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"Jesus, Gabe" Tate is at my side, his arm around me "I’m so sorry"

I liftto be sorry for I’ to co fuck about what people think?"

"I think you’re a kids’ doctor who co dealers, and your brother used to let wo about how this affects me, Gabe You don’t need to worry about ht noant to help you Let et tothere

"You need to stop this" Tate gets to his feet

"Stop what?"

"Acting like I’rownme from shit, Gabe You should have told me the truth"

I laugh without humor "What was I supposed to say? Hey, Tate, remember when Mom and Dad were arrested, and ere on our own, so wetowomen for money, so I could pay the rent"

He shakes his head "I could’ve helped"

"You were a fucking kid, who just had his whole world turned upside down"

"So were you!" he yells, frustrated

"I’ainst my chest "It was my responsibility to take care of you I did what I had to do And I’d do it again in a heartbeat"

He’s staring at er and frustration in his eyes He looks so rabup at the wall, I take a drag and blow out the s to handle this?" Vaughn says

I turnto do jack shit"

"They won’t let this go," Vaughn says, like I don’t already know

"They will if I refuse to talk about it"

"I spoke to Gil He called ether a press release He just needs you to okay it He e out any press release I don’t have to justify myself to anyone"

"No, you don’t But you do have to address this with the media and your fans if you want to have a career left at the end of it," Julian says

"I couldn’t give a fuck about ht now" I walk over to theand stare out of it

"You say that now…"

I turn back to Julian "Honestly, all I want to do right now is sleep Everything else can wait"

I toss arette into the ashtray I walk away froo into my bedroom

I shut the door I fall facedown onto my bed and bury my face in the pillow

But it s my hands over my face

As I draw the over the back of the chair Her lip balhtstand I push up to ather it up in o over to my bedroom door, open it, and toss it all out into the hallway

Then, I close my door, climb onto my bed, pull the duvet over my head, and shut my eyes

Gabe

My apartment is quiet, apart fro rooo into the kitchen to get a bottle of water

It’s clean The ns it did are thestool under the breakfast bar and a dent froe and get a bottle of water out Then, I go into the living roohn’s blond head as he sits onbasketball on my TV

"You still here?"

He turns at the sound of my voice "You look like shit"

"So sweet of you to say" I unscrew the cap off the water and drain the bottle halfway "How long was I out for?"

"An hour"

"Is that all? Felt like longer"

"How are you doing?" he asks