“It’s fine,” I say. Quickly, I shove my arm under the table, out of sight from my parents, but the sudden movement sends a new shock wave of pain cutting through my arm. I flinch in agony and glance down. The more I look at my wrist, the more itdoeslook funny. It looks almost bent, but it can’t be broken. Not again.
“No, it’s clearly not fine, Tyler,” Mom says, and she swivels aroundand grabs her phone from the countertop, frantically pressing numbers. “I’m calling Dr. Coleman,” she states, her eyes on her phone. “We’re getting that checked out. No school for you today.” She holds her phone up to her ear as it rings, anxiously chewing her lip as she looks at me again. “It looks so inflamed! Did it get infected or something?”
“I want to see it!” Chase says. Excitedly, he slides off his chair and walks around the table, leaning in against me as he tries to peer down at my wrist under the table. Reluctantly, I hold it up a little, and he stares at it in fascination. I don’t think he would be so amazed if he knew it was Dad who caused it.
“Don’t you have a court case this morning?” I hear Dad quietly ask Mom. With both Jamie and Chase checking out my wrist, I steal a look at him. His elbows are propped on the table now as he leans forward, his hands interlocked. His voice is softer than usual, but he’s also guiltier than usual.
“Shoot. I do,” Mom breathes. With her phone still to her ear, still ringing, she rubs her temple with her free hand.
“I’ll take him,” Dad tells her. “Don’t worry. It’s a slow day at the office anyway. They’ll manage without me.”
Mom’s shoulders sink with relief, and they share a nod of agreement. Someone seems to answer the call then, because Mom says, “Dr. Coleman’s office, please,” and leaves the kitchen to get some silence.
I don’t know why Dad is offering to be the one to take me to see Dr. Coleman. I think it’s the guilt, but I really don’t want to be alone with him today after everything that happened last night. I’m more afraid of him than ever, and now I’m worried that he’s going to be mad at me again for drawing attention. I try to meet his eyes, to figure out if it’s going to be another one of his bad days, but he already has his face buried in his hands.
32
Present Day
“Shit,” I breathe. My chest is rising and falling fast from the erratic thumping of my heart. There is no way that this just happened. There is no way I just kissed Eden, and there is no way she just kissed mefirst.
I stare at her, absolutely stunned, trying to make sense of the past few minutes. Eden’s wide eyes are locked on me and she looks paralyzed, almost terrified, but also just as confused as I am. Does she understand what just happened? Does she realize what we’ve just done? Not only is she mystepsister, I also have a girlfriend. Who is waiting for me right now across the street.I am such an idiot. I am furious at myself for being so stupid.
“I’m going to Rachael’s,” I blurt out quickly. I zip up my jacket and turn for the door.
I need to get away from here, from Eden. I need some space to really process this and to figure out whether or not the realization I just had is, in fact, true or not. Because right now, I am seriously praying that it isn’t.
I am so desperate to get out of this house. I find myself sprinting downstairs, two steps at a time, and I burst out through the frontdoor, inhaling several gulps of fresh air. I stand on the front lawn for a minute with my hands in the pockets of my jacket and my head tilted back to the darkening sky. Just when I thought my life couldn’t get anymore messed up, I have to go ahead and commit a moral fucking sin.Way to go, you moron. Eden isn’t myactualsister, but it’s still so weird. It’s making me feel nauseous, and I know that the only way I am getting through this is if I do what I do best: distract myself with a whole lot of alcohol. Forget Declan. I don’t have time to head across town. I need somethingnow, and if alcohol is all I can get my hands on, then I’ll take it.
I tilt my head back down from the sky and look directly across the street instead. All of the lights in Rachael’s house are on and I can hear the very faint pulsing of music, but from the outside, it doesn’t look like there’s a party going on. Tiffani did tell me they were keeping it small, probably so that Rachael’s parents don’t kill her.
I walk straight across the street, my pace quick, and when I reach Rachael’s porch, I stop to compose myself.Be Tyler Bruce. Be cool. Be happy. Tyler Bruce didn’t just kiss his stepsister. I did. I almost gag right there and then, so I throw open the front door and step into the house, plastering a crappy smile onto my face. I need beer. Lots of it.
It’s not busy yet. It’s still early, but people are beginning to arrive, so Rachael is lingering around by the front door to greet everyone. She struts over to me, already wasted with a gaze that can’t stay focused, and she glares at me as though I’ve insulted her just by turning up.
“Whereis Eden?” she immediately asks. Not even ahey. “She’s supposed to be here by now!”
“I don’t know,” I lie, then briskly push straight past her. I amnottalking about Eden. I am not discussing her, nor saying her name, nor even so much as thinking about her. I stride into the kitchen and scanthe mountain of drinks that cover the table. I’m an asshole who hasn’t brought my own booze, but whatever. There’s enough to go around. There’s a box of beer already opened in front of me, so I start by plucking out a can.
Suddenly, someone presses up against me from behind. She rests her chin on my shoulder and runs her hand down my chest, sliding it under my jacket. “Mmm,” Tiffani murmurs, and I can hear the seduction in her voice. “You’re here.”
“Oh,” I say, turning around to face her. She is the last person I want to see. “Hey.”
Tiffani looks up at me as she slings her arms around the back of my neck, pressing her body close against mine. I can see straight through her teasing smirk though. She’s really just mad at me because I haven’t seen her much over the past week. I’ve got too much stuff going on right now.
“Have you missed me?” she asks, and I can’t help but place one hand on her hip out of habit. She would instantly figure out that something is up if I didn’t go along with the script. I brush my fingers over the white, silky material of her dress. Shedoeslook amazing, but my head is spinning so much that I can’t appreciate it right now.
“You know I have,” I tell her.I haven’t. She smiles wide and pulls my lips down to meet hers, and I kiss her only for a second. It makes me stomach twist. Ten minutes ago, my lips were against Eden’s. I retreat from Tiffani, holding up the can of beer in my hand, using it to separate us. “Can I at least get a drink in? I can’t do this party sober.”
Tiffani’s glistening blue eyes and playful smile immediately transform as she presses her glossy lips together. She unhooks her arms from around my neck and steps back. “When do you ever?” she mutters.
“You,” I say, pointing my beer at Kyle Harrison as he walks into thekitchen. He freezes, almost as though he’s afraid I’m about to pummel him or something. We don’t talk, but he was in my history class last year. He’ll do. “Get outside. Time to shotgun some beers. A lot of beers, actually.”
Tiffani’s cool hand reaches for my elbow. She tugs me back a step, narrowing her eyes at me in disapproval. “Tyler… C’mon.”
“Not now, Tiff.” I shake her grip off me and scoop the box of beer into my arms. I walk over to Kyle, and although he doesn’t look too comfortable about the idea of chugging all these beers with me, he also doesn’t have the courage to say no. Tyler Bruce doesn’t let people say no anyway. I nudge his shoulder, and he follows me out into the backyard.
“Here,” I say, setting the box of beer down on the grass and tossing him the can in my hand. I grab myself another, then pull out my car keys from my pocket. “We’re finishing this box. Alright? No breaks in between.”
