Night of Secrets (Night of Secrets #1)

Chapter 4 - The Fallout

For the next few hours, I win a sandcastle building contest, learn how to do a cartwheel, and get roped into a game of ultimate frisbee with Jax and his friends. Aart and I are on separate teams of course. But even he loosens up towards me after a few rounds. And after I lose five times in a row, I opt out of playing the next one.

"Sore loser," Ty teases.

"I don't know how to fucking play," I argue. "And you guys didn't even really explain the rules to me."

"We did," Jax laughs, lightly hitting me in the head with the frisbee. "It just went over your head."

I cross my arms, leaning towards him. I stick my chin out. "Yeah because what the fuck even is ultimate frisbee, Jax?" He rolls his eyes, and I make a face at him before straightening. "Anyway, you guys keep playing. Come find me when you decide to play something that I'm actually good at."

"Sore loser," Ty repeats.

I flip him off. This gets the guys - including Aart - to laugh, and I leave on that good note. I head towards my things. The bonfire is completely up at this point, huh... I almost forgot about reading and burning the letters while I was hanging out with Jax and his friends. But now that I'm thinking about it and my friends are nowhere in sight, now might be as good a time as any to read the letters and then toss them in the fire.

I pull on my hoodie and shorts and kneel down to pick up my bag. I freeze, my breath catching in my throat. It's open. I don't remember opening it. I did, didn't I? I had to open it... I rip the bag the rest of the way open and rifle through it. My phone, wallet, and keys are still in here, but who the hell cares about that? Where are the letters?

I let out a breath when I see them. Thank, god. I take them out and count them... and do it again... and again... and again...

"... six... seven... eight..." I count under my breath. "One... two... three... four... five... six... seven... eight..."

Where's the ninth one?!

"Looking for this?"

My head snaps up, and my eyes zone in on the envelope in Faye's hand.

Shit...

I stuff the other letters back in my bag and scramble to my feet. Even with the fire and sun directly behind her, it's hard to read her expression. But I have a good guess...

"Faye," I breathe. "What are you--?"

"'I wonder why we were ever friends,'" she recites in answer.

Shit. Of course, she read her last letter - the worst letter - first.

Creases form on the letter, and despite the noise all around us - people laughing, sand scraping against feet, the fire crackling, and the tides - all I can hear is the letter crinkling. And all I can see is Faye's tense jaw and narrowed eyes.

"What the hell, Adeline?" she seethes.

"You..." I swallow, gesturing vaguely. "You went through my bag. You shouldn't have--"

"When we were fourteen, we agreed we could go through each other's bags if we ever needed anything." Did we? I don't remember that. But to be fair, I can't remember much of anything with all the static going through my head. "I needed sunblock, and you were always good about having some on you. But that's not what I found. Instead, I found letters to me, Dean, and Cyril - your friends - telling us how much you hate us."

I put my hands up, palms out. "I can explain."

Faye laughs. "Explain what? You shouldn't have written these in the first place!"