Flash shrugged.“I don’t think so. She’d probably tell me if she was. She tells me everything.Even stuff I don’t wanna know.”
“I guess that’swhat best friends are for, huh?”
“I don’t mind,”he said, running my finger over the comforter distractedly. “I just wish shewouldn’t be pissed about me helping Madison.”
“Bud, yourgrades come first. Tate’s obviously just lookin’ out for you, and if thisMadison girl is gettin’ hit by her dad, that’s adult shit you shouldn’t betakin’ on.”
“No one elsewill help her.”
“Flash, that’snot true. Her teachers will help her.”
“Well, shedoesn’t want to tell them and I’m not a snitch.” I huffed. “Forget it. Youdon’t understand.”
“I understandmore than you think.”
I reached for myphone, but Dad grabbed it before I could. “I’m keepin’ this for a few days.”
“What? Why?”
“Because you’regrounded until you get your grades up.”
“That’s notfucking fair.”
He narrowed hiseyes. “Watch your mouth.”
“Why should I?”I snapped. “You swear all the time.”
“Jesus, kid,what the hell’s goin’ on with you?”
I shook my head,dragging my hands through my hair.
“Talk to me,Park.”
“There’s nopoint.”
“Outside ofschool, you’re in this house until your grades are up.”
“Whatever,” Isaid, and Dad left me to wallow for a bit. I flopped onto my back and stared atthe ceiling, my life spiraling. Tate was really mad at me, and she never gotmad at me. I just hoped I could fix whatever I broke.
I didn’t havemuch time to sulk, however, because Dad walked back in.
“I don’t want totalk, Dad,” I said.
“I get it, bud,but we’re gonna anyway. Sit up.”
I did as Dadasked, begrudgingly, and Dad sat in my computer chair and leaned forward. “Iknow who Madison’s dad is.”
“Okay.”
“He makes dirtymovies.”
“Yeah,” Flashsaid, staring at my hands.
“Is he tryin’ tomake Madison do shit she doesn’t want to?”
“How did youknow?” I asked, then groaned. “You just figured it out, huh?”
“Yeah, bud, Idid. That’s a lot of stress on you, Flash. I can see why you’ve been fallin’down on your grades. She really needs to tell her teachers.”
