I think about telling him about Shannon. But I can’t be the one to crush him. His dad needs to do that. Can’t tell you now but promise we’ll talk soon

What is it?

Can’t say right now. Anyway Rex isn’t picking up. Called 100 times

A little much don’t u think?

But I need to talk to him

U need to stop calling

But I really need to talk to him

Trust . . . stop calling him & he’ll call u

Fine, I text, swing my feet around to the floor, and stand up, thinking about how good those blueberry scones are about to be.

U saw the video?

I sit back down. What video?

Nothing. Don’t worry about it

Tell me

It’s nothing

Come on, Cole, I text, feeling myself getting mad.

Somebody filmed Rex’s meltdown last night

What?

Yeah . . . already has over 200k views. A snippet even made ESPN.

Seriously??? Was it really that newsworthy?

U know ppl love the drama

U made up your mind about where u wanna stay? Gotta talk 2 the judge in a few days

Staying with Mom

Dang . . . still staying with Dad

A light somewhere inside me goes out. I thought we were going to stay together

Come live with Dad

I can’t

Well I can’t live with Mom

Why?

Why can’t u live with Dad?

If only he knew. I catch a picture of the man I formerly called Daddy on my wall beside this gold-foiled starfish I made. He’s in Galveston sitting in a beach chair with sunglasses and a hat on. The back of my legs got stung by a jellyfish that day, and Mom had to rub meat tenderizer on me to soothe my stings. If only my wounds had such a simple remedy now. Come on Cole is all I can think to write back.

Come on Carli

Seriously??? So we’re going to live in different houses and go to different schools? You know I’m only going to be here for one more year

Trust me . . . I know

I don’t have a comeback for that. Only tears.

After a couple minutes, he texts again. Sucks but everything will be okay

Why do people always say that? It’s, like, the biggest lie.

REX

When I go downstairs, the TV in the living room isn’t on and there’s a note on the kitchen counter from my father saying he got called in. On a Sunday, though? Couldn’t he have said no? Blamed it on the storm? I mean, he saw what went down yesterday. He knows today has to be rough.

Clearly that doesn’t matter to him, just like my game didn’t matter to Carli. I don’t know why I keep fooling myself into believing that anyone actually cares.