Free This is What Goodbye Looks Like by Olivia Rivers

upright. He’s completely at ease, and it’s obvious Harting is a second home to him. He talks easily in that smooth voice of his, his tone casual and nonchalant, and it’s a strange contrast to the rest of him, which is all lean muscle and sharp features.
    Every once in a while, Koda will nudge Seth’s knee, and he’ll reach down to offer her a scrap of bacon. The dog never seems to stop wagging her tail, which is a new sight to me. During the trial, she was like a statue next to Seth, seeming to know he needed something solid to lean on.
    When a shrill bell announces the end of breakfast, it’s like someone’s flipped a lever, and the entire table switches from casual chatting into serious studying mode. People pull out schedules, double checking which classrooms they should be heading to, and Brie insists on giving me directions to my classes for the third time. Then she gives me a hug, and the group at the table disperses as people hurry off to their first classes of the semester.
    I’ve just dumped my plate in the dirty-dish bin when Ms. Thorne approaches me. I noticed her earlier, sitting with a group of other teachers at a large table in the back of the cafeteria. Her lips are pulled tight with concern, and I bite back a curse. Great. I’ve barely made it two minutes into the official school day before upsetting someone.
    “Good morning, hun,” Ms. Thorne says when she’s standing right in front of me.
    “Good morning,” I say hesitantly.
    “Did you have a good breakfast?”
    I glance around her, watching the rest of the students file out of the cafeteria. Brie and her group of friends offer me quick waves before running off. I wave back a little and then turn my full attention to Ms. Thorne.
    “Yeah,” I say. “Your cafeteria here is great.”
    She just gives a distracted nod and says, “Can I see you in my office after you finish up your school day?”
    “Am I in trouble?” I ask, mentally running through things I’ve done that could have broken the rules here. Nothing immediately comes to mind. While Brie was in town on Friday, I went to Ms. Thorne’s office and signed all the final paperwork, just like I was supposed to, and I can’t think of anything I could’ve done to upset anyone.
    “No, don’t worry, hun,” Ms. Thorne says, shaking her head. “You haven’t done a thing wrong.”
    But her face remains pinched, and I blurt out the next question that pops into my head: “Did my dad call?”
    I can’t make myself say exactly what I’m thinking: Did Camille finally give up, give out? Is it partially my fault, because I left her? Did she completely shut down on her own, like her doctors said might happen, or did Dad pull her life support?
    My heart starts hammering in my chest so loud, I barely hear Ms. Thorne as she says, “I haven’t spoken to him since Thursday evening, when you first got here. And I only talked with him briefly to let him know you were doing okay, but frankly, that’s what I want to speak with you about, Lea. You seem like you haven’t been doing very good since then.” She glances at her watch and says, “I need to get to my class, but I hope you’ll stop by my office later.”
    “I’m fine,” I assure her. “Really, I’ve just had the flu.”
    She nods, but doesn’t look convinced. “Okay. But I also have a favor I’d like to ask you, so I’d appreciate it if you’d still come talk to me.”
    “Sure,” I say, trying not to sound too grudging. “I’ll stop by your office after my last class.”
    “Wonderful,” she says. “I’ll look forward to it. You have a good first day, okay?”
    “I’m sure I will.”
    I wonder if I’ll ever be able to have a conversation again without lying.
     
     

Chapter Nine
     
     
     
    “So tell me, Miss Alessio.” Whittaker leaned back in his chair and folded his hands, his thumbs slowly tapping together. He seemed to be the only calm person in the entire courtroom, which was crammed with tense bodies