You, Minus the Fame

Chapter 20

     I tried not to worry. I tried to pretend everything was the way it was before, but something was changing. Something in Reece was.  

       We were driving home from a date at the movies, and I was thinking about the way he had been the entire day. Once again he had worn sunglasses - even inside - and he seemed anxious. Reece who was never nervous was fidgeting in his seat, seeming scared of something. That made me scared, and even as we were driving in peace, my stomach was turning.

       I had this bad feeling. This very bad feeling about Reece and his secret. My brain was telling me he was cheating, my heart was telling me he would be dying soon. I tried to ignore both, but it was hard. Hard when Reece was being silent when he was usually never lost for words.

       "March tenth," Reece said, suddenly snapping me out of my thoughts. "It's coming soon."

       My eyes widened as I realized it was coming up soon. In only a few days, Reece would be telling me his secret. My heartbeat accelerated with anticipation.

       "Is the secret... Bad?" I asked nervously.

       "Honestly," Reece said, running his fingers through his hair as he parked into my driveway. "It all depends on you."

      "Me?" I frowned.

      "Yeah." He looked at me with sad eyes. "It depends on how you take the news."

        "How do you think I'll take it?"

        "I think you'll freak out." He smiled sadly. "I think you'll be left with a decision."

       "Why can't you tell me now?" I whispered, heart sinking. "You're scaring me."

       "I'm sorry." He kissed my cheek suddenly, giving me the usual tingles. "It's better if you wait."

       I stared at him then, wondering if somehow I could see his secret through the expression on his face. But nothing on his face gave it away. Only how solemn he looked gave me a bad feeling about this secret.

       "You trust me, right?" he asked.

       "Yeah." I sighed, smiling tiredly. "I do."

       "Okay, bye." He ruffled my hair. "I'll see you soon."

       "Yeah, bye."

       I got out of his car with my heart still heavy. Reece who was never sad looked so heartbroken and torn that I was terrified. I was so scared of finding out his secret, knowing I had to make some sort of decision. Me who never had drama in my life definitely did not like this.

       I walked to my front door and went in, sighing as I closed the door. I really liked Reece. In a way that I had never liked anyone before, I really liked him. He was a sweet, funny, smart, and full of life. Everything that wasn't me, he was and I knew I didn't want to lose him. My heart sunk deeper, knowing that.

       I trudged myself upstairs, knowing I wouldn't be able to function right until I found out what the secret was. It was killing my on the inside, and I hoped to move on from it soon. Just so Reece and I could go back to our normal relationship, I hoped so.  

        "Cara!" I heard my sister scream the second I stepped onto the second floor.

       I groaned, really not in the mood to deal with whatever she wanted me to do. With the news of Reece, I wanted to lay in bed and drown in misery.

       Trudging myself into her room, I spotted her on her bed. She was squealing and waving her hands vigorously, and I sighed. I was used to her wanting to share something she found 'incredible' with me.