Page 106 of I Knew You Were Trouble

‘Is that why you guys are sketchy sometimes?’ Cal asks.

‘I love that it’s more surprising to you all that Miller can actually keep a secret rather than Ravi being gay,’ Audrey says with a smile before Miller blows her a kiss. ‘Honestly, Ravi, I always thought you were,’ she continues, bouncing Xavi on her knee. ‘I did not even question it.’

J.B. shakes his head in disbelief at her astuteness.

‘I’ve been trying to get him to have this conversation with you in, like, forever,’ Miller says, finally getting to his feet and holding out his arms. ‘Come get a hug, big guy,’ he says to Ravi.

Ravi and Miller embrace. I feel a lump in my throat as the other boys pile in on top in a group hug.

‘Girls, I think you should get in on some hug action,’ Aidan says.

Audrey gets to her feet, Xavi in her arms. She and Bianca are folded into the group.

‘You coming, Lex?’ Aidan asks me.

‘I’m just waiting for Ravi to tell you the other thing,’ I smile, praying that I have a good angle on my hidden camera.

The group hug collapses.

‘There’s more?’ Cal says in disbelief. ‘Who else has got secrets? Did you know about this, Mill?’

‘No, I don’t know about anything,’ Miller says.

Ravi flushes crimson. ‘I’ve kind of got a boyfriend,’ he admits coyly, and the room erupts.

That night, Aidan comes to my room. At eleven o’clock, I lie naked in his arms, looking up something on my phone. His head on the pillow, Aidan strokes my bare stomach absent-mindedly.

‘So, when did Ravi tell you he was gay? In his first interview?’ he asks.

‘No. He didn’t say a thing about it in his first interview. I had no idea. It happened in Sydney, by accident. I stumbled into him kissing Tun after you’d helped me get away from that guy at the party in the bar.’

He goes quiet.

I turn to face him, cradling his cheek. ‘I’m sorry. It wasn’t my secret to tell,’ I add.

‘No, no, I get it,’ Aidan says, propping himself up on his elbow. ‘I just… I don’t know… we’ve just been so close these last few days. I guess it’s just something I thought you would have told me.’

‘Are you angry with me?’ I ask.

‘Of course not. But it’s important that we’re honest, you know? I don’t have a zillion people in my life I can trust.’

I nod in understanding, a knot appearing in my stomach again, knowing I am yet to confess that I’ve been filming the band without their consent. I need to do it, and soon.

‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.’

My phone buzzes. A message from Duncan reads:Date went well. Back at hotel.

I type back,How was the goodnight kiss?

Duncan doesn’t take long to reply.Mind-blowing, he says.

‘Duncan had a nice time at dinner with Meredith,’ I tell Aidan.

‘Yeah? That’s good. Keeps her away from Miller. I think he thinks…’

‘What?’ I say, bristling with concern.

He frowns. ‘You know… he thinks that Meredith… would be an easy lay.’

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