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Back When We Were Bright and Beautiful Save as PDF
Chapters (72)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. Part One
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. Part Two
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. Part Three
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. Epilogue
  68. Author’s Note
  69. Acknowledgments
  70. About the Author
  71. Also by Jillian Medoff
  72. About the Publisher

“In some ways. They’re both needy. Cassie is a lot more independent but a lot more self-destructive. Still, I never knew a time without her. Cassie has always been larger than life. The best big sister, hilarious, fearless.” Billy’s voice cracks. “She looked after me, stood up for me.” He starts to cry. “She and Nate were my best friends.”

I’m crying too. Beside me, Nate is sniffling.

DeFiore allows my brother to compose himself then repeats his earlier question. “So, when Diana told you she saw Cassie and your father kissing, what was your reaction?”

“I felt sick.”

“Angry too?”

“Yes, but not at Diana. At myself. I’ve always been angry at myself. I used to think it was because I stuttered. But it’s really because I didn’t protect my sister. From my dad, I mean.”

On the other side of Eleanor, Lawrence starts coughing, then choking. “Excuse me,” he says to no one. “Pardon me.”

“In his testimony, your father said that he wasn’t kissing your sister; that, in fact, it was the other way around. Your sister was the aggressor. Is this true?”

Billy looks at Lawrence. “No,” he says with finality. Then he looks at me. For a second, we’re alone, but DeFiore’s voice breaks in and my brother turns away.

“Are you saying his testimony was untruthful?”

“I don’t know,” Billy answers. “He must believe it, on some level.”

“What else happened after Diana told you what she saw?”

“My worldview cracked. Over Christmas, I saw my dad with C-c-c-c-cassie through different eyes. It was like a hallucination, but I knew it was real. I started replaying all the times I should’ve spoken up but didn’t. Never, not once. She’s my sister. I should’ve helped her.” Billy starts to cry again. He takes a minute to compose himself. “So, like I said, when Diana told me, I was angry. But not at her for pointing it out. I was furious with myself.”

I’ve heard enough. I’m sure my brother believes this; it may even be true. But I’m equally sure he was furious with Diana and wanted her to pay. So, as Billy describes all the ways she tried to seduce him and all the ways he tried to fend her off (until, of course, he couldn’t), Nate and I resume our game. “Your go,” I whisper. I point to the page. W I L L B I L L Y Q U I N N G E T O F F?

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