Page 38 of Fault Line

“Yeah, I mean, he’s got a famous brother,” he points out. “And his videos are pretty public access.”

“But he hides his face.”

“That doesn’t matter when you’re covered in tattoos, does it? Everyone knows it’s him, Karras. I wasn’t trying to be that much of a jerk.” He gives me a tight-lipped smile. “I just didn’t realize it was a big deal.”

A rush of annoyance hits me at his dismissive attitude. “Yeah, well, he doesn’t like talking about it.”

“I didn’t know.”

“Now you do.” I steady myself, working to maintain my composure. “So, could you just drop it, please?”

“Fine, consider it dropped.” His voice softens, and he leans in a little closer. “You know, I figured you would’ve told your best friend about our hookup.”

My cheeks flush with heat. “You obviously don’t like him, and he’s not exactly fond of you, so why would I bring it up?”

He’s taken aback but doesn’t hesitate to respond. “It’s not that I have anything against him personally. I just don’t trust the guy.”

I raise a skeptical brow. “What does that even mean? You barely know him.”

“I know enough.”

“Like what?”

“I know that he got high, beat the shit out of his older brother, and nearly ruined his football career.”

I stop walking, my eyes narrowing in anger. “First of all, that’s a major exaggeration. And second, that was five years ago. Why are you keeping such close tabs on Elio’s business, anyway?”

“I’m not.” His expression shifts. “It’s just one of those stories that circulate around, like a cautionary tale. If you’re an athlete at Coastal, you’ve heard about it. That’s all.”

I cross my arms defensively. “Great, and how would you like it if one of your biggest mistakes was just spread all around campus?”

He rolls his eyes, clearly unimpressed. “It’s a little bit more than a mistake, Karras.”

I take a step forward, my voice rising in frustration. “Everything turned out how it was supposed to in the end. Luca’s wildly successful now, so it’s not like he caused any long-term damage anyway.”

He shakes his head, expression hardened. “Yeah, well, maybe if Elio had learned his lesson then, it would be a different story.”

My eyes widen. “What?”

“I mean, come on. It’s pretty obvious he’s still using.”

My jaw drops, heart pounding. “Why in the world would you think that?”

“I have eyes, Karras. I can see how strung out he is from one week to the next.”

“You don’t know anything about him.”

“Five years ago, he made a terrible error in judgment that affected someone else’s life.” His voice takes on a condescending tone. “And now he’s just coasting by, using you to get through his classes, while still getting high in the meantime.”

I pause to center myself, trying—but failing miserably—to keep my emotions in check. “You’re wrong.”

“Am I, though?”

His question hits me like a sucker punch to the gut. My emotions are in overdrive, and I’m struggling to compose myself. I take a deep breath, gather my thoughts, attempt to find a way to defend my best friend.

But as I think about it more, all of my doubts creep back in. I know firsthand how easy it is to slip into addiction. What Holden doesn’t know is that I’ve been there myself, and I also know how hard it can be to quit for good.

For me, Adderall’s the problem. I’d use it to push myself to the limit, to stay up all night studying for exams, and to get a leg up on my peers. Looking back now, I know it wasn’t the healthiest choice, but in the moment, it felt necessary.

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