Page 78 of One Wrong Step
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jonah
Vivian waves me off as he talks to his dad. “What? No. Nothing’s going on. Things are great.”
I should walk away. Let Vivian have his privacy. This is none of my business. But I can’t. His father is a monster. And I can’t stand the thought of him hurting Vivian again. I follow behind him. Not quietly. I’m not trying to be sneaky. I want Vivian to know I’m here. He scowls at me, but then his focus is on his dad.
I’m not trying to listen in, but Mr. Beauchesne is practically yelling.
“What are you doing in Arizona?”
“Are you tracking me?” The outrage in Vivian’s voice gives me hope. Maybe he’ll stand up to his father.
I step closer.
“Of course I know where you are. I pay for your phone. Phones have GPS. But even if none of that were true, I could still find you. What were you thinking?”
Vivian doesn’t respond. I can still hear his dad talking, but I can’t make out the words. Vivian pales and his eyes dart to me. “I swear, it was nothing. We were just singing?—”
Singing? At the karaoke bar? How could he possibly know what we were doing? But I remember Vivian’s words from a few days ago. If it’s on the internet, he’ll find it. My stomach drops.
There’s more yelling, but I can’t make out the words. Vivian is cupping the phone away from me. Why is he protecting this guy? He lets out a frustrated noise. “I’m old enough to drink, Father. I’m an adult.”
“Then start fucking acting like it.”
That part is clear, and I’ve had enough of this guy. I take a step toward Vivian, but he puts up his hand to stop me. His eyes plead with me to let it go. I shake my head. He looks almost frantic. He mouths his next words. “Please go.”
What is he worried about?
And then it clicks, and it’s like a slap to the face. My defending him will lend weight to his dad’s suspicion that we’re together.
It shouldn’t hurt. Mr. Beauchesne can’t find out about us. It would be disastrous. I don’t blame Vivian at all. It just reinforces the fact that we can never really be together.
I should walk away and give Vivian his space.
He’s arguing with his dad, but he’s barely getting any words in other than “no” and “but.” Finally, he yells, “Okay, fine. You got me. I’m not going to California to check out UCLA.”
I can’t hear him anymore, but I know what his next question will be. Then why are you going?
“It’s a family trip. Mom and George…and Maisy. They’re here too.”
When Vivian gets another chance to talk, he sounds desperate. “I’m not lying. But I do have another reason—” His eyes dart to me for just a second.
Holy shit.I had it all wrong. Vivian wanting me to leave isn’t about his dad. He doesn’t want me to know why we’re really on this trip.
He shoots me another pleading look, but I cross my arms and wait. This is my only chance at the truth. I’m not leaving.
With a huff of annoyance, Vivian turns away. “I have a job opportunity. The job will be remote, but I have to interview in person.”
The world shatters around me. All of this was for a job interview? Why didn’t he say anything? But this is Vivian. He’s always been a master at lying.
Is any of it real?
Vivian lets out a broken laugh. “Don’t worry, Father. I’m not auditioning to be a singer.”
He goes quiet and says, “Yes, Father. I understand.”
I hate the submissive tone in his voice with every fiber of my being. Vivian submits to his father’s control, but it isn’t his choice.
