“So was that a lie?”
Tyler said nothing.
I started forward.
Maddie lifted one hand slightly toward me.
I stopped.
This was hers.
“What hurt wasn’t that girl,” she said. “It wasn’t even finding out why you asked me.”
Tyler looked confused.
“It was what you did afterward.”
“I made sure you had a ride.”
“No. You made sure I became somebody else’s problem.”
“That’s not fair.”
“You knew I was sitting outside crying. You didn’t come after me. You didn’t apologize. You didn’t call my parents. You texted another boy to deal with me so you could go back to prom.”
“I knew you’d be safe with Eli.”
Maddie nodded slowly.
“That’s the problem.”
Tyler stared at her.
“You knew I’d be safe, so you decided you didn’t have to care.”
For the first time, Tyler had nothing ready to say.
His face changed.
“I’m sorry.”
Maddie nodded.
“I believe you.”
Hope flickered across his face.
“But I’m still done.”
He left a few seconds later.
That afternoon, I found Maddie in the laundry room putting Eli’s gray hoodie into the dryer.
“You don’t have to return it immediately,” I said.
“I know.”
I leaned against the doorway.
“Do you like him?”
