Page 3 of Broken Secrets
“Rough morning?” he asks, pulling out his copy ofThe Great Gatsby. His margins are a total crime scene. Ink bleeding everywhere, and handwriting so messy it looks like the words are trying to escape the pages
“Something like that.” I flip through my own book; not really seeing the pages.
“You missed first and second period.” His voice has that careful tone he uses when he’s worried but trying not to push.
“Doctor’s appointment.” The words come out sharper than I intend.
Mrs. Devonne clears her throat from the front. “If Mr. Lance and Ms. Kline are finished with their private discussion…”
Heat crawls up my neck as twenty-five pairs of eyes pivot toward me like vultures. Derek mutters an apology, ducks into Gatsby, but his glances buzz around me the rest of class. He’s known me since eighth grade; long enough to recognize when I’m not okay. Long enough that he probably already sees right through me.
The rest of the morning drags. My notes turn into doodles in the margins, half sentences trailing off. My gaze keeps snagging on the windows: surfers catching waves, tourists dragging coolers, locals tugging dogs that stop to sniff everything. Out there it looks like a postcard. In here I feel like I’m suffocating.
When the lunch bell finally rings, Maya intercepts me at my locker like she’s been lying in wait.
“You missed first period,” she says with crossed arms. Her dark curls are still damp from swim practice and her hoodie is dripping onto the concrete. “Where were you?”
“Doctor’s appointment.” I spin my combination, avoiding her eyes.
“Everything okay?”
I yank my locker open harder than necessary. “Fine. Just a check-up.”
“Liv.” She grabs my arm, making me look at her. “You’re my best friend. I know when you’re lying.”
Before I can deflect, Derek appears beside us, raising his brows with a smile.
“Ladies,” he claps his hands together. “What’s the emergency meeting about?”
“Olivia’s being mysterious about a doctor’s appointment,” Maya announces before I can stop her.
“Everything okay?”
Maya loops her arm through mine. “She’s also being weird about it.”
I roll my eyes as we continue to our usual table under the palm trees; the one with just enough shade to remind us shade exists. Sophie’s already there, mid-meltdown about Tyler not texting her back, blond hair bouncing like she’s in a shampoo commercial instead of real life. He’s not a great guy in my opinion. He’s too much of a player. She’s too sweet and beautiful for him.
I unwrap my sandwich, tuning them out. Mom’s handwriting curls across the wax paper in blue ink.Love you to the moon and back. She’s been writing it since kindergarten. Same note. Same rhythm. Today it feels more like a reminder than a comfort. Like she’s telling me to believe something I’m not sure is true anymore.
“Earth to Liv!” Maya waves a hand in front of my face.
I blink, startled. “Sorry, what?”
“Sophie asked if you’re coming to Tyler’s bonfire Friday. The whole team’s going.”
“Can’t. Family thing.” Another lie.
“You always have a family thing.” Sophie pouts, sliding her sunglasses up her nose.
Derek leans forward, studying me with the intensity he usually reserves for reading opposing team plays. “What did the doctor say?”
“Nothing major…” I hesitate, then pull the crumpled forms from my bag. “They want me to fill out family medical history stuff, and I can only do half of it.”
Understanding flickers across Derek’s face. He’s known me long enough to have my whole life story.
“That sucks,” Maya says softly. “Can’t your mom help with the other half?”
“She says she doesn’t know anything about his medical history.” The words taste bitter. “Which is convenient, considering she doesn’t know anything about him, period.”
