“Honey,” she cut me off. “We need you to come home now. We’ve got to talk about some things.” Her voice was calm but she had the tone—the one full of weight, of serious business. “Principal Tanner just got off the phone with your father.”

I bolted upright, all my muscles locking.

“He told him some things,” she continued. “We’re worried. Please, just get home soon, okay?”

“Be there in a few.” I ended the call, my hand shaking around the phone as I cut my eyes to Dean. “You told Tanner?”

I waited for him to deny it, but I knew it was true.

“You really were looking for me. The whole time.”

My entire body shook with the betrayal. The one person I’d trusted—after everything—had turned me over to the enemy. And he was the one chewing me out over this.

The blood drained from his face, his arms falling loose at his sides as he stepped toward me. “Amber, wait,” he said, reaching for me. “You don’t understand.”

Now I was the one jerking away from him—it didn’t matter that he finally sounded and looked like my Dean. The one I fell in love with. Like whatever rage had a hold of him had finally cleared.

“You sold me out,” I said, tears blurring my eyes. “I understand enough.” I reached for the knob and swung open the door. “So much for DC, huh?”

“Wait. Please,” he said, and I stopped in the entryway, glancing over my shoulder.

“Why?” I sniffled. “For you to shatter my heart completely?” He flinched. “No,” I said. “I think I’ll go while I can still breathe.” I slammed the door behind me and raced down the stairs, reaching my car in a matter of seconds.

I saw Dean fling open his front door as I reversed out of his driveway, and left him standing on his porch yelling after me.

…

Mom met me in the foyer the second I’d stepped through my front door. Her arms flung around me, holding me to her like she knew everything that had just gone down—but she had no idea.

She led me to the dining room table, where Dad sat, a crease between his brow as he took in my face—red and swollen from crying all the way home.

“Pumpkin,” he said. “Let’s talk.”

I sank into the chair, Mom’s hand still on my back as she sat next to me. Nodding, I rubbed my face, breathing deep.

“I’ll start at the beginning,” I said, my voice cracking. “For a challenge between me and…” I sniffled, unable to say his name. “I started a blog—”

“Ask Me Anything,” Mom cut me off and Dad nodded.

“Right, yeah,” I said. “Tanner told you.”

“Oh honey,” she said. “We knew long before he told us.”

“What?” I jolted. “How? When?”