Page 146 of Before We Were

I fumble with the pages, "I… uh, wanted Alfie's feedback first. Maybe you can read it after him?"

There's a flicker of hurt in his eyes—I used to share everything with him first. He brushes it off with a casual nod. "Sure, whenever you're ready."

At the beach with our frozen yogurt, Jake finally breaks the silence, frustration clear in his voice.

"I just don't get it. Why can't Nate and Dad be in the same room without going to war? There's Nate's side, Dad's side, and Mom, although she seems to only take Nate's side anyway. I'm stuck in the middle. It's exhausting."

The secrets Nate entrusted to me weigh heavy—secrets that could upend everything if Jake knew. I choose my words carefully. "Maybe Nate has his reasons. And your mom, too. Sometimes, people keep things to themselves because it's their way of protecting others and themselves."

Jake narrows his eyes. "Like how you didn't tell Ollie about what happened at school last summer?"

His question catches me off guard and I freeze. "How… how did you know about that?"

What he knows—or doesn't—suddenly feels like the most important mystery in the world.

He shrugs. "Your mom mentioned it. Said you were having trouble with some girls, and I noticed none of your friends came to the funeral."

The memory stings, but I push it down. "That's just your typical high school girls being girls. I don't really think about it."

It's all I think about.

Before I can suggest heading to another location, my phone buzzes with a message from Camilla.

Camilla

HAPPY FUCKING BIRTHDAY GIRLFRIEND!!!

What are you doing now?

Come to my place. We're all here swimming.

By we, I mean Marcus and Mia. Ollie's on his way (Mia invited him).

Nate's coming too.

Get your ass down here so I can squeeze you and wish you a proper happy birthday xxxx

Jake reads over my shoulder, and I feel his body tense as soon as he sees Nate's name.

He lets out a sigh. "You should go."

"You don't want to come?"

He shakes his head. "I told Mom I'd help her with something."

"You sure?"

He nods, forcing a smile. "Go. Enjoy the rest of your birthday, yeah?"

The momentI arrive at Camilla's, she throws her arms around me with enough force to nearly knock me backward. Her perfume surrounds me, sweet and slightly overpowering, just like her energy.

"Happy birthday!" she beams, holding my shoulders. "I am so excited you're here!"

I smile back, her enthusiasm infectious. "For such a tiny human, you have some serious strength."

"It's all the pilates I've started doing. Did Jake come with you?"

"No. He had to help his mom with something."

---