Page 162 of Lovers Like Us
“I’m the one who shared the video,” she says in a tearfulconfession.
The Hot Santavideo.
Beckett shakes his head repeatedly, arms outstretched. Like that’s not right. It can’t be his little sister, but she just admitted to it. Charlie softens his gaze onBeckett.
And then Jane motions for everyone to remain quiet, but Thatcher and Akara stand and pull out their phones. Texting the securityteam.
Donnelly barrels forward, face in hands. Yeah, his precious Cobalts fucked up. Guess what, they’re allhuman.
“I don’t understand, Audrey,” Jane says. “Why would you do that? You knew it wasprivate.”
“I didn’t intend for the press to have it,” she cries softly. “All I ever wanted was for Emma Rodwin to believe that Oscar existed. She said I was lying, and I’m not a liar.” She cries harder but still speaks clearly. “When Beckett sent the video in the group text, I only thought of what it’d feel like for Emma to know the truth. And I copied the video to a flash drive to share withher.”
Charlie says, “And Emma sent the video to thepress.”
Beckett relaxes. “You didn’t actually leak the video, Audrey. It was yourfriend.”
She sniffs. “I’m an adjacent party to this treachery, you have torealize.”
This is exactly why I’m fortunate to neverbe on a Cobalt family getaway. She just turned thirteen in January, and she speaks like she’s fifty. And this is justoneCobalt. When all seven are together, it’s an instant migraine. Stick me with the weirdo Hales any day. Fuck, I actually miss Luna rightnow.
“You didn’t,” Beckett says. “We can’t trust anyone but family and security. Lesson learned, and now you moveon.”
“I can’t,” she cries. “What if I feel like I’ve done the worst thing a person could everdo?”
“You haven’t murdered anyone,” Oscar notes, cutting into hischicken.
Audrey blubbers more apologies to Oscar, and most of us start to relax. It’s better that it’s Audrey and not someone from security. As much as I dislike Epsilon, I wouldn’t want them to hurt the families. But I wish the leaker and the stalker had been the sameperson.
Then I could’ve closed the book to the other one,too.
“I’m deeply, deeply sorry,” Audrey says with a hiccup. “To everyone, I’ve failed the family. I should bebanished.”
Beckett and Charliesmile.
“We won’t banish you until sunup,” Charlieteases.
“I’ll make all my amends before then.” She sniffs, soundingbetter.
“Have you told Mom and Dad?” Beckettasks.
Audrey sighs. “No…Mother and Father will be so disappointed. I couldn’t call anyone. I thought the cookies would do…but I should’ve called. I’m weak, so weak.” I imagine her throwing herself on her bed in a dramaticheap.
Half of us try not tolaugh.
“You’re not weak,” Maximoff says, eyeing the phone. “You’re aCobalt.”
“Toujours,” Charlie says, and I can translate that French word:always.
Audrey sniffs one lasttime.
“You have to tell Mom and Dad,” Jane urges. “Tonight. Wakethem.”
“Will you throw flowers at my funeral?” Audreyasks.
Jane begins to smile. “Only roses. And you,mine.”
“Of course, sister.” She exhales, the conversation between the Cobalt girls weird as shit and slightlyfascinating.
