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“You’re too smart to play dumb.”
“Whatever it is, why couldn’t you tell me before? I could’ve—”
“Sped up time?” I glare at her. “Because that’s the only way it would’ve been partly okay.”
“Liam…” Her voice cracks. “Please just spell it out for me. Please.”
“You still big on the word ‘choose?’” I ask. “Because I keep trying tochooseto walk the fuck away from you and never talk to you again. You seem to have moved on, so let me do the same.”
“Gen Gen?” Lauren steps off the elevator down the hall. “What are you doing here?”
Genevieve wipes her eyes. “Brett was getting his ID back at the club and we realized Liam left his.”
“Oh! Well, thanks for bringing this back to him,” she says. “I could’ve picked it up tomorrow, though.”
“I have intensive study sessions all weekend.”
“Oh, right,” she says. “Well, want to join us for a nightcap before you go home?”
“She can’t,” “I can’t,” we say in unison.
“Okay, then…” She laughs. “Well, let me walk you down to the garage then.”
“Genevieve was also telling me a funny story about a guy she dated at Exeter, a guy we both have in common,” I say. “She snuck off campus to meet him and lied about her age.”
“Tale as old as time.” Lauren laughs.
“Yeah, but in this story, she kept lying to the guy.” I stare at Genevieve. “First she said she was twenty-one, and then after the guy figured out she was lying, she confessed to being eighteen.”
“Okay.” Lauren shrugs. “What’s the big deal?”
“Turns out, she was lying about that, too,” I say, staring at Genevieve. “She was only sixteen when they met.”
All the color drains from Genevieve’s face, and I can see when it finally hits her.
Now you fucking know…
-1
LIAM
Exeter, New Hampshire
The Night Before I Left
Grandfather Peterson
Meet me in my office son. Now.
Iwave at the secretary on my way into the administration building and knock on my grandfather’s door.
“Sorry I’m late,” I say. “I didn’t see your message until just now. My mentee group ran a little late with last minute Thesis Day questions.”
“Take a seat,” his voice is firm.
“I’m fine standing.”
“Sit the fuck down Liam Donovan Peterson.” He slams the door shut. “Now.”
