Voice of Truth

Voice of Truth [Chpt 15]

Chapter 15 - Secrets

I woke up staring at the ceiling and quickly sat up. I was in my bed and I felt something around my wrist. Jake's bracelet? It's back. Ethan . . . I shoved the blankets off of me and went out of my room. I heard someone talking and didn't rush as fast. I couldn't make out the words until I got down the stairs. I stopped by the kitchen doorway hiding behind the wall listening in.

"I don't know what to do." Ethan said softly. "She got beaten and she's been raped. I can't do this, Sam."

I flinched. He's talking to Sam on the phone. Sam knows now.

"What am I going to do? She's going to get herself killed. I can't even see through her lie. If Jake were here he wouldn't even let this happen."

There was a pause and I waited for Ethan to say something again.

"I know he's gone. But I just can't help think how much better off she would be without me. It's my fault for all of this. I knew those guys were going to come that night at the movies."

I covered my mouth trying not to gasp. He knew they were going to come. He could have stopped the whole thing.

"That kid in the hall told me what was going to happen that one day. I already knew about it . . . No, she doesn't know. I wouldn't even have the guts to tell her."

My eyes widened. I shouldn't be listening into this. But . . . he's hiding stuff from me I have a right to know.

"Can't she come up there for a little? I just really need some time to get over this and I think Kasie needs to see you. I think you would make her feel better other than me."

I clawed at my face trying not to cry and scream.

"Yeah, that's fine. Thanks . . . yeah I will. See ya."

I heard a beep and stayed where I was. Ethan sighed to himself and I heard him get up from sitting down. He screamed and there was a crash. I got startled and bumped the wall behind me. A piece of his phone slid out of the kitchen.

"Kasie get in here."

My heart skipped a beat. He knows I listened in. I put my hand down from my face and picked up a piece of his phone. I walked over to the counter and set it down.

"Did you hear what I said?" He asked when I looked over at him.

I nodded.

He rubbed his forehead. "I'm sorry." He said.

"You could have stopped it."

"There was nothing I could have done. I didn't know he was going to bring a gun."

"But you knew about it."

"Yes, I knew but that -."

"You could have saved him!" I yelled as the tears fell down.

He shook his head. "No."

"Yes." I said pushing him getting mad.

He didn't fight back with me.

"You could have saved him." I pushed him again. "You're selfish!"

His back hit the counter and he just stared at me with glassy eyes.

"You don't care about anybody but yourself! You knew it was going to happen but you just wanted Jake gone because you hated him!"

"That's not true!" He yelled back.

"Yes it is! I already know about everything and how you dated Mya to make me jealous! You hated Jake for taking me and you wanted him dead!"

He put his hands on my arms and switched spots with me. I was now against the counter and he was in front of me. He held me against the counter so I wouldn't move.

"Now you listen! I never wanted him dead. I thought those people weren't going to come that night. I was thinking there would be too many witnesses and it wouldn't happen. I didn't know he was going to bring a gun and shoot Jake. But I never wanted him dead! That was an accident. To tell you the truth I didn't think Jake would tell me to watch you. I thought he'd tell Sam to do all that. It's true I did have a crush on you back then and I didn't like Jake. That night when Jake died I thought maybe things could work out between us. He left me to be your guardian and I was happy. But after the next couple of days I started to feel guilty and I've been in more pain than I've ever been in. I can't handle this anymore, Kasie. This is getting to be too much. I'm mad and hurt that Jake is gone, I'm frustrated with my feelings and I'm pissed off at you."

I flinched as he got mad.

"I'm not trying to make you upset or mad but you already knew all this. You knew that I didn't want you by Alec yet you disobeyed me and went with him anyway. The question is . . . why? Why did you do it?"

"Because I thought Alec wasn't bad and that you were overreacting. I needed time away from you and I went with him. You said you were hanging out with your friends and it was the perfect opportunity."

He shook his head. "You knew I didn't want you by him. You knew that!"

"And you promised you'd never fight again but you did, didn't you?"

"I didn't hurt Alec. I didn't even lay a hand on him. I just took the bracelet and left. I kept my promise. But apparently you didn't keep yours." He moved away from me.

"You're such an idiot." I sobbed.

"Like I haven't heard that one before."

I whipped my tears off my face. Ethan stared at me still crying.

"I'm scared." I said.

"Of what?"

"Everything. I'm scared that one day you'll end up dead just like Jake. I'm scared of getting hurt and getting beaten." I looked at my arm of bruises. "I'm scared of you."

"Me?"

I nodded.

"Why are you scared of me?"

"I'm scared that you'll end up being just like your father and you'll hurt me. You get so angry with everything and I don't like it. Haven't you ever thought about it?"

"I thought you were use to it and that you just got emotional."

I shook my head. Ethan didn't say anything back and neither did I. I think we were both in shock from everything.

"Uh, I told Sam to come pick you up tomorrow. You'll be spending a couple of days with him."

"Whatever." I said looking away.

"Kasie, how bad are the . . . bruises?" He asked not wanting to know.

I shrugged not knowing myself. I was avoiding myself in the mirror so I wouldn't know.

"Can you take the sweatshirt off real quick?"

"I don't want to." I held myself.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

"It's not that. I just don't want to see them."

He sighed and gave me a hug. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you again. I promise." He whispered to me. "I'll protect you."

Something about his hug just made me feel automatically better. I can't explain it but it's something I need, something I want . . .