Page 113 of Brighter Together

The rain starts before we reach it.

Only lightly at first.

Then enough that I hurry.

“What happened between you and your family?” Tommy finally asks.

The question stops me.

I turn.

Tommy is watching me carefully.

“Nothing.”

His expression changes.

“Ella,” he says with concern in his voice.

“Can we not do this?” I ask.

“You were anxious throughout that entire meeting. Your brother barely acknowledged you, and every time he looked at you, you looked like you wanted to disappear.”

I hate how much he notices.

I hate that part of me loves it too.

Tommy reaches up and gently turns my face towards him.

“I’m not trying to push you. But something happened.”

My throat tightens.

This is it.

This is the moment.

I could tell him.

The drawings.

Lee.

The threats.

Everything.

I imagine his face when he understands those plans came from me.

The excitement I saw during the presentation would disappear.

Then maybe everything else would too.

Last night.

This morning.

Us.