Kaitlyn huffs but doesn’t make any move to get in her car and drive away. “Yes. She can’t come back until the end of the week, though—some paperwork thing.”

“Good. And Ryan?”

“Ryan was arrested, like, two hours after I got home last night. I think he’s been charged and let out on bail, but he’ll have a hearing. My mom thinks he’ll have to do court mandated community service and anger management or intimate partner violence counseling or something.”

He deserves it for what he’s done to her, and knowing she’s getting justice makes me happy. “I’m glad. I deleted the video I took of you, by the way.”

She shrugs like she couldn’t care either way. “Whatever. My coffee’s getting cold,” she glances at the hardware store supplies I’m holding. “And I don’t really care to get mixed up in whatever you have going on right now, so bye.”

She gets in her car and I let her go. It was weird, having an almost normal conversation with her, like two mature people, instead of trading insults. I’m also glad that I had the chance to catch her before the plan with Tony, in case it doesn’t work out and I’m not the one who walks away from it. Even though I can’t personally make things right with Annalisa, at least she’ll know I didn’t betray her for Kaitlyn. But for now, I clear my mind of all those thoughts. Right now, I need to focus on the task at hand, on confronting Tony and not letting my friends die because of me.

27

Mom’s flight left at one today, leaving me alone for an hour before my phone rings. It’s a gut feeling I have as soon I hear my ringtone. I know it’s him. There were a few other random calls from kids who saw my number and wanted to prank me with stupid stuff, but I know it’s Tony as soon as I see the undisclosed number flash on my screen.

Sharp shivers run down my spine as I force myself to bring the phone to my ear, to answer it. “Hello?” My voice sounds weak even to me.

“This was dumb of you.”

I’m too shocked to say anything. I wasn’t expecting him. The sound of his voice makes my skin crawl, and I force the memories not to come back to me. I don’t say anything to his statement because I can’t even disagree with him.

“Why are you calling me? How did you get a cell phone in jail?”

Andrew chuckles humorlessly. “Dumb girl. I’m out on bail. It wasn’t cheap, and it’s house arrest, but that’s the system for you.”

How did we not know Andrew was out on bail? I feel like that’s something Aiden should’ve been notified about. To Andrew, I don’t say anything, instead letting Aiden’s biological father say his piece. I was expecting something to happen from posting online, but not this.

“I always knew something was off about you, Amelia.” He emphasizes my name. He knows the truth. “I even hinted that to Aiden. Before you screwed everything up for me, I had my investigators look into you, and we were all shocked when we found you didn’t exist before this year. No school photos, report cards, hospital visits, social insurance number, nothing.”