Dear Diary

20. RISING SUSPICION

J E R O M E

"I thought your mom passed away," I say, confused.

"She wasn't my real mom," he explains. "I mean, I considered her my mother but that was before I found out the truth."

"What truth?"

"That neither of the people I thought were my parents all my life, are really my parents. John isn't my biological father. I was adopted. When I found that out and deduced where Diana lived, I went looking for her to get answers. She was staying in an apartment in a different town and was excited to see me. The only problem is she doesn't know my biological father. It was a one night stand. She doesn't even remember his name."

"What you said about being back home halfway through summer—"

"Was the truth," he says. "I wasn't lying when I said I didn't get out much. Diana decided to move back here, and most of my time was spent with her. I was happy with her. Then school was back in session and I came back to stay with Dad—John, I mean. He didn't care that I was gone. Didn't even ask where I went."

A plethora of questions swim around in my head, like how he found out he was adopted and how he located Diana, or even what town he'd gone to. But one question trumps all. "Wait, so you've been using us? Did Diana tell you to get in good graces with me and my friends so you could spy?"

"It's complicated."

"Is it complicated or are you just lying?"

"I'm not!"

I step closer to him, right up to his face, to which he takes a step back. "I swear to you, Chace, if you told her anything that makes us look bad . . ."

He raises his hands defensively. "I didn't want to. I told her that. But I had no one, Rome. She knows how Dad treats me. She knows Sidney threatened me, and I lost you because of it. So, when Sidney was killed and she needed someone to get insider knowledge on her friends, I did it. I owed her. You have to understand."

"Your mother made you do this because you 'owed' her?"

"She didn't make me; she asked. I was free to make the decision."

"She shouldn't have asked in the first place, you don't owe her shit! She's the one that failed you, not the other way around. So what if she let you stay with her for a while?" The more I talk, the angrier I grow. Angry at Chace, sure, but also angry at Diana for even putting him in that predicament. It's scummy and manipulative on her part, but either way, Chace went through with it, and God, I feel betrayed more than anything.

Chace's eyes are glossy. "I'm sorry."

"I don't want your apology. Just leave me and my friends alone."

"Rome—"

"I thought you wanted us to be good again, but it was all for her."

"That's not true. She doesn't know much," he says, grasping for anything to placate me. "I never told her anything incriminating. As far as she knows you're a bunch of grieving friends, nothing else."

"How am I supposed to believe you?"

"Look me in the eye and tell me if I'm lying to you."

"That's not gonna work, not when you've been deceitful from the get-go," I say, turning to go back to my car.

***

Tuesday, October 8th

S A M A R A