House of the Fallen - Book 1

Chapter 4 - Confessions

Chapter 4

Confessions

I practically jog to keep up with Hayden's long strides. We finally reach his dad's car, quickly getting in and speeding away.

Glancing at Hayden, I see his intense gaze fixed straight ahead, his jaw clenched. A cold knot tightens in my belly, and my hands start to tremble. Does he regret everything? He questioned me as if he already knew I was hiding something. But how could he know? The darkness within me has no face; it's a secret even I struggle to understand.

The heavy silence between us is suffocating. Finally, Hayden speaks, his voice filled with determination. "I'm taking you somewhere," he pauses, gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles turn white, "and then you gonna tell me the truth. No matter how bizarre it sounds, I've sensed something in you for years. You are going to explain it to me."

I turn to look out the passenger window, my mind racing. He wants answers about this monster that lives inside me, the darkness I can't control. He's witnessed it twice now. As this realization hits, the darkness begins to churn within me, threatening to surface.

Silently, I pray, desperately seeking solace. I tell God that I love Hayden. I always have and want to protect him from the evil inside me.

"Vivie, are you listening?" Hayden's voice breaks into my prayer, urgent and sharp. I keep my eyes closed, concentrating hard on the burning in my core.

I squeeze my eyes tight, battling to push the darkness back down. The mere thought of losing Hayden or causing him pain is unbearable.

Gradually, I feel its grip recede, and a sigh of relief escapes me. I turn my head, opening my eyes to see Hayden looking at me. His brows are furrowed, fear marks his face—an expression I've never seen in our friendship.

"Okay," I manage to say. It's the only word that I can muster. I don't want to see the fear in Hayden's eyes again. I liked the Hayden who kissed me senseless 10 minutes ago. I want that Hayden back.

I turn back to the window as we drive in silence. The realization of our location hits me when the car begins to slow down. I glance out the windshield. Hayden pulls over to the curb, puts the car in park, and swiftly gets out, slamming the door. He comes to my side, opens the door, and extends his hand to me. I take it, feeling the warmth of his touch. He closes the door behind me and leads me toward the entrance of Mike Woods Park.

We wind our way through the gate into the park. As we stroll through the grass, he releases my hand, striding ahead with purpose. I realize we're heading towards the direction of the pool. I lower my head, understanding why he chose this particular spot. It's where he first witnessed the darkness within me.

Climbing the steps to the pool entrance, he pauses at the top, giving me a moment to catch up. I finally reach the top step, my feet dragging, my heart pounding. I avoid eye contact, unable to face him right now. I don't want to push him away, but I also don't want what's inside of me to hurt him.

Hayden takes a step down, folding his long legs to sit. He looks up at me.

"Sit," he says calmly.

The fear inside me feels like it weighs a thousand pounds, pressing on my chest and making my breaths shallow. After a few moments, Hayden grabs my hand, pulling me down to the top step. I slowly settle into a sitting position beside him, smoothing out my dress. I rest my elbows on my knees, my head falling into my hands. Both of us sit in silence for several moments. The tension between us is as heavy as the humidity in the air. I can feel the sweat on my brow mingling with the weight of unspoken words.