Page 96 of How We Fooled

She inhales a deep breath as I hit the Call button to ring Steve.

“Where have you been?” he answers on the second ring.

“I needed some time alone. I have Liza here with me.”

He lets out a breath into the phone. “Start explaining.”

I tell him about how we met and how we spent the entire summer together with her not knowing I was in high school and her not getting hired at the school until a few weeks before it started.

“Then, why didn’t you guys end it?” he asks like it’s as simple as shutting the door, not closing out the one person you love the most.

I look at her. “I was already too far gone.”

She grins, and then I look at the road.

“So, you guys have been secretly dating this entire year?”

“Yes,” I state with zero hesitation, then remember why we got here in the first place. “But we need to turn the focus on what happened, not on us dating.”

“But you dating is a huge deal.” His voice rises.

“Yes, but so is her getting drugged.” My voice cracks as I say, “She could have seriously been hurt.”

“Yeah …” He sighs into the phone. “And I’m sorry that happened, but that won’t matter. The bigger story is who she is. People are going to sink their teeth into that.”

“Let them run with that story. I’ll stand on my soapbox and make them see the other side too.”

“Okay. Just let me think this all through. I have a flight that leaves in two hours. We’ll figure this all out when I get there. In the meantime, do not talk to a single soul about anything. You got me?”

“Got it.”

“See you soon.”

“Bye.”

I release her hand to click the End button and reach for her hand again, making sure she knows I’m never letting her go—no matter what.

We’re almost back home when my text messages go off with a thread between Dalton, Ben, and Maya.

Ben:

You’re fucking Miss Hernandez? You dog! I knew you had some secret chick, but, BRO! She’s hot! How could you hold out on us like that?

Dalton:

You know we need ALL THE DETAILS. Where are you?

Maya:

Stop being so crude, Ben! Are you okay, Eli? Is she okay?

I glance her way and show her my phone, making her close her eyes and shake her head from side to side.

“Everyone knows,” she whispers to herself more than to me.

“Don’t worry.”

“Are you going to respond?”

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