Chapter Nine

I begin aimlessly wandering through the hallway, scanning the small crowd of students as I try to find Miles before Finn catches me.

After almost losing hope, I finally find him down by the football oval. He is halfway down, sitting on the grass, leaning back onto the fence. Sucking in an encouraging breath, I walk over to him.

The closer I get, the stronger I can smell the stench of cigarette smoke. I scrunch up my face as I walk to him. It now makes sense why he is all the way down here.

He has his head hung low, his forehead pressed against his knees. His arms are slung over his knees, the cigarette loosely dangling between his fingers.

"Miles."

He lifts his head and my stomach clenches when I see tear stains.

He tilts his back, squinting in the morning sunlight.

"What do you want?" he asks, his voice dry. "Here to torment me some more? Throw your father's death in my face again?"

I grimace, sliding down the fe