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I roll with the impact of his words as if it were a physical punch, but, like I’ve been taught, I rebound and step into his space Tiltingbut me "I wouldn’t have cared if you told me, but this"

I flip his tie before I press both of ers back and it’s not because of ive Guess I wasn’t worth fighting for"

Not allowing him a chance to reply, I pivot and disappear into a swar off the buses My lower lip treht the tears I walk fast into the school and as the first hot tear cascades down my face I race into the nearest bathroonore them as I duck into the last stall With the door slamround beneath oes into s and then I holdconvulsions

I’ve lost it all My hoo No ht

Chapter 64

West

I changed into jeans and a T-shirt before driving to the bar The private-school dress code would get ry laid-off union workers Though getting the shit kicked out of me by a mob doesn’t sound like a bad idea It could possibly hurt less than thenot only irl I’ve ever loved: Haley

A few guys play poker at a table in the corner It’s sad I’ve grown fond of the sour stench of spilled beer Like always, Denny hovers over a laptop near the end of the bar "You’re late"

Worthington starts an hour later than public schools I glance around It kills ot in the du of the speakers, the ork along the bar I finally found sooes down the drain

I suck in air to keepand I’ Haley what she needs "Thanks for the opportunity, but I’htens Denny’s the -ass ives a job to a throay "You crawled back to Daddy after all I thought you had grown a fking pair of balls"

I never told hi about stuff you don’t know about"

He crosses his ar about shit I’ve known about since your momma was in damned diapers Sit you sorry ass down and wait"

It’s like I’ve been absorbed in a tunnel when Denny shuts his laptop and heads into the back All the sights and sounds and shts race inwhyan affair Abby telling me she came to see her brotherand as Denny slips out of the back with an overstuffed scrapbook in his hand, the horror of the truth makes me dizzy

"You can still walk away" Abby slinks up next toshe’s never done before, she touches es it and tilts her head to the exit at the same ti isher eyes "Did you lie to me about why she cay "It’s what I do to survive and every now and then I do it to help others survive I need all the good karet"

The door to the entrance is propped open by a wedge of wood I could leave and return to ested So ht at Mike’s, fill out the new paperwork for the University of Louisville or stay Leaving could be blissful--to ree me

Denny drops the scrapbook onto the bar and the sound awakens the drunks and ic that can alter history,the edge

"There’s no going back after this," says Abby "No take backs"

There was no going back the ardless of what’s in this book, I’ood I open it and closepicture of me My body convulses like I’ve been shotliquid Denny fills two shot glasses with straight Maker’s He inches one to me and toasts me with the other "To fas the shot I stare atthe burn of bourbon will erase the information, but I madein it

"Dad said they didn’t e" But even when he said that, I assumed Dad was the one who hs like one of us told a joke "That man’s a real piece of work"

"Morieves over Colleen Mom would sit in a ball on the floor of Colleen’s room and wonder if her death was the punish she did was speed on the freeway