Page 62 of Glad You Exist

I tap Liz’s nose, “Thank you for doing that, by the way. I realized when we were all eating earlier that I never thanked you.”

Crinkling her nose, she gives a little shrug.

“It’s the least I can do. You’ve been taking care of me this whole time.”

I cup the back of her neck and give it a gentle squeeze.

“El, that’s my job.”

She swats my arm, challenging me, “Well, then this is mine too.”

Then her eyes widen as much as my grin does at the double meaning her words hold.

“Yoooo Lizzy.” Kyle strides up to us, breaking the spell.

Got to love his impeccable timing.

“Why is your brother blowing up my phone?”

Liz frowns then groans, “I left my phone somewhere in my room. Sorry…he gets a little carried away and overprotective.” She holds a hand out to Kyle, “Can I borrow yours? Mine is probably dead. I never charged it last night.”

He unlocks his phone and hands it to Liz.

Dan answers on the first ring because no sooner than Liz dials his number, she says,

“Hey Danny, it’s me—”

Liz rolls her eyes at whatever her brother is saying then all of a sudden, she goes very still. Her gaze jumps to Kyle then to me. Biting her lip, she swallows hard.

“How am I supposed to tell you if I haven’t seen you yet?”

Shit.

I glance at Kyle who seems to register at the same moment as I do what their conversation is about. I reach out and curl a hand around Liz’s wrist, hoping she’ll give me her hand.

Liz shakes her head at me, shutting her eyes. Shutting me out.

She just stays silent listening to her brother. We start to hear the distinct rumble of Dan’s voice. Kyle nudges me, his brow furrowing. It’s obvious Dan’s yelling at her. We get it, Dan is pissed about this, we all feel the same way, but damn, he shouldn’t be taking it out on Liz.

But then her eyes fly open, “I’m seventeen, Daniel. Not twelve. I know what that means.”

Her eyes start to blaze with anger.

In a deadpan voice, she whispers, “I promise I would know if I got raped, Dan.”

My grip tightens around her wrist as her words jab a knife inside me.

Pursing her lips, she hits the end button and shoots a quick text.

Handing the phone back to Kyle, she turns to me.

“I’m sorry. I have to go.”

“What happened?”

“He said he’s swinging by to pick me up. He’s coming straight here after dropping Summer off so he should be here soon.” Looking over her shoulder she scans the backyard. “Where’s Kim?”

Kyle looks up from his phone, “She went to get Brad’s gift from her room. I just texted her and told her to wait for us in yours.”

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