Turning back, I see him coming down the stairs.
“Why are you home so early? I thought you’d be hungover at someone’s house.”
“I don’t drink during the season. I got home at six. I was gonna go to the gym, but something came up and now I can’t.”
“What came up?”
“Shit I don’t want to deal with.” He heads to the kitchen.
I follow him in there. “Did something happen at the party?”
“No.” He opens the drawer that has his protein bars and takes one out. “Dad’s on his way home. Did he tell you?”
“He said he was staying in LA.”
“Change of plans. He’s coming home today.”
“Okay, well, I’m going to my room.”
“Wait.” He walks over to me. “I need to talk to you.”
“About what?”
“There’s gonna be some shit going on here. Shit you don’t know about and don’tneedto know about. There’s gonna be lawyers and cops and shit.”
“Lawyers and cops? What the hell?”
He gets in my face. “You keep your mouth shut. About all of it. If I hear anything about this at school, I’ll know you’re the one who told, and that’s really gonna piss me off.” His dark eyes narrow at me. “Understood?”
I back away. “I won’t say anything, but you really think no one will find out? Cops parked in the driveway makes it pretty obvious something’s going on.”
“The police will send their investigators. They don’t drive cop cars.”
“Braden, what’s going on? You can’t even tell me a little of what’s happening?”
“You don’t need to know.” He goes to the fridge and takes out one of his energy drinks, then walks back to me. “Just keep your mouth shut. And if anyone asks, you didn’t see anything. Didn’t hear anything.”
He takes off, leaving me alone in the kitchen. I don’t feel hungry but my stomach’s growling so I open the drawer Ana designated just for me that has food I actually eat. I pull out a chocolate-covered granola bar, then grab a bottle of juice from the fridge.
Trystan walks in. “Where the hell wereyou?”
I spin around to face him. “What do you mean?”
He opens the fridge and takes out an apple. “I went to your room this morning and you weren’t there.”
“I was there. I was asleep. I didn’t hear you knock.”
“If you were there, you would’ve heard me. I was banging on your door.” He bites into his apple as he leans back against the counter.
“What did you want?”
“Didn’t Braden tell you?”
“Tell me what?” I ask, pretending I don’t know, in the hopes Trystan will tell me more.
“Shit’s about to happen.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
