Page 89 of Twisted Secrets

“But wait. What about Neo?” she grumbles. “Don’t tell me you're cheating on him.”

“No.” I shake my head rapidly. “No, I’m not cheating on him…because Neo and I aren’t actually together. Well, not really. I mean, I like him. I think.” My palm plants to my forehead. “Fuck, Mads. I don’t know. Jagger and I are together. I think I like Neo. And I know I have a crush on Crew.”

There, I said it. It’s out there and there’s no taking it back.

Saying it all out loud makes me sound absolutely ridiculous. Like someone who has no idea what they want. Maybe I don’t.

“Crew?” She gasps. “My Crew?”

I bite my bottom lip and scrunch my nose. “Is there another Crew?”

“No. But really, Scar? You like Crew?”

I pinch my eyes shut and nod in response.

“I knew it.”

My eyes shoot open. “You knew?”

She picks her spoon back up and takes a bite of her chili before continuing, “Yup. I knew you liked him since we were kids. And even when he and I were dating, I knew it. I also knew he liked you.”

“But you said the same thing about Neo—that you always knew he had a thing for me?”

“I did. And I meant it. I also knew you liked Jagger. I pretty much knew you were hot for all three of them for, like, ever.”

Her calmness of the situation is very comforting. I had a feeling she wouldn’t react hastily toward me. Maddie doesn’t get upset easily and she always tries to see the best in every situation.

“Okay, Psychic Maddie. So what do you have to say about all this?”

“What I always say in any situation. Follow your heart.”

I drop my head, hiding my red face as I prepare to ask the next question. “And if my heart leads me to all three of them?” I peek one eye up, then the other.

Her tongue clicks and she sets her spoon back down. “I can’t help you there. Only you know how you feel.”

Again, just like Riley. For once, I just wish someone would tell me exactly what to do because if I’m left to my own devices, I might fuck my life up and all of theirs.

The subject shifts to Riley and Jude, and I fill Maddie in on everything with them, as well as our talk with Jude last night. Maddie doesn’t seem to think Jude is telling the truth, and she has the idea that if she sees him, it could possibly jog her memory. Now we just have to see if the guys agree.

I’m walking down the hall, heading back to my room, when it sounds like someone’s banging on the wall behind me. I spin around and backtrack, until the sound comes closer and closer. Next thing I know, I’m standing outside Neo’s bedroom.

The door is ajar, so I lean close and listen.

“Stupid fucking son of a bitch.” Bang. “You call me worthless.” Bang. “You created me so what the fuck does that make you?” Bang.

Oh my god. It sounds like Neo is destroying his wall. I poke my head in slightly and, sure enough, he is. There’s maybe five, six holes in the drywall. Blood runs down his arms, dropping on the floor, but he doesn’t stop.

“I should fucking kill you.” Bang. “You call her a snake—”

“Neo!” I gasp, throwing the door wide open. “Stop it.” I grab a tee shirt off his floor and hurry over to him. He looks at me, but his stare is empty, like he’s looking right through me. I grab his right hand and wrap the shirt around it. “What are you doing?”

He doesn’t say anything, just watches me with stunned, beady eyes.

I hate seeing him like this. So broken. So angry. So hurt.

Leading him over to the bed, while gripping his hand tightly in the shirt, I say, “Sit down.”

To my surprise, he doesn't argue or push me away. He sits down and lets me unravel the blood-soaked tee shirt. “Let’s hope you didn’t break any bones.”

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