Page 61 of What Goes Around

“Did you?”

I walked down the stairs slowly, one step at a time, meeting their eyes.

“Did any of you actually see me push her?”

Silence.

Mom recovered first, scoffing.

“It was just you and Apple there. If you didn’t do it, then who? A ghost? Or are you claiming Apple threw herself down the stairs?”

I held her gaze.

“Why not?” I said.

Mom sputtered. “That’s ridiculous!”

A hollow, humorless laugh slipped from me.

This time, Apple had misjudged her opponent.

“What if I can prove I didn’t touch her?”

I pointed toward a discreet spot near the railing.

“I put up a camera earlier. Someone kept stealing my charger, and I wanted proof.”

Apple froze.

Mom stiffened.

Dad’s expression wavered.

I opened my phone, logged into the app, and sent the clip to all three of their devices.

A moment later, all three of their phones buzzed.

“Go ahead,” I said, leaning casually against the railing. “Watch.”

The video played.

Apple stumbling backward on her own.

No contact from me.

Not even close.

Silence suffocated the room.

Dad didn’t look at me. He looked at Apple, really looked at her, for the first time in years.

His voice broke, sharp with something like disbelief.

“Apple… why didn’t you say you fell on your own?”

Apple panicked.

“I… I didn’t say she pushed me! It was a misunderstanding! I just slipped, Dad, please…”