Page 94 of Edged
“That is the truth,” I said, shoving Frankie’s feet off the table and onto the floor.
“I’m sorry,” he choked, standing up and taking my water bottle with him. “I’m sorry, it’s just…”
“Do you remember when we were really young and we used to play Truth or Sucker Punch?” Mandy asked.
I grabbed the outside of my left arm, the memory of my older sister’s horrible game all too clear in my mind.
“That wasn’t a fair game. You were stronger,” I protested.
“And it taught you never to lie to me, but we quit playing.”
“We stopped playing because you got too cool to hang out with your little brother,” I said, letting my hand fall into my lap.
“I clearly shouldn’t have stopped because you’ve spent the past ten years lying to me which, by the original rules, means I should be able to beat you to death.” She cracked her knuckles like she was serious, and I worried that she might be.
“Come on, Mandy,” Frankie interrupted, flipping the half-empty water bottle and catching it around the base.
“I love you, Frankie. I think you’ve always been great for Owen, but this doesn’t involve you.”
“I’m his best friend,” he reminded her. “It does involve me because he involves me.”
“With all due respect—” she started but I cut her off before she could say something to Frankie that all of us would regret.
“I shouldn’t have lied to you,” I told her, and she tapped her fingernail against her thumbnail while I talked. “But I was doing the best I could at the age we were.”
“Your best was shit.”
“Your best wasn’t much better,” I snapped.
“His best has been dedicating his entire life to making sure you didn’t get hurt because of him,” Frankie interjected, leveling an accusatory finger at my sister. “He’s buried down everything he feels for that man because of you. He went to California for you, and he walked away from a man who fucking loves him because of you. I don’t know what else you want from him, Mandy.”
“I wanted the truth!”
“The truth is that I love him,” I said, stepping between my closest friend and my sister before she got a chance to revive the game that had kept me up afraid some nights. “I love him and I love you, and I don’t know what to do.”
“I love you.” She shoved me in the chest. “I just want you to be happy.”
“I don’t think I would be happy flaunting Archie around you, Mandy.”
“Then don’t flaunt him. It’s not…” She let out a frustrated breath. “Are you being deliberately stubborn?”
“Yes,” Frankie answered on my behalf.
“I need you to know that the weekend after Archie disappeared, I fucked Chad Walker.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
Frankie let loose another laugh, and I didn’t know who to look at first, her or him.
“I was at a summer kickoff party and I slept with Chad Walker.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I asked.
“Because it’s normal, Owen. It’s a normal reaction to lash out and then move on and get over shit. And Archie hurt me, but I’ve been over it for a very long time, and it doesn’t sound like you’re over it.”
“He’s not,” Frankie said.
I would have to deal with him later because it very much felt like my best friend was taking my sister’s side in something when I would have really expected him to have my back.
