TMI by Patty Blount Page A

awesome, Chase! We met during a Call of Duty match. We’ve been talking video games, texting, and chatting. He’s really into programming and sent me some ideas for new levels and said he’d show me how to use a game engine. Oh, and he grew up on a ranch—like a real ranch with horses and cattle and stuff.”
    â€œHe sounds too good to be true.”
    Bailey’s spine straightened. “You too, huh? I should have seen that coming. I mean, obviously, you’d take Meg’s side.” She shook her head and pressed her mouth into a tight line.
    â€œBailey, I’m not taking sides here. I’m just stating facts. You didn’t go meet this guy, did you?”
    She avoided Chase’s gaze and merely shrugged.
    â€œBailey? Oh, tell me you’re smarter than that.”
    â€œI tried, okay? He’s busy with other things.”
    Chase brought both hands up to his hair, raked it back, and stared at her like it was the first time they’d met. “I can’t believe this.”
    â€œOh, my God, you sound just like Meg!” Bailey flung her hands up. “I’m a big girl, Chase. I don’t need you or her looking down on me because I finally found a guy who really likes me.”
    â€œYou hope.”
    Bailey wrinkled her brow. “Hope what?”
    â€œYou hope he’s actually a guy. Megan’s right. He could be some perv.”
    She shot him a long look and then merely nodded. “So I’m just some stupid little girl who can’t see a con unless her friend draws her a picture? Thanks. Thanks a lot.” She shoved back her chair and stalked off, ignoring Chase’s pleas to wait.
    She thought about hiding in the girls’ bathroom again but then decided that she had no reason to hide. She hadn’t done anything wrong. She spun the combination on her locker and flung open the door, swallowing a frustrated scream. Okay! So she wasn’t as smart as Meg or as athletic as Chase, but she had skills, skills that other people admired, people like Ryder. Just because they’d met online didn’t automatically mean he was a perverted ax murderer, and it didn’t mean she was a brainless airhead. She grabbed books without even looking at them and slammed the locker door. It wasn’t stupid to be Ryder’s friend. She stomped to her next class, ignoring the looks and whispers. What was stupid was everybody treating her like she still wore training pants. She was seventeen years old! Old enough to know who she shouldn’t trust, old enough to know who her dad was, and old enough to know why her mother had kept him a secret all these years. She ground her teeth together and made a promise. She’d not only keep talking to Ryder, but she’d meet him in person and track down her dad too. She didn’t care if that pissed off Meg and Chase and her mom.
    The only apologizing that would be done today would be to her.

Chapter 13
Meg
    The day finally ended. Meg boarded the bus without waiting for Bailey for the first time in years and folded herself into a seat all the way in the back. She drew her hood up and tried not to sob when the tears came. Someone took the seat beside her and she sighed. I’m always alone except when I need to be alone.
    â€œHere.” A cafeteria napkin appeared in front of her face, clutched in Chase’s hand. His eyes sparkled like gems in her blurry vision. “It’s clean, I swear.”
    â€œChase, I—”
    â€œDon’t talk, Megan. For once, just don’t talk and let me help, okay?”
    Jeez, if I want to talk, I’m damn well going to talk. Besides, she was only going to say—oh, hell. When all the color bled out of her anger, Meg nodded and slid further down her seat, propping her feet on the seat in front of her.
    â€œAw, what’s the matter, Meg? Lose your best friend?” Somebody mocked from across the aisle, and the rear of the bus exploded in