Where the Truth Lies by Jessica Warman Page A

first week of school, his roommate—who also happened to be his best friend—almost beat another student to death with a baseball bat for allegedly raping a girl?”
    I shake my head. “What?”
    “Del’s roommate was his best friend,” my father says. “His name was … I don’t remember, Keith or Kevin or something like that. Kevin’s sister was on a date with another boy, and she accused him of raping her. So Kevin snuck into the boy’s room in the middle of the night with a metal bat and put the boy in a coma.”
    Del has always been gentle. I swallow. “So? What does that prove? You don’t know if Del had anything to do with it.”
    “Emily, they were seen leaving the dorm together that night, right after it happened. Who’s to say they didn’t both come up with the idea? Del was lucky not to get kicked out, or I couldn’t have done his father the favor of admitting him here.” My dad takes a deep breath. “Del is incredibly intelligent. He might be a nice boy, I don’t know. And I don’t know what the two of you have been up to with this special friendship of yours. But I am certain that he is not the boy for you. Emily, he is damaged . It might not be his fault, but it’s true.”
    Before I can say a word, my dad continues, his voice growing louder with every syllable. “And another thing. Let’s talk about that broken window in your room.”
    I give him my most innocent stare. I can’t believe the way I’m lying to my own father. “What about it? I told you, we woke up and found it that way.”
    “I find that very interesting, Emily. Because I was having a conversation with Digger shortly after it happened, and I don’t think you’re telling me the whole truth.”
    “Which Digger?” I bat my eyelashes.
    “You know damn well which Digger. The same Digger who saw you outside your dorm that night with Del. What happened? Did he throw something at your window to wake you up? I am telling you, Emily, you’re done with him. Case closed.”
    He sits back in his chair, taking a moment to let it all sink in. While we’re sitting there in silence, he takes the folder, places it back in the filing cabinet beside his desk, and locks the cabinet door with a tiny key on his keychain.
    I know he expects me to be shocked, and I suppose I am. But I can tell that he also expects me to be disturbed by what he’s told me, upset with Del, and ready to turn my back on him like any good girl would.
    But all I want to do right now is find Del. I want to tell him I don’t care what happened at his last school; I know that he couldn’t have been involved. All I care about is now .
    “It’s almost dinnertime,” my dad says. “You should go get dressed. I want you to sit with your mother and me tonight.”
    I nod. “Okay.”
    “And I don’t want you seeing Del Sugar anymore. You understand?”
    I clear my throat. For a few seconds, I don’t say anything.
    “Emily? You understand, don’t you?”
    It’s easier not to fight. “I guess so.”
    “Good. Come here.”
    I cross the room and sit in his lap, like I’ve done countless times before. He pulls me into a hug. “Emily,” he says, his arms wrapped around my waist, “if you knew how much I love you—”
    “I do know.”
    “No, you don’t.” He looks into my eyes. “Children never know. You won’t understand until you have babies of your own someday.”
    “Dad, okay … I have to go.”
    He holds on to me, studying my expression. “That seemed too easy.”
    It sure did . “Don’t think that,” I say. “I’ll tell Del I can’t see him anymore. It’s okay. I understand.”
    My dad nods. I can tell he’s not buying it 100 percent. Maybe not at all. But I don’t care; all I want to do is get out of here.
    I don’t even have to knock on Del’s window; he’s perched on the edge, leaning his head out to smoke.
    “Hi,” I say.
    He tosses the cigarette away when he sees me. “Hi, yourself. What took you so long?”
    “I had to