Beneath The Blackwood Sky | ✓

Chapter Twenty-Two: Sharing The Weight Of A Secret

SHAY TOOK A SIP OF COLD COFFEE and lowered the cup, relishing its taste as it cleared her mind of all the disturbing thoughts. She had been thinking about today's morning, unlike every day when she thinks about her nightmares sometimes. She had woken up screaming and thrashing which had freaked Jade and Rose out.

She had woken up screaming very loudly, but Shay didn't know why. Shay didn't remember the nightmare she had, and she hit a blank wall every time she tried to recall it. Usually, her screams get muffled by the pillow, but today she had been sleeping in an awkward position. She had woken up to a high-pitched screaming and Rose's and Jade's face hovering anxiously over hers, and it took her a few moments to realize she was the one screaming.

Shay looked around at her friends sprawled on the couches distributed across the room when she caught them looking at her worriedly. She narrowed her eyes at Theo, who then looked at Jade with a thoughtful expression, "Do you think—" he started by was interrupted by Jade. "Yes. All the time," Jade said with a satisfied smirk. Theo sighed exasperatedly, "That's not what I meant. Do you think—"

Jade cut him off again, "Yep."

"Quit that, I'm trying to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"Thank you," Theo said with relief as he took in a deep breath. "Do you guys think—"

The poor guy was cut off by Kai this time, "Yeah, well, all the damn time. People even say that I'm a good thinker. Didn't you know that Theo?" Theo scowled, "You guys have something against me? Is it the food I stole from your plate?"

Kai shook his head, "Nope. It absolutely has nothing to do with your food, cause I stole something back to make it equal. I just wanted you to know how we feel when you interrupt us. You do the same thing every day."

Theo's shoulders slumped, "Well, I didn't know it's this annoying. I'll stop it. It's always kind of fun to interrupt your sentences and change the track, but I've never been on the other side, the receiving end."

All of them smiled at Theo, silently signalling him to continue whatever he wanted to say. Everyone leaned forward to hear what Theo wanted to say curiously. George exhaled, "Theo, please tell us whatever you wanted to tell quickly because I think I might die because of curiosity and suspense."

Theo shook his head disappointedly, "Ugh!" he exclaimed. "I forgot what I wanted to say."

George leaned back looking dissatisfied, "You have no idea how disappointed I am, Theo. Now I'm gonna spend the rest of my life wondering what you would've said."

It had been three days since the holidays started, and their school didn't inform them when they would start again. It would most probably be after everything stopped. They spent each day with George, every moment spent with him making him closer to them.

They became attached to him, even though they knew him for a few days. He was easy going and very kind, hiding all his sorrows behind his cheerful smile. Even though he went through that hard times in his life, he made sure he would spend every day of his life plastering a smile onto his face for the other's sake, so that they wouldn't be worried about him.

Shay and her friends have discussed whether they should tell George about what they had discovered or not. It might be a risk telling George about it, but they had a gut feeling that nothing bad would happen. And also that they were running in circles regarding those matters and needed someone to help them out. Someone who knew what to do.

Today was the dreaded day of telling George about everything. They had no idea how to even start it, how to tell him about everything which was going on. Shay wondered how he would react as she gobbled the cookies on a large plate. Soon enough, with everyone nibbling anxiously on the freshly baked cookies, only one was left. Both Rose and Kai had their eyes and hands on it and started fighting for it wearing identical glares and scowls on their faces.