Page 26 of In the Air Tonight

“You’ve preached to us about loyalty all our lives, Mom.” Arlo is on the verge of tears. “He’sone of us. He practically grew up in this house. How can anyone doubt him for a second?”

“I don’t doubt him,” Mom says, “but I also don’t know him as well as you do, so you can’t expect me to be as certain as you are.”

“You know him! You helped to raise him and Cam the same way his parents helped to raise me.”

“Indeed I did, but I have no idea how he behaves when the parents aren’t looking.”

I want to give that statement a fist bump. Rather, I roll my hands into fists and give the bump in my head.

“I can’t believe this,” Arlo says. “I’m very disappointed in you guys.”

“You need to take a deep breath, Arlo,” Mom says, “and think about why this young woman would say such a thing if it wasn’t true. What does she stand to gain?”

“Revenge.” Arlo’s low, sinister tone sends a chill down my spine. “People have treated her shitty since she showed up at school out of nowhere, and this is her way of making us pay.”

The three of us stare at him aghast.

“That’s insane,” Mom says. “This will ruin her life right along with his. Why would she put herself through accusing him of such a thing simply to exact revenge on people who were disparaging to her?”

“Because she knows by now what he means to us,” Arlo says fiercely. “If you guys can’t support him the same way you would if this were happening to me, then I’ve got nothing else to say to you.”

He storms off toward his room, slamming the door closed.

“He’s right,” Teagan says. “Ryder did grow up in this house, and we owe him our support and loyalty.”

Mom doesn’t seem so sure, but she doesn’t say so.

Teagan goes to her room and closes the door.

“I want to talk to you.” Mom comes into my room and closes the door. “What’s going on, Blaise? And don’t say it’s nothing. You’ve barely left your room except to go to work, and you’re not eating. You know how I feel about that.”

She battled anorexia as a teenager and has been vigilant with us.

“I’ve just been feeling off lately,” I tell her. “I’m not sure why.”

“If you don’t start eating and participating in life again, I’m getting the doctor involved. Even Junie is worried about you. I won’t allow this to happen to one of my girls. Do you hear me?”

“I do. I’m sorry to worry you.” And I’m sorry to hear my little sister is concerned about me.

Mom kisses my forehead. “You’ve never given me a moment’s worry. Don’t start now, okay?”

I force a smile. “Okay.”

“Love you, sweet girl.”

“Love you, too, Mama.”

“Get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning.”

After she leaves, I get back in bed and return to scrolling, reading one nasty comment after another about Neisy, her motives, her reputation as a slut and every other hideous thing people can think of to say about her.

I always knew she’d do something like this, one of the mean girls named Abby writes.You could see it coming a mile away. She picked the wrong crew to mess with. We’ve got your back, Ryder. #JusticeforRyder

My heart aches for Neisy.

I wish I had someone to tell me what to do.

I could go to a school counselor or therapist, but I remember a unit we had on the role of counselors in seventh or eighth grade. They’d be obligated by law to report that I witnessed a crime, so that’s not an option.

---