“And you’re right.”

I looked back up.

“He does love you.”

“Did he tell you that?”

“No, but it’s obvious. He loves you so you don’t have to worry. And I can tell he didn’t know about your parents. That’s what you said, right? That your parents dumped you and you kept it a secret. People don’t keep secrets unless they’re scared of something, maybe about the other person reacting, but I’m telling you. You don’t have to worry about Jesse. It pissed him off, hearing what your parents did to you. I could tell that too.”

“Oh.”

She sighed. “I don’t want to be your friend, but I’m in a position where I have to be.”

“That’s a great endorsement.”

She rolled her eyes and brushed her platinum hair over her shoulder. “I don’t give a damn. I’m just saying it how it is. I care about Jesse and it’s not because of his money or his Hollywood connections. I really do just care about him, but I can see that he genuinely cares about you. You’re not going anywhere. I get it. Not happy about it, but I get it. So…I figure I should call a cease fire? I’m not proposing that we be friends, but maybe not enemies?”

“I thought that’s what we were when you were ignoring me.”

She grimaced. “I did that to piss you off. It didn’t work, did it?”

“I liked it.”

“Yeah,” she blew out a breath. “That’s what I figured. That pissed me off instead.”

I shrugged.

“All right. Well, I’m going to go. You’re better?”

I nodded. As she reached for the handle and opened the door, I reached for her. “Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“Shut the door.” As she did, I took another deep breath. My heart began picking up again. This could blow our truce, but whatever. This was what not being an enemy and not being friends meant to me. Maybe. I had no idea. Oh well. Here it goes. “You should know that Jamie was the one who sought your sister out.”

A scowl formed over her face. “What are you talking about? Jamie said she’s the one that came on to him.”

“No. I heard them one time at school. He was pushing her and she was trying to say no. I know it’s not a ringing endorsement, as you said before, but it is what it is. She was really drunk that night and he got a bottle to make sure she stayed drunk. He was taking advantage of her.”

“My sister’s not exactly a saint.”

“But it was important to her. Your boyfriend was off-limits, and for what it’s worth, I don’t think your sister enjoys sleeping around. She’s hurting.”

“I know,” she said quickly. “I know that. I just worry about her.”

I fell silent. My message had been given. It was up to her, whatever she did with it. I hoped she’d break up with him, but I didn’t at the same time. She’d probably focus even more on Jesse. Then we’d be back to being enemies and being enemies with Tiffany was exhausting.

“Thanks.” She tried to give me a smile. It didn’t quite make it. “For that, thanks.”

“No problem.”

Before she left, she said one more thing. “Your parents are ass**les.”

“I know.”

Then she left me alone in the bathroom. Kara popped in a second later and gave me a hug. She wrapped her tiny arms around me and held me for a while. Pulling back, she brushed my hair back and took a deep breath. I saw the tears before she left as quietly as she appeared. When I followed behind, the house was silent. It was such a contrast from the shouting earlier. I heard giggling from the living room and turned the corner. Cord and his girl were on the couches. She was on his lap and he was tickling her so she’d squirm. Glancing up, his grin faded. “Hey.” The girl muffled her giggles. When it didn’t work, she pressed her arm into her mouth, but more split through the air as Cord must’ve continued to tickle her side.

“Hi.”

“So those were the parents, huh?”

“Yep.”

“For what’s it worth and from what I remember, your brother wasn’t treated any better.”

That got my attention. “What are you talking about?” But I knew something had gone on. Jesse let a little bit slip and now Cord. What had my parents done to him? Oh my god. An anchor dropped to the bottom of my stomach. Did it have anything to do with the reason he was in the car that night? Jesse said something about going somewhere, but he recanted. He said he didn’t want him with Barbie and those guys. But why was he with them in the first place? Was that because of my parents too? Were they pushing him too hard to be perfect? I took a calming breath, but it didn’t work.

“Nothing. You should talk to Jesse. He knew more about it than me.”

The girl started giggling again and fell to her side, off his lap. Cord twisted around her as he continued to tickle her. As I left the room, her feet were kicking in the air and she was shrieking in laughter, panting at the same time, “No, Cord. Stop. Oh, Cord. Don’t. Yes.”

His deep chuckle was the last I heard as I went downstairs and shut the door.

It was time. My secret was out. He now knew about my parents. I wanted to know his secret and I knew it was about my brother. I had every right to know. As I crossed the basement, his door was open and he was sitting on the edge of the bed. His elbows were resting on his knees. His head was down, but he looked up as he heard my arrival.