I can’t stop thinking about Maddie…and Luke.

I’ve been going over it in my head for hours—now that my emotions have simmered down long enough for me to think straight.

I keep coming back to the same thing over and over.

The look on Maddie’s face when she told me it was Luke. The way her eyes filled with pain, like she was hurting for me. She knew the truth would feel like a thunder punch. Even though she was battered and bruised, with every right to be enraged, she’s kept it to herself, trying to protect me.

And like an asshole I’ve spent the last two days ignoring her. I’ve punished her because I couldn’t deal.

As I watched her slump off the field after our loss, it hit me full force.

Luke loped over, bleating about how unfair our loss was. All I could hear out of his mouth was this immature whining. One excuse after another. He blamed Maddie for a shitty catching job, grumbled that Max was off form with her batting. He basically accused every team member of losing the game for us. Every team member but him and me.

Gripping the wheel, I slowly make my way to Luke’s house, pounded by the painful memories that come with this realization. When I think back over the last two years with Luke, it’s been tough. His dad bailing on them hit him really hard. I’ve tried to be supportive, ignore his surly moods in an attempt to cut him some slack.

But if Maddie’s right…

If he did hurt her…

I can’t let that slide.

As much as I want the world to keep spinning in this perfect circle, and for life to just cruise along like nothing at Armitage High can touch me, I can’t do it.

If Luke’s guilty, it’s up to me to confront him.

I’m his best friend and although I’d rather swallow broken glass than call him on this, I can’t keep turning my back.

Hiding from the truth doesn’t make it any less real.

Dad’s proof of that. He pretends like Mom’s not drinking herself to death, but it doesn’t change the fact that she is.

If Luke’s stealing, then he needs to stop.

I need to make him stop.

Smashing my teeth together, I turn on to his street and nearly choke on the scene that greets me when I reach his house.

Chloe leaps down the stairs, tripping over herself. Her face is white with fear as she scrambles back to her feet.

I glance at the porch just as Luke grabs Maddie and roughly hauls her back. Punching the brakes, I screech to a stop on his lawn and jump out of the car as he grabs her hand and tries to pry something out of it.

“Hey!” I shout, racing out of my car and sprinting towards him.

Fisting his shirt, I throw him off Maddie before she gets hurt.

She rolls aside and scrambles to her feet. Her skin is white, making the bruises on her face that much darker. I glance down at the ball of paper in her hand and quickly figure out it’s the buckle.

The evidence.

Luke was trying to take it.

Which means…

Anger spurts through me in a white rage that takes over. Spinning back to my friend, I grab his shirt, lifting him off his feet and smashing his back against the house.

“It was you!” I fire at him. “It’s been you this whole time!”

I slam my fist into his face, agony and wrath fighting for top place within me. I just punched my best friend—the guy who looked out for me. I thought he had my back, but he’s just spent senior year lying to my face.

Blood trickles from his nose and I let him go, puffing like a bull as I step away from him. “You will never touch her again, you hear me?”

He crumples to the ground, refusing to look up as he wipes the blood with his finger, smearing it across his cheek.

“What the fuck, man?” My voice is broken. “Why?”

Luke swallows, struggling to his feet and glaring at the front lawn. His face takes on a hard edge as he points a shaking finger at Chloe.

I turn and watch her fumble with her phone. She drops it and immediately falls to her knees, struggling to pick it up with her shaking hands.

“Chloe.” Maddie’s voice is eerily calm. “It’s okay. Just put the phone away for a sec. Holden’s here now. It’s all right.”

Maddie’s fingers curl into the back of my hoody. I can feel her quivering behind me.

My nostrils flare as I stare daggers at the guy who I so desperately tried to defend. “You better start talking.”

Luke’s jaw juts out, his entire body pulsing with rage.

Or maybe it’s fear.

His skin is pale, his hands trembling as he grips the railing, still refusing to look at me.

Blood continues to trickle from his nose. He sniffs and shakes his head, looking ready to cry.

Shit. He’s scared.

My expression crumples before I can stop it. “Why, man? Why’d you do it? Are you responsible for all of it? All the robberies?”

“I can’t, man.” Luke squeezes the back of his neck. “I can’t go down for this. I can’t…” His voice is shaking so hard he can barely speak.

My heart starts cracking like an earthquake is tearing through it.

“Help me,” he whispers. “Please, just don’t say anything. I’ll stop, okay? I won’t do it anymore. I promise.”

He’s like a desperate kid.

My throat constricts, making it impossible to speak.

Maddie tenses behind me.

Luke’s staring me in the eye, his expression wrinkled with desperate pleading. “Come on, man. Please.”

I grit my teeth and look away from him.

“You hit her. You hurt her.” I can’t keep the emotion from my voice. It’s thick and husky as I struggle to get the words out. “How could you do it?”

It kills me to know it was him.

Luke’s face bunches with agonized regret. “She caught me by surprise. I didn’t mean to. She’s feisty, you know? I thought I was busted for sure. I had to get out of there before she figured out who I was.”

I scoff and glance over my shoulder.

Maddie gives me a hard look, crossing her arms and shaking her head. “He may be desperate, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a thief and a liar. Now, I can forgive him, but we can’t let Vincent take the fall for his mistakes. It’s not fair.” Her bright gaze flicks to Luke. “I’m sorry, but I won’t stay silent anymore. You can’t just get away with this.”

She looks between us, desperation leaking into her expression.

She’s begging me to be real.

She’s begging for the bullshit to stop.

But she doesn’t have to. There’s no way I’m letting Luke walk free on this one. Not after what he did to her.

Turning back to my friend, I pin him with a glare that leaves no room for argument. “You’ve got to fix this.”

His expression folds, his eyes glassing over as he barely manages to whisper, “I can’t.”

“What do you mean you can’t?”

“The stuff’s been sold, moved on. It’s done. Come on, man, we all know Vincent’s a shady guy. He can take the fall, and it’ll be no big deal.”

“No, man. You can’t do that.”

“I needed the money!” he suddenly screams at me, smacking his hand on the railing. “You don’t know what it’s like. You, with your perfect parents and rich family. You can be anything you want. You can have any girl. You don’t have to fight for anything!”

“That’s not true.”

“Oh yeah? When’s the last time your dad took off with no warning? When’s the last time your father refused to pay child support so now your mom is working two jobs just to keep the fucking house!”

“Luke, man—”

“You don’t know shit!” His voice breaks. “I had to buy my own Jeep and pretend that it came from him! Every gift Lexy gets from that asshole? I paid for it. I made it happen!” He taps his chest. Breaths are punching out of him fast and erratic. “You don’t think I tried to get a job? I busted my butt working in that shitty diner for like no pay and I nearly flunked out of school last year. You breeze in and out in your fucking convertible, that sick smirk on your face. You don’t have to study to pass. All you have to worry about is what clothes to put on in the morning!”

“That is not true.” I point at him. “I’ve got problems too. I know what it’s like to feel desperate.”

“Oh bullshit!” He rushes at me again, but I push him back before he ends up knocking me into Maddie.

It hurts to fight with him like this. I shouldn’t have to defend myself against my best friend.

I duck away from his swing, pushing him back and wrestling him into a quick headlock before he can do some damage.

“Calm down.” I hold him a little tighter. “I want to help you.”

“Whatever, man.” He keeps struggling against me. “You can’t help me.”

“I will. I’ll help you make this right. But it’s got to start with the truth.”

Luke fights a little more so I tighten my grip, reminding him that I’m the stronger one, and I’m not relenting.

Finally, he sags. “The truth is gonna kill me.”

“Nah, man.” I let him go and step back while he flops to his knees. “It might suck for a while, but it’s gonna be okay. We’re gonna make it okay.”

“How?” he whines.

I crouch down beside him, and gently squeeze his shoulder. “It’ll start with a trip to the police station.”

He tenses, his molten gaze kind of potent.

I meet it head on. “You know it’s the best way. You walk in with a confession and they’re gonna go easier on you. Make it right, man. Then you can start over.”

“What about my family?” he croaks.

I put on a brave smile. “We’re gonna find a way to help them.”

Luke closes his eyes, his head drooping forward with what almost looks like relief.

Glancing over my shoulder, I catch Maddie’s eye. She gives me a sad smile, her face radiating with that empathy I love so much.

Man, I wish I could hold her right now. I wish after I’m done with Luke at the station that I could find her and draw strength from the comfort she’d no doubt give me.

I wish for a lot of things.

But I’m not gonna get them.

Standing tall, I haul Luke to his feet and guide him to my car, which is still running.

I walk him around to the passenger’s side and help him in before pausing to look at Maddie again. She slashes a tear off her cheek, her lips wobbling when she tries to smile.

Chloe’s watching us; I can feel it.

Sliding into the driver’s seat, I get on with the dreaded police visit. As I reverse onto the street, I glance at Luke’s dejected face.

My soul weighs a freaking ton right now.

I sure as hell hope that once we’ve done the right thing, I won’t feel like I’m crumbling beneath a weight I can’t bear.