Page 117 of My Favorite Secret
No. It’s not true. I refuse to believe Josh. He doesn’t know Felix like I do. But it’s clear I won’t get any more information from him. “Where’s Tyler? I need to speak with him.”
As soon as I ask the question, the front door bangs open and Tyler rushes to my side. Torment lives within his eyes. He looks disheveled, as if he too hasn’t had a moment of sleep.
“Your dad says Felix has left?—”
“I know.” Tyler pulls me to his chest, wrapping me tight in his arms. “It’s okay, Harper,” he whispers. “Everything is going to be okay. I promise.”
“Is what he said true?” I pull back to meet Tyler’s gaze.
He looks at his dad instead of me. Something foreignlives within Tyler’s eyes. A mixture of hate, resentment, and even fear. “Yes, Harper. It’s true. Felix is gone.”
I’m shaking. Tears flood my eyes and I can barely breathe.
“Dad, I’ll take it from here. You should get back to the city.”
Josh sits in the driver’s seat, with one parting comment before closing the door. “Harper, I’m truly sorry my son’s behavior has hurt you.”
I watch as he drives off, feeling broken. But most of all, confused.
The moment he’s out of sight, Tyler kisses my forehead and whispers, “Baby, I promise you, everything will be all right. I was listening in to your conversation with my dad. He fed me the same shit earlier. I don’t believe any of it.”
My gaze whips up to Tyler’s. I wipe the tears away. “I knew it was a lie too. His story doesn’t add up. But why would he lie?”
“I don’t know.”
“Your dad said the fight became physical. What if he hurt Felix worse than he’s leading us to believe? We need to call the hospitals.”
“I… Uh…” He sighs. “I suppose it’s possible. But I don’t believe my father would harm Felix.”
“I’m desperate, Tyler. I need to find him.”
“Harper.” There’s something conflicted in his eyes as he contemplates the situation. He’s hurting and confused too. “I’ve been up all night thinking about this. You and I know Felix better than anyone else does. If he’s leaving us for a while, I trust that heneedsto leave for a good reason, not because he wants to. I’ve even contemplated whether my father is lying in an attempt to help Felix. It wouldn’t bethe first time.”
It’s not the answer I was expecting. Tyler is trying to ease my panic, but his efforts backfire and I’m suddenly frantic.
“Do you think Felix is in trouble?” My mind is chaos as I pace the driveway, running through a list of scenarios. Theo enters my thoughts and my panic spirals. “Could it be something to do with Theo and eclipse? Could the police be involved? I was always so scared of this happening.”
“Baby, calm down. Please.”
“I can’t calm down! How can you be so rational about this? Where were you when the fight happened?”
“It was late last night. I was searching for you and Felix at the party. By the time I found you in bed, Felix was already gone. My father told me what happened. I didn’t sleep at all, too busy contemplating everything. I’m panicked but I’m trying to be logical.”
Tyler grabs my hands, forcing my pacing to stop. He cups my jaw, gently hushing me.
“Listen to me, Harper. Felix knows how to take care of himself. I don’t know what’s going on with my brother. But I trust him. Felix loves you more than anything and he’s coming back to us. He’ll be back as soon as he can.”
I take a deep breath and nod, wanting to believe Tyler. But instinct tells me something is terribly wrong.
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
FELIX
The moment the cops hand me over to Westbridge, I realize this place is more like an asylum than a school.
Everything is sterile white—the walls, the floors, even the uniform I’ve been forced to change into. The air reeks of disinfectant, like they’re trying to scrub the place clean of whatever got its students sent here. We’re not allowed personal items. They shaved my head. Barbed wire fences cage us in. There are guards on duty, which means I must be here with some real degenerates. There’s nothing around Westbridge for miles. All I know is I’m somewhere in Oregon.
Fuck my fucking father for sending me here.
