Page 42 of One Twisted Lie

“So, the doctors here are good,” I blurt out.

Sebastian, monotone and dead, replies. “The doctors here?”

“Well, I wouldn’t know. My father’s secretary—”

“Your father’s secretary.”

“Are you malfunctioning?” I let out, my frustration seeping through my common sense. “I could only manage to get one bed here. There’s no room for you too.”

The shift is violent. No more apathy from Sebastian. It all transforms into rage. “Do you think this is a fucking joke?”

I grit my teeth. “Not in particular.”

“Avery is in there,” he growls, his face red as he points at the glass doors. “Alone and scared. He’s fucking traumatized and broken—”

“He’s not broken—”

“You fucking broke him!” he yells, throwing his hands in the air. “Avery will be fine, do you remember?This is just the way he is. You saw all the signs and did nothing!”

“You’re right.”

“And I think— Wait, what did you just say?”

“You’re right,” I whisper. “We didn’t know…”

But we did see the signs. We didn’t know what they meant, but we saw them. The crippling sadness when he couldn’t get out of bed, let alone brush his teeth. The sudden bursts of energy when he wouldn’t sleep, his mind on overdrive.

This is my fault. I might not have caused it, but I didn’t do anything to stop it. And the others listened to me. They look to me to lead them, and I let them all down.

I clench my hands into tight fists by my side. I dig down deep, very deep, pulling up what I’m ashamed to say. “I know you dislike me. Well, you probably hate me, but what’s new? I don’t do this often—”

“Oh my God,” he deadpans, gasping and covering his mouth. “Are you apologizing?”

“Shut your fucking mouth and you might find out.”

“That’s how you apologize?”

“We don’t have to be friends. Actually, I would prefer it if we weren’t. The important part is that I’m all in for Avery. I…” I trail off because this is difficult to say, almost impossible. I don’t say this. I never have. The last time I did, I was six and I learned my lesson.

But Sebastian needs to hear it, and I need to say it.

“I love him,” I choke out, the words foreign on my tongue. “My friends are important to me. Avery is important to me, and I need to know that you’re all in too.”

He nods without hesitation, determination, and conviction vivid on his face. “I’m in. I love him. Like I don’t think you can even imagine how much I love him. It’s like no one else has ever loved anybody as much as I love him.”

“Okay,” I say, ready to be done with this sappy shit. “So, we’re good?”

“Uh, yeah. I guess.” He goes to walk away but stops. “That was really your best attempt at an apology?”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Don’t fucking push it.”

He shrugs and walks away, and I guess I feel better. That was painful but necessary. My eyes catch a familiar laptop in the waiting room, a head of brown hair peeking out from the top. Carter looks up just in time. He sends me a small secret smile meant just for me. I can admit that it feels good, what his eyes and his lips are trying to convey.

I’ve never been happier to make someone proud.

Chapter 21

Ozymandias

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