“When we met, she told me about Ari having a very close male friend that seemed like more than a platonic relationship. She had me convinced she was worried for you because of your upcoming NFL status. Over the next few months, she kept me up to date on your relationship and started to send me pictures of Ari with another man. Then she convinced me that I should transfer. I had just found out Mitch was cheating on me so it was a great idea. The two weeks leading up to my trip in March for Spring Break, she said things were bad and came up with the plan to approach Ari and tell her to get away from you. She told me Ari came from a poor area and was purposely going to trap you by getting pregnant. She overheard Ari telling her best friend. I was so mad, Reed, I wanted to approach her alone and tell her what a shitty person she was, but Alex gathered a few friends and told me where to meet her. I wasn’t exactly sure what we were going to say, but I played along. Then when you couldn’t find her, I knew she was with her other boyfriend so I tried to comfort you.”
“Fucking bitch.” Luke hisses beside me.
“Who are you? How dare you say that about me!”
“His name is Luke Adams and he’s Ari’s best friend. He has been since they were kids. He’s also the guy in the pictures you supposedly received. Don’t you recognize him?”
“No, I never saw his face fully,” she whispers. “But still are you going to let him call me a bitch?”
“He wasn’t talking about you, he was referring to Alex. He has more respect for me and mom to call you out like that. But I don’t—you are a bitch. A spoiled, selfish, conniving bitch just like Alex Moore. Let me tell you a few things. Ari wasn’t some fly by night college hook-up. She was so much more to me. Our lives were practically planned out as soon as I got signed. She was coming with me. You had no fucking right to listen to anything anyone told you about my relationship. If you were so concerned, why didn’t you talk to Jack or mom—or I don’t know—ME? I told you for years to be careful of being manipulated. You were always soft and we tried to support you at every turn.
“Were you even upset about Mitch? That’s how you convinced me to let you visit in the first place. Was that a lie too?”
She sucks in a breath and nods her head.
“Oh, Cara, what’s the matter with you? How did you get so turned around that you would hurt your own brother? Don’t you know what you’ve done? There’s a little boy down the hall that just met his dad six weeks ago partly because of you.” My mom cries.
“One more thing, did you put the note in my gym bag that day?”
“What note?”
“The note that was signed by Ari stating we were breaking up?”
“No, I swear, I didn’t know anything about a note. I just knew that I was supposed to help scare her off and then try to get your mind off her. “
For some reason, I believe her.
“Reed, I am so sorry, I had no idea she was pregnant nor that she was so important to you. I would have never kept your baby from you.”
“Fucking funny to hear seeing as you did.”
“What happens now?”
“What happens is you get your ass out of my place. Don’t know where you spend the night; maybe call your good friend Alex to see if she can get you. I’m going to Ari and hold her close until she stops trembling, thinking my fucking college girlfriend just showed up. Then when she’ll listen to me, I explain my own flesh and blood is responsible for the last four years of pain for both of us.”
“You can’t just put me out, where will I go?”
“Right now, don’t care. Just get the fuck out.” I don’t look at her again but go straight to Ari.
“This is terrible, Reed. How could this happen?” Ari asks me through her tears.
“I’m not sure, babe. I feel like there are pieces of the story missing, but I was too upset to stand around and drag the shit out of her. I am so, so sorry, Ari. You have to know how bad I feel.”
“I don’t blame you. I can’t understand it, but I don’t blame you.”
“I need you to believe in us, Ari. Don’t shut down now. When we get to the bottom of this, we do it together. There’s no turning back.”
“Okay, Reed, but are you okay?” She hugs my side tightly with her head on my chest.