Page 137

Today was the first time the chat’s been used since then, and I jumped at the chance to be face to face with her.

I didn’t have another choice, really.

Amelia mouths over to her, something about that chat. Autumn’s head falls into her hands and she sighs. I choose to ignore it, taking a seat at my usual spot, right across from her.

“This smells delicious, Ames.”

She nods in thanks, but it’s unsure. She’s done a lot wrong by Autumn, and wants to make sure she’s playing her cards right. She wants her to know who’s side she’s on, whose she’ll always choose.

The tension is so thick, I could drown in it. Everyone’s quiet, everyone’s uncomfortable. It really makes me feel like I ruined what was a perfectly fine night a few seconds ago.

I don’t want that to be true. I had no intention of ruining anything when I decided to be here.

“I don’t want any drama right now,” Autumn finally looks up to tell me.

“Neither do I.”

“Then why are you here?”

I’m silent for a few seconds, thinking through the least dramatic way to answer the question.

It must be a few seconds too many, because Miles clears his throat.

I watch as she turns to him, they make eye contact, and her face softens. He’s always had that effect on her, but so did I. For all the years she didn’t have him, it was me and Vic that helped her let her guard down.

“I think you should leave, Reya. I’m not ready to talk about it. I just want to have a nice, relaxing night.” Her voice is kinder, but it doesn’t ease the blow.

I scoff.

“You’re not ready.”

A quick shake of her head.

“When will you be ready? Just so I have a general idea of when you’ll start responding to my messages.”

“I don’t know,” she says.

The rest of the table is quiet, trying their hardest to pretend this isn’t interesting them. It doesn’t work, I know everyone loves an argument when they’re not a part of it.

It’s actually kind of pissing me off.

Maybe they should be a part of it.

“For all the shit you’ve been through with the rest of the people in this room, you didn’t feel the need to punish any of them. Why me? Why your best friend?”

“I’m not–”

“I forgot to exclude Sam, of course.” I wink at the man himself. “But the rest of them? You’d rather have a little dinner and chat with the guy who cheated on you, and the woman who implied for months that you were going to ruin her family? That you weren’t good enough for them? Do you remember all of that, because I can’t forget it.”

Amelia gasps.

“Dude,” Justin whispers. He sounds offended, but I’m not wrong. He should be offended. Offended by the reminder of what a shitty person he can be.

“Reya.” It’s Miles that says my name in warning. So protective.

“Have I not suffered enough? What, do you need something bad to happen to me so you can tell yourself that karma did its thing? You can’t just avoid every inconvenient thing that comes your way. Some of them,” I point to my chest, “won’t let you. I’msorry, Autumn. I hid something huge from you, I made stupid assumptions. It wasn’t okay, but I can’t go back in time and take any of it back.”

Her eyes squeeze shut as she blows out a sharp breath.