❝ I genuinely thought the worst of this nightmare was over ❞
Halle Brewster told a lie, and the secrets kept growing. After slaying one stalker, another reared its nasty head, and Halle was starting to wonder if she'd ever be free from the friendshi...
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The mention of the dated, mental facility had Halle spinning all night. Even on her high from a more than successful school musical and the elevated celebration at The Grille that her parents had thrown for her, Halle had been consumed over Radley — and Aria — ever since last night. She had turned to bugging her mother about it on the journey home and all morning, even as her grandmother slept on the home office's couch-come-bed.
"Why are you asking me about Radley?"
"Better question right here," Halle claimed, hand up patronisingly. Her eyes were pinned intensely on Luisa Brewster as she prepared breakfast for her own mother and carer. "Why didn't you tell me 'bout it?"
"Why would I tell you about Radley?" Luisa asked her, near to sighing every time she opened her mouth.
"'Cos nana was there," Halle said like it was blatantly obvious.
"Why would I tell you about that?" Luisa dismissed her, "It was almost twenty-seven years ago, Halle, it's not current events."
"It's Radley," Halle said strongly, arguing over the kitchen island at her mother. "I can think a good few reasons to tell me."
Luisa shot her an incredulous look. "Like what?"
"Uh, I don't know," Halle began sardonically, ready to launch into a rant. "Maybe 'cos Mona was sent there after she bullied me for the whole of junior year? Or maybe 'cos Spencer went there not four weeks ago. Oh, and—" her eyes grew wide with her final point, "here's the real kicker — I have bipolar too."
"You have different types," stated Luisa, although she knew how tedious that answer was — and how severe her daughter's reaction would be.
Halle sucked her teeth at that. "Oh, so it don't count, that's what you're saying?"
"What I'm saying is—" Luisa exhaled forcibly and put down the knife she had been using for chopping strawberries, "it would've scared you," she said fairly. "You just got your diagnosis, you were already nervous about it, and you wanted me to tell you about Radley? No," Luisa said, shaking her head. "Absolutely not. Radley can be a scary place to hang over somebody's head. It would've scared you," she repeated. "I know it scared me when I was your age."
"What about Spencer was there?" Halle tossed back. "She's one of my best friends, Mom. You're friends with her mom and it never came up?"
"It came up when I spoke to Veronica, but not you," Luisa informed factually.
Betrayal hit Halle in the chest. "So, Mrs Hastings knew?"
