The Summer Reunion (unedited version)

53| The Blame Game

It sounded like I was wearing earmuffs as everybody clapped around me. He couldn't have said that right. Izzie Sawyer is not how you pronounce Andie Turner.

Mr. Clearwater feigned excitement as he joined the rest of them in celebration, but I could see through it. He wasn't expecting her to win. He thought I would. He was expecting to pull out the envelope and see my name written. But somebody else wrote the name, and they picked her. He said he already put in his recommendation...the only person he would be giving a suggestion to would be his boss. Mr. Sawyer. Izzie's dad.

I never stood a chance. From the beginning it was always going to be her. All of the time I spent, all of the work I did. None of it would have mattered. Because I wasn't the boss's daughter.

I should be surprised that one of my best friends pulled the rug out from under me. Yet for some reason, I'm not. This is exactly something she would do. It's the same thing she always does. She butters you up with compliments and gifts until you naively go along with whatever she wants. I thought she had changed but she just got better at doing what she does. Instead of buying me things, she was giving me dresses from the "back of her closet ". Instead of blatant self-serving compliments, she was giving me pep talks. All summer long she acted like a better friend to me just so I wouldn't see this coming.

 And when all hope was lost, that's when she needed to use me the most. Her words from the hospital were clearer now, when I could see what was really going on. He'll believe someone responsible like you. Izzie knew she'd never have a chance at making things right with her dad after destroying his cabin. She needed me to apologize to Mr. Clearwater and convince him into clearing our names with Mr. Sawyer, who he called right after we spoke to him.

Izzie was up on the stage now, accepting the check and a small certificate. She didn't even look at me as she stood on the stage. I hurried to the door when she started thanking the crowd. I couldn't take any more of this. It was like every cell in my body was overheating with anger. I felt like I was burning.

I did every little thing she asked me to at the snap of her fingers! I took all of her shifts she bailed onto me, all of her orders, and for what? So she could steal something I earned? If it didn't go to me it should have went to someone else who worked for it. 

My anger carried me in a frenzy all the way back to the cabin. I slammed the door shut behind me.

"Woah Andie, you don't have to be so aggressive." Drew was lounging on the couch flipping through channels. Tosh was laying beside him, asleep.

"Drew for once in your life can you just be quiet?" I paced back and forth in the entryway. I was very energetic for someone who hadn't had any sleep in the last twenty-four hours. "Did you know about this?"

"About what? Oh, the money?" he shrugged with one shoulder, "Yeah." 

"So Izzie knew from the beginning she was going to win?"

I didn't think it was possible to be angrier than I had been when she won. I was wrong. 

"Yeah. Her dad came over to see my parents at their summer house and we talked about it. I didn't think you'd overreact so much." Drew's phone started ringing and he went to take it in the other room. "One sec."  

The door opened behind me and I moved further into the room until I was standing next to the tv. Grayson and Izzie walked in looking like they were finishing off a tense conversation.

"Andie I'm sorry I didn't tell yo-"

I held up my hand, "I don't want an apology from you. You're never actually sorry. In fact, I am always the one who has to apologize in this friendship. So I'm sorry Izzie. I'm sorry for every time I ever helped you out. For every time you took advantage of Grayson and I this summer so you could run off with your boyfriend."