes it a bit easier, knowing I won’t be in this alone.”

“You definitely won’t be alone,” I say then kiss her.

We spend the rest of the morning making out in my car until the bell rings. As we pull away, readjusting our crooked clothes, I get out my phone to text Piper that the deal is off.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” I double check.

She fixes the strap of her shirt then takes my phone, types a message, and hits send.

“There. Now there’s no going back.” She returns my phone to me, trying to appear confident, but I can see the sea of concern in her eyes.

I’m worried, too. With how quickly Piper spread the rumor about me, I wouldn’t be surprised if people were whispering about Luna’s kleptomania before first class even starts. She’ll probably drag me through the gutter more, too.

I wish she would only come after me. Piper’s drama may be annoying, but I haven’t been mocked throughout high school like Luna, and I don’t have to go home to parents who rip me apart.

If this is what Luna wants to do, then I have to let her. The last thing she needs is more people telling her what to do. All I can do now is hold her hand and be there for her the entire way through. I can be the guy my father knew I always could be.

The rest of the week passes by excruciatingly slow, mostly because I’m so excited for Friday to get here so I can meet my aunt. My parents have been focused on packing up my stuff and seem rather upbeat about the idea that I’ll be leaving. Of course, they’re telling everyone that I was awarded a scholarship to some prestigious private school up in Washington, and that’s why I’ll be moving away. They spend every dinner pointing out all the stuff I’ve done wrong and why I’ve ended up in the position I’m in.

I endure it the best I can, counting down the days until I move out it. My soon-to-be freedom is my motivation to keep my kleptomania under control, and it’s working pretty well. I don’t sleep very well, though, too worried that my plans will get revealed somehow.

Getting through school is complicated, too. Piper made good on her word. Within an hour after learning Grey would no longer be playing her game, she told the school my secret and decided to embellish, adding that Grey and I slept with each other at the party. So, not only am I a thief, but I’m also a slut.

Logan takes every opportunity to remind me of this while Piper sits back and watches the drama unfold. Life could be worse, though. I could be going through this alone.

“I’m getting so tired of this,” Wynter says to me on Friday morning when we walk up to my locker and find a bunch of “Living with STDs” brochures taped to it.

She rips the brochures off, marches over to the trashcan, and tosses them in there. On her way back to me, people whisper and stare, and it makes something snap inside her.

“Stare all you want, but you’re the ones who are idiots!” she shouts, turning in a circle in the middle of the hallway. “You’re the ones who are going along with this, but you know what? Sooner or later, she’s going to come after you, too, and you’re going to know what it’s like to be laughed at.” When the whispers and stares increase to laughter and gawking, Wynter fumes, returning to my side.

“I’m going to put a stop to this.” She leans against the locker beside me with her thinking face on.

“Just let it go.” I collect my English book and iPod before I close my locker. “Eventually, it’ll all blow over.”

“You’re too much of an optimist,” she mutters, putting a braid in her hair. “If anything, things are going to get worse.”

“So they get worse.” I shut my locker and hug my books to my chest as we start toward class. “I have you guys, and that’s all that really matters to me.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Her lips thin as she pinches them together. I can see her wheels turning in her head, her thoughts heading to who knows where. “I need to go somewhere before class. I’ll see you at lunch.”

“Wynter, leave it alone!” I beg as she strides away from me with her chin held high.

She raises her hand up and waves at me before turning down one of the side hallways.