Horrible News

Xander

“I’ll go ahead and get started,” she said with a coy smile as she pulled her shirt from her pants, yanking it over her head.

I looked down at my phone and saw a number I didn’t immediately recognize. Then it hit me. It was an Oregon number. “Hello?”

My dad cleared his throat. “Xander.”

I thought about hanging up immediately. If I didn’t answer, then he couldn’t tell me.

“Dad,” I said. Everything fell into slow motion.

Evie standing topless in front of me faded from my view. I saw nothing. I felt nothing. “Xander, it’s Kade.”

I gulped down the lump in my throat and turned away from Evie. I continued my walk down the stairs and moved to the edge of the room, trying to put some distance between me and her. I needed space. I couldn’t breathe.

“What?” I asked, my throat feeling raw.

There was only one reason my father would call me. He knew it, and I knew it, but I wanted him to say the words. I needed to hear the words, or I wouldn’t believe it.

“There was an accident,” he said, ad