Chapter 10 — Lies We Tell Strangers

At school, someone asked if we were dating.

I laughed. "He's like my brother."

Chase overheard.

He didn't say anything at first. But that night, he didn't come home.

When he finally did, it was past midnight. His eyes were bloodshot.

"Where were you?" I asked.

He stared at me. "Do you really think I'm your brother?"

I opened my mouth. Closed it again.

"Thought so," he said.

Then walked past me without another word.

I stood in the hallway alone, wondering why the word brother suddenly felt like a blade.