Page 171 of Wicked Brutal

Ryan: yes

fuck you

A long pause.

Ryan: okay

That makes me angrier.

don’t okay me

Ryan: I’m not going to argue with you

convenient

Ryan: I’m not defending it

I stare at that. My eyes sting again. Fuck pregnancy. Fuck Ryan. Fuck bathrooms. Fuck literally everything. Another message.

Ryan: you get to be mad

I don’t answer. Because I am. And because if he says one sweet thing right now, I’ll cry harder, and I refuse to give him the satisfaction.

Then another message appears.

Ryan: Darla figured out tonight

My anger pauses. Not disappears. Pauses.

how?

Ryan: she’s making a house call

I frown.

to MY house??

Ryan: no mine. mom helped

Ryan: mom called jane

Ryan: asked if you and tobias could come over after school because she needs help with something for him

That could work. Maybe. But Dad said directly home.

dad said I come home

Ryan: you are Daniel brings you home. you walk inside. you stay there.

I frown.

fascinating plan so far

Ryan: let me finish

Ryan: cassandra is coming over after school

why