Page 8 (2/2)
He shifted on the bed, and I figured I’d made him uncomfortable He rubbed the back of his neck and leaned forward, balancing his elbows on his knees "I don’t know about the divorce, but your dad moved out about a year after youyou know" His words trailed away "I don’t know if I should even say this, but it got weird After a while there were accusations I don’t knoho started the it was him, your dad That he was the one responsible forwell, for you going --"
"No," I interrupted "No! No way Not e and Austin Stupid stuff, really I got mad and decided to walk But my dad would never hurtthe man ould’ve thrown hietic face "That’s what erous, and people talk when they have nothing better to do My dad said no one believed it, at least no one that mattered"
I nodded, relieved, that his parents had known that my father was innocent Austin’s dad was a cop, and I felt better knowing that the police, even if he was the only one, hadn’t suspectedshady
Then Tyler’s eyesain "So where were you then? This whole tione, where were you?"
If I had an answer I would have given it to him Surely I wasn’t asleep behind the Dumpster for the entire five years--the Rip van Winkle of the Gas ’n’ Sip The saht without of his car that night
Just the flash of light And then nothing
Five years gone in a blink
I glanced again at the clock, but its hands hadn’t moved since the first time I’d looked, perpetually frozen at 3:34 "I don’t know I honestly don’t re at all For me it’s like it was yesterday" I shook my head, as baffled as everyone else by the question "They looked for reen eyes earnest as they sought mine "Everyone Not just your parents or mine, but the entire school The whole city, maybe the entire state There were fliers and alerts, and private investigators You were like one of those milk carton kids"
"And Austin?"
His head bobbed "Austin too And Cat They searched with everyone else"
Cat I hadn’t even thought of her, and ain My face cruhter in ht She’d want to knoas back Of course she’d want to know
He studiedstrange?"