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“Nothing you say or do could ever let me down And I kneould be hard for you to promise me that for real But look at yourself, Caleb You had the chance, but you stopped yourself I don’t care why you did, I just care that you did”

He seemed confused and I had no doubt it was because there was just too h him at the moment “Tell me about the letter,” I said as I closed the distance between us

Caleb shook his head “He… he called ot my number, but he told me he missed me and that he wasn’tHe sounded like…”

“Your dad?” I offered

Caleb nodded “He started to cry and tell me he was sorry and that he didn’t understand why I wanted to hurt hiht I hated him, but… but I didn’t I did write him a letter and I told hi to the police”

Caleb’s voice kept going higher and higher as the desperation took over He aving the knife around

“I was sorry he was in jail! I was sorry I put him there, but I just wanted him to stop!”

“People believe you, Caleb,” I offered

“They don’t!” he shouted “That reporter said Eli and I et back at my dad! She didn’t mention the videos! Or Nick!”

Caleb suddenly took several steps back fro it wasn’t to escape me More because he needed to move

“I shouldn’t have said anything!” he yelled “I should have destroyed that flash drive”

I kneas talking about the flash drive his brother had copied so all three boys onto The videos that had gotten thrown out of court on a technicality

“No—”

“Things could have gone back to normal! Maybe Nick would still be alive if he hadn’t… if he hadn’t…”

“What, Caleb? Hadn’t what?”

“Tried to protect me,” he whispered

“You think that’s why Nick copied the videos?” I asked