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Logan opens his mouth to reply.
“Look, we get it. You didn’t want it to happen. We never planned for it to happen. End of the story.” I slice my hands through the air like a clapperboard.
“You should have told me,” he hisses at Logan like I’m not in the room.
“I was going to. I hate secrets as much as you. They’re better out in the open. You get that. You feel better now that she knows, right? Well, it’s the same for me. I swear I was going to tell you,” Logan says.
Drew falls silent, darting his eyes to mine and then dropping them away. “Thanks, man. I haven’t fucking told her yet.”
Logan stiffens next to me as he exhales. “You said you were going to. You swore.”
My stomach lurches. “Told me what?”
Drew shakes his head, his jaw clenched. “I know. I was waiting for a good time.”
“Told me what?” I repeat.
“I thought you had. Shit, man, I’m sorry,” Logan says.
“Not your fault,” Drew mutters.
“Told me what?”Just call me Maddy the parrot.
“I just assumed… You said when she came home.” Logan’s voice is thick with regret.
“Told. Me. Fucking. What? I swear if one of you doesn’t start talking—”
“It’s about Dad.” Drew drops his head, rubbing his eyes with one hand. Logan walks over and claps his shoulder—a sign of solidarity—as he lowers his voice to a reassuring tone. “Yeah,” Drew agrees with whatever Logan whispers to him.
“I already know Mum suspects he’s having an affair. Has she decided to throw him out?”
“No. She’s still thinking about what to do. Dad has no idea she knows anything.”
“Okay. So then…?”
He looks at Logan, who nods at him. “Fuck.” Drew draws in a breath, then meets my eyes. “There’s no easy way to tell you this, Maddy.”
“Just spit it out.” I stare at the two of them standing together like co-conspirators.
Drew turns his palms up in front of him. “Dad’s the reason I went to juvie. He made sure I didn’t get off.”
I snort back my laugh. “Shut up.”
Drew’s face is solemn. “I’m sorry I never told you. He didn’t want you or Mum to know.”
“That’s not what happened.” I look at Logan for reassurance, but he’s watching me carefully.
“It is, Maddy.” Drew rolls his neck and the resulting crack echoes around the room as he curses. “He made sure I went. Heaskedthe judge on our case to send me.”
It’s like a smack to my gut as I blink in confusion.
“N-no. You were both supposed to go. But Logan’s dad paid it off somehow. Got him off the charges.”
“That’s not what happened.” Drew runs a hand over his jaw, lines tightening across his brow. “We were both meant to get a warning, a suspended sentence, and some community service. Dad was embarrassed. He was a police sergeant with a criminal son.”
“But…” A steel ball falls from my throat all the way to my feet as my mouth feels like someone has stuffed it full of sawdust. Logan nods, confirming it. “But Dad hated to talk about it while you were gone. He missed you so much.”
Drew’s eyes pinch and he shakes his head, looking at the floor. “He still hates to talk about it. Because I showed him up. You know he’s a proud man. He had respect at work. But at home, he had a teenage son who cared for nothing more than doing whatever stupid shit he wanted. I was selfish and young. I don’t blame him. Juvie taught me a thing or two. It wasn’t all bad.”
