Page 94 of All Your Pucking Secrets

“I hate your dad,” I say calmly. “I wish I could bring him back just to make him pay for everything he did to you all.”

Soraya tilts her head to the side. “I hate him, too. So does Tyler. But neither of us want him back. Not even for punishment. Not even to ease Tyler’s guilt.”

“What do you mean? What does he feel guilty about?”

She pushes her cardboard cup away, the spoon sticking out of what remains of her salted caramel swirl. “I told you before that he was with Dad when he died. When I found out, for about two minutes, I wondered if he had something to do with it.”

I stare at her for a long moment. Tyler twisted himself into knots for everyone around him, and his own sister could still believe him capable of that?

“How could you think that? He’s a good person.”

“Even good people hit their breaking point sometimes.” She’s so calm. So measured. It isn’t right.

“He wouldn’t—”

“She’s right to wonder.” The voice comes from my left, and I spin to face the intruder.

It’s Tyler.

His expression is impossible to read, but it’s obvious he overheard at least some of our conversation.

“Ty…”

“It’s okay.” He drops onto the bench beside me. “She wasn’t wrong to ask the question. The truth is, when Dad started having chest pains, I hesitated before calling the ambulance. If I hadn’t, he might still be alive.”

24

TYLER

“We should talk outside,” I say, as if my heart isn’t pummeling the inside of my chest.

I glance at Echo, waiting for her reaction. Will she be disgusted?

I deserve it.

So far, all I see in her wide eyes and parted lips is shock.

“Yeah, let’s go outside,” Soraya agrees, exiting the booth and hovering beside it.

I join her.

“Okay.” Echo seems distant as she stands and follows us out the door and onto the sidewalk. Hopefully, this isn’t the start of her inevitable brush-off.

Maybe I shouldn’t have approached them. I could have avoided this conversation, or at least put it off, but I had to make sure Soraya wasn’t pressuring Echo to give me another chance. I want her, but not like that.

“Are you stalking me?” Echo asks, turning to face me.

I wince. “No.” Not today, at least. “I was walking past and saw you both. I was worried Soraya might be pushing you into talking to me before you’re ready, so I stopped to check on you.”

That seems to soften her a bit.

“What were you saying about your father’s death?” she asks.

I look around, noticing a group of girls watching us with interest. “Walk with me.”

I start off along the sidewalk, purposefully slowing my pace so they can keep up.

“Tyler, you don’t have to—” Soraya begins.

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