Shit.
“It wasnothing.” I waved my hand dismissively. “It was high school. I’m over it.”
“Clearly, you’renot, or this asinine conversation wouldn’t be happening.”
“Flash are youstaying for dinner?” Mom called from the kitchen, giving me a much-neededdistraction. “Zach’ll be home any minute.”
“No, Mom, he’sleaving now,” I called back, then focused back on Flash. “You should go beforemy dad gets home.”
“I’m not afraidof your dad, Tate.”
“I never saidyou should be.”
He sighed. “I’lllet you run away for now, but you’re on notice that I want my friend back, sowe need to resolve this.”
I shrugged.“There’s nothing to resolve.”
His hand reachedout faster than I could dodge, and he gripped my chin gently. “I’m gonna figurethis out, Tate. I’ll fix whatever I broke.”
“There’s nothingto fix,” I whispered.
And therewasn’t. He’d broken me into more pieces that he’d be able to put back together,so we were done.
“We’ll see,” hesaid, ominously and walked out my front door.
Fuck me, now Iwanted sexanda cinnamon roll.
“Mom, I’ll be inmy room,” I said, not waiting for a response, as I ran up the stairs and closedmyself into my bedroom.
Before I’d madeit to my bed, my door opened and my sister, Hayden, walked in, locking the doorbehind her. “Was that Flash Wallace?” she whispered.
I nodded,unzipping my boots, and setting them in my closet.
“Did you tellhim?”
“No,” I growled.“And I’m not going to. Neither are you.”
She raised herhands in surrender. “I know. Sisters before misters.”
Hayden was threeyears older than me and the only person I told my secrets to. Well, she was nowthat Flash was out of my life. We’d always been close and if it hadn’t been forher, I’m pretty sure I would have gone crazy.
“But maybe, youknow, now that four years have gone by, you could perhaps forgive him and moveon?” she hedged.
“Ihaveforgiven him.”
“I thought yousaid there was nothing for you to forgive?” my sister challenged.
I let out afrustrated squeak. “Fine, Hayden. You win. He broke my heart, but since hedoesn’t even know I’m in love… I mean,wasin love with him, I can’tvery well blame him for something with which he had no knowledge.”
“Okay, TateBurke, Esquire, I believe the lady doth protest too much.”
“It’sirrational!” I complained. “He technically didn’t do anything wrong, but I willnever get that image out of my mind.”
“Then just tellhim what happened, honey. He’ll probably fall at your feet and beg forforgiveness, and you’ll start back up where you left off.”
I shook my head.“It’s too late. It’s better this way. Clean break.”
“Why is it aclean break? Don’t you miss your friend?”
