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I can’t help wondering if his ghost act could have something to do with the mysterious secret Brody Richards said he was keeping last summer?
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved to find out Jesse was MIA when Finn and I started to get “serious.” I have no doubt Jesse would’ve snitched on me just to stick it to Finn. He might be back now, but I won’t let him ruin the best thing in my life…
Even if it means doing some digging of my own.
* * *
I’m pulling into Theo’s driveway an hour later.
My dads ambushed me when I came into the house to shower and wash Finn’s cum off me—no classy way to put it. They interrogated me on where I’d been and where I was going for fifteen minutes. I ended up feeding them some story about having spent the day with Aveena.
Then I told them I was meeting some friends to study tonight.
They bought it.
Because they trust me.
Because they love me.
Meanwhile, I’ve done nothing but lie to them.
I thought I was going to vomit when Gaten pulled me into a hug and whispered that he was proud of me. In his eyes, I’m their good kid. Unlike my brother and sister who had a special talent for landing themselves in deep shit at my age.
I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up. The more I bury the truth, the more disappointed they’re going to be when they find out their precious little girl isn’t scared of the monster under her bed anymore. Because the only monster she’s scared of… is the monster in it.
I’m surprised to see Brielle Randall lying on a lounge chair by the pool when I round the house toward Theo’s backyard. What is she doing here? I thought Xavier dumped her?
It’s all everyone’s been talking about.
How Brie accidentally exposed her own boyfriend on Snapchat a few days ago. Finn and Xavier thought it’d be a brilliant idea to set off a stink bomb in class last week. Their stupid prank caused the whole school to be evacuated under the pouring rain.
People suspected a gas leak. It got so bad that the cops and fire department showed up. The stink bomb debacle ended with Finn and Xavier being thrown in the back of a cop car.
And it’s all thanks to Brie.
Brie decided to record herself when the teacher stepped out of the classroom. She was making pouty faces at the camera with a filter, clueless as can be. Little did she know she’d just caught Xavier showing Finn the stink bomb in his backpack on video.
Finn almost got into a world of trouble over it—they wanted to cut him from the basketball team—but Xavier took the fall, claiming it was his idea. Surprisingly, he was telling the truth. Xavier Emery, a fucking saint, planned a prank all by himself. It felt out of character, to say the least.
I put up with Brie hanging out with us all year because she was dating Xavier. Was I foolish to think we’d be rid of the bitch after their breakup? Call me territorial, but I hate knowing that she slept with Finn.
I spot Theo, Lacey, and Axel in the pool as soon as I turn the corner. No sign of Aveena or Finn.
“Dia!” Lacey squeals at the sight of me. She hurries out of the pool before I can greet her, nearly tripping on her way to me. I can tell she’s a bit tipsy by her drunken giggles but don’t mention it. “Where the hell have you been?”
Having sex in the woods.
Lying to my parents.
Making a mess of my life.
Lacey doesn’t await my response, trapping me into a hug. I shriek as her dripping bikini soaks through my clothes. She holds me in place, voluntarily drenching my outfit.
“That’s for leaving me alone with Axel,” she whispers as we hug, a hint of humor audible in her voice.
“Fair enough.” I chuckle.
“Go change into your bathing suit. The water’s great.” Lacey pulls away to assess me. She glances at my wet clothes and bites back a smile. “Or stay like that. Same thing.”
