Page 13 (1/2)

"Well, what about a card?" she asks "I know you love to write"

"Actually, that was Ryder" I sigh exhaustedly "Look, Mootten A vicious cycle One I’ve been stuck in for years with her And she seeetting caught up in the endless circular pattern, I end it "I have to go I’ the room toward my bed

"Tristan, wait," she hurriedly spits out before I can end the call "Please don’t do this to your sister"

"I’ to Ryder" I sink down on ht "Because she’s gone"

"Don’t say that," she whispers in horror "I can’t believe you would say that"

"But it’s true"

"I know, but…" she huffs, exasperated "God, why are you doing this? You’re a terrible brother, living with the person who killed Ryder"

I glance back toQuinton to hear any of this "What happened wasn’t Quinton’s fault Accidents happen and you need to start accepting that"

"No, they don’t!" she shouts, clearly out of hertoo many pills "This wasn’t an accident! It wasn’t! It would have never happened if he wasn’t driving"

"That’s not true" I work to stay calh her irrationality "He was the only one sober in the car for God’s sake"

"So what? That doesn’tsafely It’s all his fault any way you look at it Because of hi with the person who killed her"

I’ her insane, but that she’s losing her sanity I thinkhe kept saying subtle coht need some help

"Momy eyes

"At the store," she answers heatedly "And I’m done with this conversation unless you say you’ll come home"

"Why do you want ritted teeth "When it’s clear you hate me"

"I don’t hate you I’ pause follows I’ain "And by the way, that Dylan guy ca for you the other day Said he needed to talk to you about so for me?" What the hell? I haven’t seen Dylan since… Well, since ood reason Not just to keep my sobriety, but because… "Mom, please tell me you called the cops when he showed up"

"Why would I do that?" she asks "It’s not my job to do that"

"Haven’t you read the local paper at all over the last year?"

"I hate the papers The articles are always depressing"

I open my eyes, lower my hand from my nose, and shakefor Dylan for alht have killed that Delilah Pierce girl I used to hang out with"

"That redheaded that always dressed like a prostitute?" she asks with zero syhter?"

"She wasn’t a prostitute," I reply, but it’s kind of a lie Dylan was Delilah’s boyfriend and he sos Delilah was always so doped up she’d never really put up a fight Dylan also used to hit her, even though Quinton and I would so with theh "And did he say why the hell he stopped by the house?"

"He just said he needed to talk to you, but I kind of thought…" She trails off "You’re in so spent years in trouble, I have to really think about it "No, I don’t think so"

"You don’t think so?" She laughs cynically "God, you’ll never change, will you?"

I sit back up "Moo" I hang up on her and then there’s nothing except silence

My chest is heavy as I roam outside and then stand on the front patio section I never should have gone horess I think part of e her mind about me That she’ll see me as the son she has instead of the child who she has been stuck with Although, it didn’t help that Dylan showed up at the house Why the hell would he go back to Star Grove of all places? And then stop by to pay rab a pack of cigarettes fro and staring at the road until one ofoutside I swear I have so radar inside etting spun out of o off But, for sos fro with the woiveaway that he’s aand the rapid tick in his jaw as he shoves her, his sentences so tightly strung together It’s just like Dylan and Delilah had been, and I findback inside

But then, in the snap of a finger, they start kissing passionately And I feel envious toward the that intensely Ito break down, that’s the place to go I hatethat note, but it co

Because this is h, it feels like it’s never fully going to go away and part of me doesn’t want it to because what else is there toout here?" Nova asks as she steps out of the rooed out of her work clothes and into a dress Her hair is up, her freckles are showing on her nose She looks nice, but she always does

"Just s tothe dirt off the back ofNova know that Dylan is back in Star Grove, because she was once friends with Delilah, and I know Delilah’s death still haunts her But I don’t want Nova to worry, so I opt to keep my mouth shut, at least until Dylan is found

"About what?" Insinuation laces her tone but it takes