WANT TO KNOW A SECRET?

(18)

"Define ok..." He answered with a grimace.

I sighed.

"Does it have something to do with Owen's absence last period?" I asked, hoping nothing else had gone wrong on that already crappy day.

"Yep." He raked his hand through his dark blond hair.

Straight to the point, I thought and started walking towards the door. He followed me.

"Do I want to know?" I said with my nose crinkled.

"I don't think you do, actually..." He replied blankly, clearly unwilling to share information he wasn't supposed to. "But Landon's gone with Ty to deal with it so I'm here to offer you to drive Leo and Nathan home... If ever you had something else planned, that is..."

"I'll drive them home." I answered. "My social life is not exactly hectic at the moment..." My joke fell flat and I realized that things were maybe worse than I'd first thought with Owen.

When I got to my locker, I thought he'd walk on to the car park or something but he paused behind me. I selected the books I'd need tonight and resumed walking.

"Can I ask you a question?" He had an indecipherable expression which made me feel uneasy, as if I knew deep down that I wouldn't like his question.

"Sure." I did my best not to show him how worried I really was.

"Do you still have feelings for Wilson?" To say that I hadn't expected that particular question would have been the understatement of the century and I actually froze in my tracks.

"Hmm... What does this have to do with whatever's going on with Owen?!" I asked him, totally baffled he'd ask me such a personal question when we hardly knew one another. Plus it seemed so out of the blue.

"Kind of everything..." He shot back very seriously.

"I don't understand. I thought whatever was going on concerned Owen, not Tyler..." I argued weakly, feeling completely lost now.

"I'm just saying that it would be better for everyone if you still did..." My blood froze at this, especially since there was no threat or judgement. It was like he was just stating a fact.

"What are you saying Rosco?" I asked him hoping he hadn't noticed my trembling hands.

"That nothing good will ever come out from whatever you think you have with Ty..." He had the decency to look sorry but it didn't change the fact that his comment hurt.

"I've tried to tell him..." I muttered to myself. "I know he's out of my league and anyway we're far too different..."

"Shit, Poppy, you got that all wrong!" He exclaimed, his grey eyes as wide as saucers. "I knew I should have kept my big trap shut... Shit!"

"Dude," I tried. "You're far too big to panic at the idea of having obfuscated a little nothing like me. So take a deep breath, you didn't say anything I didn't already know..."

"You don't understand..." He raked his huge hand through his hair again and shook his head in defeat. I got the message loud and clear.

It's not what I meant but I can't tell you anything...

So I shrugged and pushed the building door open. I immediately spotted Nate and Leo and headed their way.

"For what it's worth..." I jumped, startled. I thought he'd gone his own way but I'd obviously thought wrong. "He looks genuinely happy when you're around..."

"Now you're bullshitting me and I hate that..." I pointed out before speed-walking to the boys.

"Sorry I'm late, guys." I tried to sound as cheerful as I could. "How were the try-outs this morning?"