Chapter 5: Standing My Ground

Aubrey came back from her IV in the afternoon.

Maybe she was still upset, because Caleb's attitude toward me grew even colder. When he handed out papers, he dumped them all on my desk at once.

But this time, I didn't catch them. I let the papers scatter all over the floor.

The pages fluttered like awkward confetti, and for a split second, the room went dead quiet. He frowned and looked back at me.

Expressionless, I said, "Pick them up."

My voice came out steadier than I felt, but I didn’t flinch.

"What?"

"I said, you threw them—you pick them up."

My assertiveness stunned Caleb. He paused, then squatted at my feet to gather the papers, stacking them back on my desk.

For the first time, it felt like the balance of power had shifted, if only a little. All afternoon, I didn't say a word to him.

Naturally, we didn't talk at dinner either.