Page 73 of Bitter Lies

“Why do you think so?” I ask, my thoughts all over the place after her casual comment. I mean, what?

Max isn’t gay, and he’s never so much as hinted at such a thing. I mean, I’d know—right?

Her mouth drops to a flat line. “Why? It’s the way he acts around him, totally into him. Too bad because Griffin clearly isn’t into boys.”

Turning blindly back to the screen, I play back every interaction I can remember between the two and vacillate between she’s fucking crazy and holy shit, my brother loves Griff. And sadly, I acknowledge, if it’s true, this won’t end any better for him than it did for me. We’re both screwed.

Slowly, I wake from a deep sleep, glancing around when I hear the telltale sound of a phone vibrating. Sliding from the bed beside which Miranda sleeps, I pull it from my bag.

It’s two in the morning, and I have four missed calls and three text messages from Griff, Max, and fuck…my mother.

Fumbling with the phone, I shoot a text back to both Max and Griffin, informing them I’m with a friend, before checking to see when my mother last called. Two hours ago. Why would she be calling me at midnight?

Before I can decide whether I should try calling her back, Griffin returns a text.

Griffin: You need to come home, now.

Halsey: Why?

Griffin: Because your mother is in the fucking living room freaking out

Shit. Dropping my phone, I pick up my bag hurriedly and slip from the room, mentally reminding myself to text Miranda tomorrow or something.

Griffin: Halsey!

Halsey: I’m on my way

Griffin: Where are you? I’ll pick you up

Halsey: No need

Griffin: Halsey…

Ignoring the warning tone, I can hear through the damn text message, I hustle across campus, arriving on our street twenty minutes later. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little freaked-out, but I refuse to entertain Griffin, and fuck if I’m not a little worried about why I’m being summoned home by mom, who should be hundreds of miles away right now.

The house is lit up, but for once, it’s not because of a party. With dread, I step through the front door, Griffin’s grim expression greeting me as he runs his eyes down my form before turning away with a frustrated look.

“Halsey! Where have you been?” my mom exclaims, rounding the corner and grabbing my shoulders before she, too, looks me over.

Rolling my eyes, I step back at the barrage. “I was at a friend’s house. What’s going on?”

“A friend’s? Hals, I’ve been trying you for hours.”

“Yeah, well, we were busy.” Ignoring Griffin’s searing glare, I turn to my mom, my chest clenching when Max steps into view with a heated stare. “Why are you here?”

“I spoke to your counselor,” Mom says with a grimace.

“And?” Did he say something that worried her? Does he think I need to go back to the hospital? Fuck.

“He spoke to me about your request,” she says, glancing at Griffin with wide disapproving eyes.

Oh…oh shit. “Mom, can we—”

“And just so you know, I’m disappointed in you. All of you,” she says, turning in a circle.

Max puts on his best confused, I-am-a-sweet-innocent-son expression which fades when she lays into Griffin next. “And you! I trusted you. I…don’t even know what to say.”

“What?” He glances between us anxiously, and the pit in my stomach burrows to a fucking crater.

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