Chapter 130 TYLER
Dinner didn’t feel like dinner. It felt like a meeting nobody wanted to have but couldn’t avoid.
Nobody said anything at first. Plates were there, food was there, but it didn’t feel like anyone came to eat. Racquel sat across from me, her hands wrapped around a glass like she needed something to hold onto. My mom stayed close to her side, quiet but present. My dad stood near the table for a while before finally pulling out a chair and sitting down.
He didn’t waste time.
“I’ve spoken to my lawyer,” he said, looking directly at Racquel.
Her head snapped up. “You have?”
“Yes. We’re filing a case. Properly. No delays.”
She blinked like she was trying to process it. “A case… against him?”
“That’s right,” he replied. “And I contacted the police as well. They’ve already gone to pick him up.”
Racquel’s lips parted. “Pick him up?”
“They should be bringing him in for questioning tonight,” my dad said. “With everything Tyler brought forward, there’s enough to act on.”
She went still, then her hand came up to her mouth as her eyes filled. “I didn’t think… I didn’t think it would happen this fast.”
“It doesn’t always,” my mom said gently. “But sometimes it needs to.”
Racquel nodded, her shoulders trembling slightly as she tried to hold herself together. “Thank you. I don’t even know what to say.”
“You don’t need to say anything,” my dad told her. “You just need to be honest moving forward. That’s what will matter.”
“I will,” she said quickly. “I swear.”
My dad gave a small nod. “Good.”
There was a pause, then he added, “You can stay here. As long as you need.”
Racquel shook her head immediately. “I don’t want to impose—”
“You’re not imposing,” my mom cut in. “You’re staying. End of discussion.”
Racquel looked between them, her eyes glassy. “Thank you. Really.”
I leaned back in my chair, letting out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. That part was settled. Things were moving. Finally.
But even with all of that, my mind kept slipping somewhere else.
To Harper.
To the way she looked at me yesterday. To the way she walked away like I was someone she didn’t recognize anymore.
My dad kept talking, something about next steps, about statements and making sure everything was documented, but I wasn’t fully there.
Not until Racquel spoke again.
“There’s… one more thing.”
The room quieted.
My mom turned to her. “What is it?”
Racquel hesitated, her fingers tightening around the glass again. “Can I ask for a favor?”
My dad leaned back slightly. “Go ahead.”
She glanced down, then back up, her voice small but steady. “I just… I need your help with something else.”
Monday morning came too quickly.
I hadn’t gotten much sleep over the weekend, knowing Racquel was staying at my house and that Harper would probably lose it when she found out. It showed in the way my head felt off as I pulled into the school parking lot. Racquel sat beside me, quiet, her gaze fixed ahead.
Neither of us had said much during the drive.
I parked, my eyes already searching for Harper.
They landed on in her standing near the entrance, just a few steps away from the doors like she hadn’t decided whether to go in yet. The second I saw her, something in my chest eased. She was here.
That meant I still had a chance.
She turned her head slightly.
Like she felt me.
Her gaze landed on my car.
For a second, everything else faded out.
I got out quickly, shutting the door behind me, already moving toward her. She didn’t walk away. She stayed right where she was, watching me as I got closer.
That alone made something settle in my chest.
Maybe this wouldn’t go as bad as I thought.
She even waited.
Actually waited.
I was halfway to her when her expression changed.
It wasn’t slow. It wasn’t confused. It just dropped.
Like something inside her shut off.
And just like that, she turned and walked straight into the building.
I didn’t have to look back to know why.
Racquel.
I exhaled under my breath and went after her.
“Harper.”
She didn’t stop.
I caught up just inside the hallway, reaching for her arm before she could disappear into the crowd. She tried to pull away, but I held on, guiding her back until her back hit the wall.
My hand came up beside her, blocking people from bumping into her as they passed.
“Just listen to me,” I said quickly.
Her eyes met mine.
“Say what you want,” she replied.
No emotion. No anger.
That was worse.
“Yeah, Racquel stayed at my place,” I started. “Yeah, her suspension got shortened. She’s back. I know how it looks, but it’s not what you think.”
She said nothing.
“I’m helping her because of something going on at her house,” I continued. “Something serious. I can’t explain it right now. Not because I don’t want to, but because I’m trying to keep you out of it.”
Still nothing.
“I’m not choosing her over you,” I added. “That’s not what this is.”
A few seconds passed before she spoke.
“Are you done?”
The question caught me off guard.
“…Yeah.”
I stepped back a little, realizing how close I was. “Sorry.”
She didn’t respond.
Just looked at me with that same expression before turning and walking away.
“Harper, wait,” I said, following her again. “Don’t just walk off like that.”
She kept going.
“I’m talking to you,” I pressed, ignoring the looks we were getting. “At least say something. Please.”
Nothing.
“Harper, please,” I said, my voice dropping. “Don’t do this.”
She stopped.
I let out a breath and stepped in front of her.
“I get it,” she said.
The words didn’t match her face.
“You don’t,” I replied. “You’re just saying that so I’ll stop.”
Her head snapped toward me. “What do you want me to say, Tyler?”
“I want you to be honest.”
Her expression broke a little. “I am being honest.”
“Then say it,” I pushed.
She laughed softly, but there was nothing funny about it.
“Fine. I don’t like this. I don’t like any of it.”
I stayed quiet.
“I don’t want to be that person,” she continued. “The one who makes everything about herself when someone else is going through something. I know what you’re doing is… important. I get that. But I still can't help feeling like this.”
Her voice wavered slightly, and she looked away for a second before continuing.
“It’s not just that she’s back,” she said. “It’s who she is. It’s everything she’s done. And now she’s in your house. You came to school with her. She’s around you all the time.”
“It’s not like that,” I said.
“You keep saying that,” she replied, looking back at me. “But it doesn’t change what it looks like.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “I told you, I’m helping her. That’s it.”
“You lied to me,” she said.
The words landed clean.
“You lied to me so you could go help your ex,” she continued. “And now she’s staying with you, you’re bringing her to school, and all of this is happening right after you turned me down.”
“It’s not connected like that,” I said quickly. “I didn’t choose her over you.”
“Then what did you do?” she asked.
I didn’t answer immediately.
She nodded slowly. “Exactly.”
“Harper—”
“I’m not saying you shouldn’t help her,” she cut in. “If she’s going through something, fine. Help her. But are you the only person who can do that? Are there no adults who can step in?”
“My parents are involved,” I said. “They’re handling it now.”
“Then let them,” she replied. “Step back.”
“I can’t,” I said. “She trusts me. I told her I’d be there.”
Harper stared at me for a moment, then shook her head. “Of course you did.”
“That doesn’t mean anything is going on between us,” I added. “Nothing is ever going to happen between me and Racquel again. Ever.”
“You keep saying that,” she said quietly. “But your actions don’t match.”
I felt my jaw tighten. “What do you want me to do? Walk away from someone who needs help?”
“I want you to see how this feels from my side,” she said. “Because right now, it feels like I’m the one you can drop when things get complicated.”
“That’s not true.”
“Then prove it.”
The words came out before she could stop them, and she looked away immediately after.
I opened my mouth, then closed it.
Because I didn’t have an answer that wouldn’t drag her into something she wasn’t supposed to be part of.
She let out a small breath. “Forget it.”
“Harper—”
“Just go,” she said. “Go do what you need to do.”
“That’s not what I want.”
“But it’s what you’re doing,” she replied.
I didn’t say anything.
She looked at me one last time, her eyes glassy now. “Go be a hero or whatever.”
Then she turned and walked into the classroom.
I stopped outside the door.
I couldn’t follow her in.
Not when I knew what was coming next. Not when I knew the second she sat down, she’d break, and I’d have to sit there pretending I didn’t cause it.
I stepped back instead.
“Tyler.”
I turned and saw Racquel standing a few steps behind me.
I moved to walk past her.
Her hand caught my arm.
“Tyler, I just—”
“We don’t have anything to talk about,” I said quietly.
She froze.
“Unless it’s about your case,” I continued, my voice low, “stay away from me.”
Her grip loosened immediately.
I pulled my arm free and walked off without looking back.
I didn’t stop.
Not until the noise of the hallway faded and I couldn’t hear anything but my own thoughts.
And even that wasn’t any better.