Page 109 of All Your Pucking Secrets

A glimmer of amusement enters her eyes. “Cursing is fine as long as it isn’t at someone. Right, Echo?”

I wince, because I sure have done a lot of cursing at Tyler this year. “Um, yeah.”

He raises his eyebrows at me, but I don’t mind him silently calling me on the fib because at least it means he’s less preoccupied with the idea that my mom hates him.

Mom offers Tyler a cookie, and he takes it, looking at the treat as if he isn’t quite sure what to do with it. That’s when I remember what Soraya said about junk food being outlawed in his house growing up. I doubt his mom ever made him cookies.

Slowly, he nibbles at the edge. A chunk breaks off and falls on his lap. He stares at it, then snatches it up and shoves it in his mouth.

“Delicious,” he mumbles around the cookie.

Mom beams. “I’m glad you like it. And Tyler, back in high school, you were only a kid. You did your best. Plus, Echo tells me that we have you to thank for the attorney. It meant a lot to have that support.”

“It wasn’t enough,” he grits out, glancing at the cookie as if contemplating whether to swallow it whole.

She shrugs. “Then I guess you have plenty of time to make up for it. You are intending to be with Echo long term, aren’t you?”

“As long as she’ll have me.” He gives in and eats the cookie, his eyes almost closing as he chews and swallows.

“I need the recipe,” I mouth to Mom.

She nods and gives me a thumbs up.

We talk for a while longer, and then we work together to make sandwiches for lunch. After we’ve eaten, Tyler tells me to grab my purse and pulls me toward the door. I look around at Mom, expecting her to be surprised, but she’s just nodding and smiling.

What’s happening?

“Where are we going?” I ask as he guides me out the door and to his car.

“A surprise.”

That’s all he’ll say. I pester him during the short drive, but he refuses to elaborate.

When we arrive at the high school, my stomach plummets.

“Should we be here?” I ask.

I don’t want to be here. My last few months of school flash through my mind like a horror film. The taunts and jeering, first because of Tyler’s public rejection and then because I’d dared to accuse one of their kings of rape.

As if reading my mind, Tyler takes my hand and raises it to his lips. “Trust me.”

He releases me, gets out of the car, and walks around to open my door. I let him help me out, and I cling to his hand even though I know, logically, that I’m not going to encounter Eric or Whitney walking the halls. They’re long gone.

“Ty?”

“I’ve got you,” he says, gently tucking my hair behind my ear. “I won’t let anything happen to you, okay?”

I nod.

Hand in hand, he walks with me around the administration buildings. It takes far too long for me to realize that we’re heading for the school gymnasium. The same building where I watched him kiss Whitney and shatter my heart the night we were supposed to announce our relationship.

My heart hammers. Why is he doing this? Why would he push me to go somewhere he knows will be painful for me?

“I’m with you,” he murmurs. “You’ll never be left in the cold like that again.”

His words soothe me, but I can’t completely let go of the unease as we approach those massive double doors. When we’re only twenty yards away, I frown. There’s music playing from within, but surely, on a weekend like today, the gym should be empty. I concentrate, but the music is too quiet for me to identify.

We reach the doors, and Tyler takes a deep breath. He pushes the door open and holds it for me. I take a moment to steel myself. Even if all that’s inside are a few basketballs and a stereo, this still won’t be easy. Finally, I lift my eyes and follow him inside.

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