Fearless

Chapter 23

That's partially due to the fact that the girls live further away, but I think that the boys have separation anxiety from Carter and more importantly...the den.

Jocelyn's food tends to keep them around too.

~

We spent the rest of the match talking and cheering them on, before they headed back to the locker room to get changed.

The five of us then walked down from the bleachers to meet them at the parking lot as we usually did.

As we were walking, I suddenly heard my name being called from behind me.

"Sky! Wait up."

I turned to see Jake running up to me as I paused and let my friends walk on without me.

"Hey, you were great in practice." I smiled up at him as he leaned down to peck my cheek with a kiss.

"Thanks babe." he smiled, with his cute dimples showing as he did. "What do you say you and I head to Danny's Diner, get something to eat and then catch a movie?"

"I'd love to." I said, before immediately remembering that I couldn't as my face dropped. "But I can't..."

"What? Why not?" he asked. "I can drive you home. It's not a problem."

"No, it's not that. It's my parents." I sighed.

"What about them?"

"Well, I've kind of been grounded, so I'm not allowed out of the house unless I'm at school." I explained, now resenting my parents lifestyle.

I didn't want to lie to him but I had no choice.

"Seriously? For how long?" he said, disappointedly.

"I'm not sure...I'm so sorry, I really wish I could. They'd just kill me if they found out." I said, realising the irony of that comment.

Before he could reply, I suddenly felt a presence beside me as I turned my head to see Carter stood next to me.

"Skylar, are you ready to go? The boys are already in the car." he said, pointing back towards the car.

"Oh I get it." Jake scoffed.

"What? What do you mean?" I said, crinkling my eyebrows slightly.

"Look Sky, if you'd rather hang out with them instead of me then I get it, but you don't need to lie to me." he explained.

"No, Jake that's not it at all!" I exclaimed.

"Yes it is, she doesn't want to hang out with you, now let's go." Carter said quickly, grabbing my wrist to drag me back to the car.

"No Carter, let go! Jake, I want to come with you, I promise, I'm not lying." I said, ripping my hand away from my brother. "They're just my brother's friends and our parents-"

"Your parents are friends, I know. I've heard it from you a million times, Sky. I get it." he shrugged before turning and walking away from me.

"Jake no-" I said, starting to walk after him before Carter grabbed me and stopped me.

"Sky, stop it. He's seriously not worth the hassle." he said, before beginning to drag me to the car.

"Yes he is." I mumbled quietly as my voice slightly broke and I stared after him.

"No. I promise you, he's not." he said sternly as we finally reached the car and got in.

That was the first time that I realised the family secret was going to effect me like this forever. I'm constantly going to have to make excuses for it, to people who can't know the truth. It's going to push them away and I have no choice.