Page 56 of A Sky Full Of Stars

“You—”

“And then you,” Dad yells, turning his attention to Dylan as he cuts me off again. “You had to send your dad after me. Youbothruined my life.”

What? He’s fucking delusional. Dylan’s daddied…Hedied; he couldn’t have… But… Holy shit! Summer was ten when he died.

The story goes that Dylan’s dad, football legend Dean Mathers, took off in his car, chasing after some guy that was hurting a little girl during one of Dylan’s football practices. And he never came back. It was said that he lost control of his car, but they never found the guy to corroborate the story…

Was that Dad…and Summer?

Fuck. Dylan’s dad died because of my dad. Because he went after them.

“How?” Dylan yells, not coming to the same conclusion… God, I hope I’m wrong. “Youbeat Summer. My daddied. How the fuck did we ruin your life?”

“Because I watched him die!” Dad yells. “He was my idol, and I watched him die. The guilt ate me up inside.”Jesus.

So that’s why he couldn’t look at Dylan when I first introduced them. The guilt.

Dylan moves toward us, ready for blood, and I stand on alert. “Did you cause the accident?” Dylan yells, his expression menacing as my mind whirs. “Was it your fault?” Dylan continues yelling as I leap off the porch, stopping him just before he reaches us.

“It’s not worth it. He’s not worth it. Hurting him won’t change a thing.” I turn to Dad without releasing my grasp on Dylan’s shoulders. “But you better answer him, or it won’t be Dylan you have to worry about.”

“I didn’t. I…”

“He just told him to leave, chased him off our property. That’s all,” Mom cuts in, defending Dad and confirming that Summer was right… she knew everything and she knew all along.

I move Dylan behind me and step toward Dad. “If all this is true, why the fuck did you hurt Summer again and kick her out at sixteen?”It doesn’t make sense. He can’t have been abusing her the entire time. I would have seen it. Wouldn’t I?

Everything they’ve said tonight has been about Summer when she was ten. There’s been no mention of ongoing abuse. And if that’s true, why did he hurt her again the night of my party? The night before she left.

I must miss something while lost in my thoughts because Dylan curses the heavens before dropping to the ground, distraught, and when I look his way, it hits me. Dad blames Summer for his guilt over Dean Mathers’s death—his idol.

“Oh, fuck.” I crouch beside Dylan, gripping his shoulder.This is going to kill him. Dad hurt Summer again because he saw Dylan, because I brought Dylan to our house for the football party. Because I introduced them.Fuck. I did this too.“Don’t,” I say even though it won’t get through to him. “Don’t blame yourself. She won’t.”

“What the hell am I missing?” Summer asks as she steps closer, making Dylan finally lift his head.

“I was at the party, Summer. He beat you because of me. Because of the guilt over my dad.”

I swallow a lump in my throat as his words confirm just how fucked-up this situation is, and when I look at Summer as she rushes toward Dylan, my heart stops.She blames herself.

“This isn’t your fault,” she says as she falls to the ground beside him, making me turn away to give them a moment.

She whispers but I try hard to block out her words until Dylan’s voice cuts in. “Not here, not now,” he pleads before Summer stands up, dusting herself off.

Without another word, she walks toward our trucks, but instead of staying behind this time, I stand and follow her, with Dylan right beside me.

We’ve barely made it halfway down the driveway when my mom cries out. “Thomas, baby, wait. Don’t go. I can’t lose you too. Please!”

For something that should elicit pain or sympathy, I feel nothing. Almost like my heart closed itself off to the outside world. Now hardened in some way.

Summer trembles as I reach her, and I grab her just as her legs give out, the pain finally hitting me.For Summer.

“We’re done,” I yell out as I hold Summer up, feeling her protest in my arms.

“Thomas, no.”

I’m about to say more when Mom continues.

“Thomas! Please, just come back. Thomas!”

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