Page 148 of Releasing 10
“Ha-ha,” I grumbled, cheeks flaming. “Very funny. Let’s all laugh at the headcase.”
“I don’t see any headcases,” he shot back, tone serious now. “From my viewpoint, the only thing you’re guilty of is being a good friend.”
Maybe, but that wasn’t going to cut it with my family.
“You’re loyal, Liz,” he continued, draping an arm over my shoulders, brown eyes warm and full of sincerity. “And brave and so epically strong.”
“I don’t feel so strong lately, Hugh,” I admitted, sidling closer to him. “I feel tired and…”
“And what, Liz?”
“Scared,” I whispered, burying my face in his chest. “I’m always so scared.”
“Of what?”
I clenched my eyes shut and whispered, “Me.”
PART 9
Joining the Dots
CHECKING OUT AND STEPPING UP
Hugh
MARCH 18, 1999
“HUGH, ITHINK THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITHLIZZIE,” CLAIRE ANNOUNCEDafter school the following evening when she got home from dance practice. “She was being really strange at school today.”
“Huh?” My head snapped up from the homework I was doing at the kitchen table. “How?” Immediately on alert, I flicked my attention to my sister, who was hovering at the kitchen island, wearing a rare frown. “What happened?”
“She took off her shoes and tights in class and ran outside.” My sister squirmed in obvious discomfort. “She said she wanted to feel the sun on her legs, but it was raining, Hugh.”
Fuck.
“I thought she wasn’t at school today,” I muttered, rubbing my jaw. “She wasn’t on the bus.”
“Because she was late to school this morning, and then her dad came and took her home early.”
Double fuck.
Shoving my chair back, I moved for the door. “Where’s Mam?”
“Still at the hairdresser,” Claire replied, worrying her lip. “Do you think Liz is okay?”
“Yeah, she’s grand,” I lied through my teeth and said in my desperate attempt to protect my friend. “I dared her to do it.”
Claire’s eyes widened. “You did?”
“Yep.” I forced a laugh. “I can’t believe she went through with it.”
Clearly, I was a better liar than I used to be because my sister bought it. “You big dummy!” Scowling, she marched toward me and slapped the back of my head. “You could have gotten her in big trouble, Hugh. She got sent to the principal’s office and everything!” Hands planted on her hips, my little sister glared up at me. “Don’t ever do that to Lizzie again, okay? That was a really mean thing to do, and you made her look super silly. Everyone was laughing and pointing at her.”
Feeling shredded inside, I forced myself to say, “Okay, Claire,” even though I was having a hard time trying to catch my breath. “I won’t.”
Stepping around her, I moved for the staircase, taking two at a time until I reached the attic door, a.k.a. my father’s office. I debated knocking but decided if he was going to ignore me, he could do it to my face.
Yanking the door open, I climbed the narrow staircase and marched straight into my father’s lair of isolation. As expected, he was slumped over his desk, the one that held the computer he’d taken to writing murder mystery novels on.
