“I’m pretty sure he’s upset with both of us right now if it makes you feel better.”
The conversation drops off, and my fingers itch at my side to sketch and paint a vibrant portrait of the boy with too many scars ahead of us, chasing the birds without a care in the world.
“I’m sorry,” he apologizes, exhaling as we reach the beach we’ve spent so many hours on. I remember being so excited when they moved to this house during senior year. I was naive to believe things would stay the same forever. “I didn’t mean to make all of this harder on everyone.”
I wish I could take away the guilt and pain lingering in his eyes. “Don’t apologize for coming back. I wish you’d never left, but I can’t change the past, so I’d rather just be glad you’re here. Selfishly, I hope you stay.”
His head tilts. “Why is it selfish?”
I don’t have an answer for him. At least, not one I can explain rationally.
“Pass,” I answer, my voice barely above a whisper, and I look away.
With each step closer to the house, I prepare myself to apologize to Thalia and Sebastian, and for the conversation Hunter and I need to have. I know he’s not going to want to have it, but it’s too big to wait for.
I only wish I knew howIfelt about everything.
1 Are you okay?
CHAPTER SIX
Bailey
PAST
They’re goingto find out it was me. Regret and guilt have been gnawing at me, threatening to eat me alive, but it’s only a matter of time until they know.
I regret it. I was just so mad I couldn’t think, but I’m glad Mirabelle wasn’t home and that she’s okay.
Aunt Blake stayed with Hunter and me for a couple of days until our parents came back. I’ve been watching them closely, but I don’t know what I’m hoping to find.
I don’t want to believe Carter, but his story adds up. All the evidence I’m finding pointing to the same damning conclusion: he’s my half-brother.
I want to ask them about it, but I don’t even know how to phrase the question. Besides, they’ve been so preoccupied with Henry and Mirabelle’s relationship status, there hasn’t been an opportunity to tell them.
I can’t lie, but I’m hurt my sister didn’t tell me about her and Henry. I guess I’ve done too many things to push her away, but it made me feel better when Kait said she didn’t know either. Even being in the same room as Kaitlyn makes me feel better.
I know they’re going to find out I lit the fire, which is why I’m going to come clean and tell them everything. Then, if they don’t murder me, I’m going to ask about Kiera and Carter and hope for once in their lives, they’ll be honest with me.
I’m about to walk into the kitchen where JJ and Hunter are talking on a video call about the situation with Mirabelle. “I talked to her yesterday, and she’s nervous,” Hunter says, and I stop before they see me.
“She told me the same. I’m hoping Mom and Dad have warmed up to the idea of Henry and Mira, though,” JJ says. “Think you can use this opportunity to convince Mom and Dad we need a dog?”
They’ve both talked to Mira? I pull my phone out of my pocket to check if I have any missed calls or texts, but I don’t. I place another piece of duct tape over the new crack in my heart. It serves me right after ignoring so many of her calls while trying to wrap my head around the lies in our family.
Hunter laughs, the sound loose and unburdened, and I hate how jealous I am of him for it. “Just because they’re pissed at Mirabelle doesn’t mean they’re going to let us get a dog. Besides, you’re not even going to be here.”
It’s just another reminder our home is never going to be the same, regardless of whether I lit the fire or not. Mirabelle left and most likely isn’t going to come back, especially now that she’s dating Henry. JJ’s on the other side of the country, and who knows where he’ll end up if he ends up playing professionally.
Everything’s changing, and so will they.
The odds of Hunter and me ending up at the same college aren’t high.
I wish things hadn’t changed, but if they hadn’t, then I wouldn’t have Carter. The more conversations we have, the more similarities I find betweenus.
Fuck, I really need to talk to my parents, whether I want to or not.
I walk away, keeping my steps light so they don’t know I heard their conversation. Not that there was anything they would’ve cared about if I’d heard, but I’m sure they’d think it’s weird I didn’t walk in and join.
