The words hit like a slap.
"Connor James Wright," Dad says sharply.
But he's not done. "She falls fast, gets in over her head, ignores everyone who tries to warn her. Then when it falls apart, we all have to pick up the pieces."
My face burns. Emma's gone very still beside me.
"What pieces?" My voice sounds strange to my own ears. "When have any of you had to pick up my pieces?"
"Every time." Connor's jaw is tight. "Every time you call crying about some guy who didn't work out. Every time you show up here heartbroken and confused."
"I don't mean to be a burden," I manage.
"That's not what I said."
"That's exactly what you said." The words crack. "You think I'm a problem. You think I'm too much."
"Lucy, I didn't mean it like that."
"You know what? You're right." I push back from the table. "I do fall too fast. I do ignore red flags. But at least I try. At least I put myself out there. At least I risk getting hurt instead of playing it so safe that nothing can touch me. When was the last time you did something that scared you, Connor?"
His face goes pale.
"That's what I thought." I grab my phone from the table. "Excuse me."
I make it to my room before the tears start. Angry tears, frustrated tears, tears that have been building since yesterday and won't be held back anymore.
My phone lights up. For one wild second, I think it might be Ryder. But it's Natalie.
Natalie:How's the family chaos treating you?
Me:Can I call you?
Natalie:Always.
She answers on the first ring. "What happened?"
I tell her everything. Connor catching us kissing in the driveway. The fight, his accusations that Ryder's just using me, that I'm making the same mistakes. The way Ryder froze up, said he needed space, and left. His words at dinner earlier, the way everyone looked at me like I was something fragile that might shatter. I tell her about the silence since Ryder left, about the creeping certainty that Connor's right and I've done it again.
"Okay," Natalie says when I finally run out of words. "First of all, your brother is being an ass."
"He's trying to protect me."
"He's trying to control you. There's a difference."
"But what if he's right? What if I am making another mistake?"
"Lucy." Natalie's voice goes firm. "Do you remember how Ryder looked at you that first night he was here?"
"I guess?"
"He couldn't take his eyes off you," Natalie says. "Even when you were being prickly and defensive. He watched you like you were the only person in the room."
Something loosens in my ribs.
"That's not how someone looks at a mistake," she continues. "That's not how someone looks at a person they're planning to leave. And I've seen you two together now, Lucy. Multiple times. The way he listens when you talk. The way you light up around him."
"But he left."
