Chapter 0111

“Come on,” I say, pulling on Daniel’s sleeve and tugging him towards the back garden. “Let’s talk

somewhere quiet.”

Daniel anxiously follows me out the back door, looking behind us to see if anyone’s followed before

pulling the door shut. I sit down at the little table and wait for him to join me, my mind spinning as I try

to decide what to say and how to say it.

“So?” Daniel asks, sitting tense in the chair beside me.

“Um,” I say, looking down into my coffee. “Your dad knows that someone was in your room with you last

night. That you had a ‘midnight visitor.’ And you…well, that you weren’t playing scrabble with them.”

Daniel’s face is grave now and I see him curse under his breath as he looks away from me, his eyes

going unfocused as he quickly sorts through the consequences of this development. “But he doesn’t

know who?” Daniel asks quietly after a long pause.

“No,” I murmur, watching him closely.

Slowly, Daniel turns his head and looks back at me. “But you do.”

I bite my lip and raise my hands to play with my hair. Before I can touch the end of my red ponytail,

though, I realize what I’m doing and carefully fold my hands back in my lap. I just give Daniel one slow

nod.

“Damn it,” Daniel curses, breathing out a big breath and looking up at the sky.

I watch the variety of emotions cross his face – worry, fear, frustration, exhaustion - as he figures out

what he wants to do next. When he turns his face back to mine, I’m surprised to see that anger has

won out.

“You know you can’t tell anyone, right, Fay?” he demands. “That you will ruin my life if you do?”

My mouth falls open a little, shocked at the accusation behind his words. But then I snap my mouth

shut, realizing that I did consider doing just that a few minutes ago. But he doesn’t know that – and the

fact that he immediately distrusts me pisses me off.

“Daniel,” I snap, leaning forward in my chair. “I would never tell anyone a secret like that – one that

could get you and him in big trouble. I can’t believe that you would even think that I would!” I point my

hand to my chest now for emphasis. “I’m the one who dragged your father out of the hall last night

before he could look through your keyhole, before he could figure out who the hell you were in there

with –“

“Is that what you were doing, Fay?” Daniel hisses, leaning forward, suddenly furious with me but eager

to keep his voice low. “You were looking through my keyhole? Spying on me?”

I snap my mouth shut, glaring at him, realizing that of course he’s right. But still – Daniel has gotten

sloppy in these past few months. Why is it my job to keep cleaning up after him, keeping his secret

safe?