Page 96 of Never Forget

I’m pretty sure I’m in some kind of Twilight Zone episode. Or maybe the bad place.

I’m almost relieved when Cory comes to let me know Scott is here. He told me earlier that they did find a recording device. It was inside the cell booster Scott brought with him. The one he got from Emmy before he came to meet me.

Things just keep getting messier and messier. I don’t know what to think, and Cory doesn’t have any answers either. Blake’s contact with the Waves App IT person just got access today, so hopefully they can track down what’s actually happening.

In the meantime, I have my own role to play. Acting has never been my strong suit, but if this is going to work, I have to make it good. I have to channel every bit of the rage, the fear, and the devastation I have felt over the past weeks.

It’s showtime.

TWENTY-FOUR

SCOTT

My heart thuds rapidly in my chest while I wait for Naz to arrive. Cory hasn’t told me what Naz’s reaction was when he found out the recording device was in the cell booster I brought into his home and installed myself. After all my searching and worrying, I was the one that brought it in.

It’s my fault. Again.

When he left the condo earlier today, we promised each other that everything would be fine. We knew we were going to have to get ugly with each other later and needed the reassurance that we would be okay in the end.

Well, not we. I needed the reassurance.

Now that I know how much I fucked up for the umpteenth time, I really wish we could have had a moment alone before we had to do this part. I’m not sure my nerves can take it. I’m not ready to even pretend this is over.

I better get ready, though. Because if the stomping footsteps across the gravel drive are any indication, he’s here.

The trailer door slams open, and Naz doesn’t hesitate. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to talk,” I say softly, trying to catch his eyes. He’s not looking at me at all, and it’s putting me on edge.

“I can’t do this, Scott. You need to leave.”

“Please, just hear me out.”

Cory told him that the recording device was just sound, right? Naz’s body language is so closed off and believably angry I’m actually worried he might not be acting.

“We don’t have anything to talk about, Scott. I already called security. You have five minutes to walk out of here on your own accord.”

“Please, Naz, I⁠—”

“You betrayed me.”

“I didn’t! I promise I didn’t!”

“Then explain how that recording got leaked to every major tabloid and news outlet. The recording you made. The recording you assured me couldn’t be accessed by anyone but you. So how is it that the entire world ended up hearing—” He cuts himself off, turning his body away from me further, still refusing to look at me.

Even though we have an explanation now, and even though this is all an act to make that person think their plan worked to tear us apart, this hurts. Especially because it was my fault. That recording was leaked because of my incompetence, and there’s no way around that.

“That’s what I thought,” Naz says in response to my silence.

I shake my head violently, even though I know we’re not being watched. “No. No, that’s not⁠—”

“Then say something. Give me something.”

“I don’t know.”

“Bullshit.”

“I don’t know!” My voice cracks. “I swear to God, I don’t know how this happened.” A tear falls down Naz’s cheek and my knees buckle. I fall to the ground, looking up at him from my knees. “Please believe me…”