Page 85 of The One Night Dash
Fuccckkk.
“Tell me now, Dash!”
I shake my head.
“Then leave! Leave and?—”
“Leon is …” Words get stuck in my throat.
“Is what?” she yells.
I fist my hair and look at the ground. “He’s my uncle.”
“What?” she says, voice no longer angry. It’s … fucking shattered.
“Rick, Dad, Leon, and their other brother, Timothy, best friends growing up and?—”
“I can’t do this. I —”
“They were all together when he died, Noelle. Rick left because …” I shake my head, not wanting this to be about me or my shit. The girl I love was fucking raped by my biological family. “He just couldn’t stay … for reasons. Leon left, too. I didn’t even know where I knew him from … that town.” I shake my head. “I knew there was a connection. What I didn’t expect was that the little fuck who used to taunt me was the same piece of shit that hurt you, and I certainly didn’t know he hurt you.” I hold my hand over my stomach. “I’m so fucking sorry, Noelle. And I understand why you want me to leave, but you have to understand that I can’t leave you alone, especially not like this. Let me call Nalani. Let Sofie come over. Claudia.”
“How?” Her voice cracks. “How did this happen? My God, how did I not see you two look?—”
God, that cuts so fucking deep. I am bleeding, but of course. Of fucking course.
“Leon, that whole family, changed their last name, a fresh start after …” I shrug as opposed to even appearing to make this about my father’s death. It’s not about either death; it’s about Noelle. “Can I please call someone for you? Please, Noelle.”
“No,” she says with quivering lips. “No, I don’t want to talk to anyone. I just want to sleep.”
“Don’t make me leave.”
“How could I ask you to stay?”
TWENTY-ONE
NOELLE
I can’t even beginto process all of what just happened, except that I hurt him. I hurt Dash so deeply I could see it on his face, like I’d taken a knife to him. My words weren’t meant to cut, but to protect myself. And yet, they did.
The silence after he left is heavy, pressing down on my chest, suffocating, until my phone explodes in a flurry of dings, the group chat lighting up like fireworks. Nalani, Sofie, and Claudia; my girls are relentless.
Nalani
Okay, spill. Why are you all over social media right now and your besties are still clueless!
Sofie
We’ve seen the pictures. The videos. You two are literally the ship of the season.
Claudia
Tell us EVERYTHING.
Photo after photo floods in.
Photo one: Dash and I at Lauren’s wedding, his arm slung around my shoulders, my head tipped back mid-laugh. He’s ina suit that looks like it was made for him, jaw shadowed, eyes crinkled in amusement.
Nalani
