“I know. She was drunk,” Amy said. She didn’t want to hear this story again—the story of the drunken woman who wandered into the road as Nick swerved and hit her, killing her.

“Yes, she was. And this saved his life—saved us. Amy, Nick was also drunk.”

“What?”

“I made sure the police didn’t test him. I told them he was the only sober one and that’s why he was driving. I told them he didn’t even . . . drink.”

“Oh, God.”

“We were all out celebrating our final night. We couldn’t wait to get home. Nick couldn’t wait to get home to you. I spent the entire three months trying to prove to him that we—he and I—were right for each other, but I don’t think he even noticed that I was there. Amy this, Amy that. Until finally, you never answered the telegrams. Then, until three months ago, I never had to listen to Amy this and Amy that again.”

“I’m . . . sorry.”

“No, I didn’t come here for your apology. I came to tell you the whole story so you would know the truth. If you make decisions on half-truths, they aren’t real decisions, are they? I found that out the hard way. Nick decided to be with me, love me, only after he thought you were gone. But he based that decision on a half-truth . . . well, not even half. And look where I am now. Amy, I saved him. I did. He would still be in that jail for vehicular homicide. He would still be there.”

“You hid the truth for him.”

“Yes. I made a bigger deal out of his injuries . . . steering the police away from the fact that he was . . . slammed. Luckily for him, his leg was fractured, his ribs broken, and while they were busy making sure those injuries weren’t life-threatening, while they were getting X-rays and trying to save the other woman’s life, I made sure they knew he was sober, the good guy, the designated driver.”

“Everyone else knew, though.”

“We all swore our silence. The school and Mr. Rivera all thought the best option was to tell anyone who asked that he and I had decided to stay . . . to work for the preserve. It was our last class credit anyway . . . so we both graduated. Nick graduated in jail.”

Eliza stood, then sat again. “Did he tell you he was drunk that night? Or did he just tell you the other woman was?”

Amy closed her eyes. “No, he just said that you saved him by bringing in a lawyer from the States who was able to work with the lawyer in Costa Rica and track down this woman’s companion that night.”