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“Right.” I’d forgotten Erin called me in for the surprise, not because Chad had called out. “Did I say thank you for giving me a ride home? I was out of it that day. I’m sorry I was bad company.”

“It’s okay. I would’ve been in shock too after seeing those videos. I kind of was.”

“Yeah.”

“I think…,” he started, then seemed to analyze his word choice, deciding on, “…we work together.”

“What?” I was lost.

“I shouldn’t have implied that I…I mean, we should be friends.”

Oh. He was taking back his interest. Or he was telling me we were never going to get together. I held back the eye roll that I wanted to unleash on him.Let him have this, Wren,I told myself. Itwasn’t that I wanted to date Chad. But maybe I wanted him to still want to date me. It already felt like the entire world was breaking up with me right now.

“Yes, let’s be friends,” I said, determined, at least for the moment, not to feel sorry for myself.

“I…Are you okay?”

“Yes, of course. Thanks.” Why was I thanking him?

“I heard about Bean. The unlovable dog has found a home. Congrats.”

“He was lovable. He was very lovable.” I pivoted toward my car, regretting stopping Chad at all.

“See you,” he said.

I lifted my hand in a wave.

Rule:Never date anyone who blames their mistakes on someone else.

For once in my life my dad wasn’t predictable, because when I got home, he was already there, two hours earlier than normal. And sitting beside him on the couch was Zoey. They both looked at me when I walked in.

I sighed. I didn’t want to do this right now. My emotions were already spent.

I started to walk by them, when our dad said, “Wren, please sit with us. Zoey wants to apologize.”

It wasn’t until I sat down on the love seat across from them that I noticed Zoey’s eyes were red and shiny.

Dad looked expectantly at Zoey.

“Please don’t sayI told you so,” Zoey said. Her voice cracked with the words.

“Seriously?” I asked. “Why do you keep accusing me of that? When’s the last time I said it? When I was ten?”

“It’s your eyes, Wren. They say it all the time.”

“Is this an apology?” I asked. “Because it feels more like an attack.” An undeserved one, in my opinion.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, you’re right. I’m not doing a good job. I acted terribly at the party. I said things because I was hurt that Mom had left. I wanted to blame you so I didn’t have to see how she really is.”

“I wasn’toverjoyedwith how she was living,” I said, using the word that Zoey had accused me with. “I saw you were surprised and upset and was trying to make you feel better.”

“I know. I was terrible.”

“When Mom came back did she tell you it wasn’t me that made her leave? That I said nothing?”

“She didn’t come back,” Zoey said, softly.

I blinked. EvenIhadn’t predicted that. “She didn’t come back?”