Endure

T W E N T Y - T H R E E

I turned to Sasha, lost for words.

Ben and Tom knitted their eyebrows at her.

However, she continued, "These photos were found in a very specific place that could get a certain person in trouble."

My heart dropped. "Sasha . . ."

"Our photos?" Tom asked.

Sasha nodded. "Yes."

My mind began to spin.

"Our photos were used to set someone up?" Tom repeated.

"You used our photos to set someone up," Sasha corrected.

"No!" I burst out, shaking my head as I glanced toward Ben and Tom. "There's no way."

"Maddie, don't you see what they're doing?" Sasha turned to me, desperation clear in her voice. "They're setting him up!"

"Setting who up? Gabe?" Tom asked, confused.

"He can't get in trouble now!" My heart pounded as my mind scrambled. There was so much more that needed to be said but none of it could actually be said without saying too much. My thoughts raced even faster. "There's no reason to."

"That's exactly the point of this whole set up! It gives him the perfect reason to get in trouble!" Sasha let out a dry laugh. "It's genius!"

"He's not!!" I shot back, throwing an arm out toward Tom.

"What does this have to do with our pictures?" Tom furrowed his brows, adjusting his cap.

"You never lost my pictures or had them stolen," Sasha told him. "You just used them to get someone else in trouble."

"No!" I shook my head. I couldn't process anything anymore. My mind went numb. "There's no way he could get in trouble now. He--he can't."

Tom darted his eyes from Sasha to me. "Who?"

"See? He doesn't even know what this is about!" I cried, holding my arm out to Tom. "If he did this, he would know--"

"Why are you taking his side?" Sasha spun around to face me, her face filled with anger.

I blinked at her. "I'm not. I--"

"Why are you taking his side after what he did to you?"

"Sasha," Ben said sternly.

"No!" she exclaimed, keeping her focus on me. "He already got away with what he did to you and now he's going to get away with this too?"

"That is completely different," I snapped at her.

"Is it?" Her eyes were hidden by her dark shades but the way her voice wavered was enough to form a lump in my throat.

I took in a shaky breath.

"How much are we going to let him get away with, Maddie??" she whispered, her focus staying on me.

"Let's go, Maine Coons!" More fans walked by, actually stopping this time as soon as they spotted Ben and Tom.

The girls appeared to be our age, clutching onto their phones as they stood by with giddy smiles.

Tom swore under his breath as he eyed them before turning to Sasha. "Can I borrow your glasses?" he kept his voice low.

Sasha kept her expression unreadable, not turning to him.

"Sasha, seriously. They want pictures and I can't take any like this." He pointed to his swollen lip.