Chapter 196


    Easton


    “I''m not going anywhere, Easton,’ Harper says in tears.


    “Tell me what''s going on right now.” Ilook down at ke, disgust pouring through my body.


    The urge is so strong to demolish his face that I have to look away before I do it.


    "Do you see that box on the ground?” I nod with my head since I''m now holding ke with both hands.


    "Look inside it.” Harper and Sadie leave the doorway toe closer, beth girls peering inside the box.


    “Spray paint?"


    Sadie says in shock.


    Harper wipes the tears that are dripping down her cheeks.


    "And cheerleader paint.” She then looks at ke and it''s that moment that I finally see the guilt in his


    eyes.


    The realization of how fucking badly he hurt my girl.


    “It was ... you?” She''s not using him.


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    Because she still doesn''t believe it.


    She''s asking him.


    I dare this motherfucker to lie to her.


    I dare him to make up some bullshit excuses, like he did when we found the spray paint in his car.


    “Harper...” he starts, his voice then fading out.


    "No."


    She shakes her head.


    “It can''t be you.


    It was Aisha, she''s the one who hates me, she''s the one who wants to take me down.” She wraps her


    arms around her stomach.


    “You''re my friend, ke ... you''ve been there for me. You''ve picked me up when I was falling apart.”


    She swallows, the tearsing down even faster.


    “You wouldn''t do this tome.


    ke is breathing so hard, but he''s silent, saying absolutely nothing as he stares at her.


    "Tell her, I growl, squeezing his neck even harder.


    “Tell her the fucking truth.” It takes several seconds before he responds.


    But when the motherfucker finally opens his mouth, the only thing thates out is, "I''m sorry.


    I''m so fucking sorry, Harper.” "No!"


    Harper shouts, her hands going to her face, and then into her hair.


    “No!” She copses on top of his bed, leaning between her legs, her cries filling the air.


    “I can''t believe you would do this to me.” Sadie is next to her,forting her.


    "I''ve trusted you, she wails.


    “I''ve always stood up for you.” When she finally looks up, rivers of tears are streaming down her


    cheeks.


    "Why? Why would you hurt me that way?” “Fuck,” ke replies and turns his head away from Harper.


    His response only fuels my anger.


    I know if I don''t stand up and walk away, I''m going to hurt him to the point where he''s not even able to


    respond.


    “You piece of shit” I roar and I get to my feet, clenching my fists together, pacing hisrge bedroom.


    "What the fuck are we going to do with him?"


    I ask Ryan.


    "We trusted this motherfucker and all he’s done is lie and betray us.” “lL can''t believe it wasn''t Aisha,’ I


    hear Harper sob in the background.


    “I can''t believe ke would do this to me.” “You know what''s so fucking funny?"


    Ryan says, releasing ke''s feet to stand over him.


    “When you were wasted at the party, the one where you were kissing my girl, you apologized to us.


    It happened after all the Sadie shit was worked out, after I somewhat forgave you.


    When Easton asked you what you were apologizing for, you didn''t answer.


    It was for this, wasn''t it?” Ryan looks like he''s about to explode.


    “The alcohol hit you and you were feeling like a fucking asshole for doing this to my sister and making


    out with my fucking girlfriend— something I no longer think was a mistake—and the guilt was too much


    for you to bear.” I remember that.


    I remember wondering what the fuck ke was saying sony for.


    And now it all makes sense.


    "Ryan, I''m going to fucking kill him.” I go to take a step toward ke and my best friend moves in front


    of me.


    “Easton ... you''ll go to fucking jail,” Ryan says.


    “That''s what will happen if you put a hand on him.


    He''ll tell his Mommy and Daddy and your ass will be behind bars.” “My father is the bestwyer in the


    state—"


    "Easton, Ryan is right,” Sadie says, cutting me off.


    “It doesnt matter how good your dad is, ke''s parents won''t stop until you''re punished.” Ilook at her,


    the way she''s rubbing circles over Harper''s back, and then at Ryan.


    "So, you''re telling me to just stand here and do nothing?” My fingers clench again.


    "Fuck that.” I storm out of the room and move into the hallway, the smell of the pizza and McDonald''s


    filling my nose as hurry down the long, narrow path that will eventually lead to the staircase.


    Before I get there, there''s a piece of art on the far wall of the sitting room that hangs above the TV.


    I grab it off the wall, lift my leg, and fucking bash the canvas across my knee, splitting it in two.


    When I have both pieces in my hands, I throw them.


    And then I take themp that''s on the table and I throw that, too, hearing the ss shatter as it


    crashes.


    How dare he do this to us.


    How dare he do this to Harper.


    Ryan is one of his best friends, doesn''t he realize he''s hurting him, too? Harper has done nothing to


    hurt him.


    She''s stood up for him.


    She''s supported him.


    And this is what she gets in return? Getting her reputation sted? Getting used of being a slut


    anda whore—usations that are so far from the truth.


    Getting her prom night almost fucking ruined because she couldn''t shake the WHORE from her head?


    She''s shed so many fucking tears over this, she’s had so many sleepless nights.


    All because of him.


    Amotherfucker we kept close, a motherfucker we didn''t push away because for some reason we


    trusted him.


    I should have listened to my gut.


    I should have forced Ryan to push him out of our circle the second we found that shit in the back of his


    car.


    I should have done more digging and maybe I could have prevented this.


    This is my fault.


    And somehow, I have to fix this.


    I go back into ke''s room.


    Harper and Sadie haven''t moved.


    Ryan is ring down at ke, his teeth grinding together, his fingers in fists.


    ke is now sitting on the floor, knees bent, looking guilty as hell.


    I stand in the doorway, not daring to get any closer, and I look that motherfucker in the eyes.


    "I don''t care if I go to jail. I don''t care if you never leave this room again—I don''t fucking care if you


    even live to see another day. The only thing I care about is the answer to this question.” I take a breath,


    trying to stop myself from charging forward and strangling him.


    "I need to know why. Why the fuck you did this to my girl.”