Dirty Little Secrets

Chapter One

Chapter One

I settle down on the sofa with a big bowl of popcorn, ready to watch a film.

“Well, we’ll be leaving now, Aubrey!” Mum calls from the hallway.

“Cool,” I reply, getting into the movie.

“But I’m not sure about all this TV business! You should be revising for your GCSEs! You’ve got 2 coming up next week!”

I give a non-committal grunt. Stuff GCSEs. What Happened In Vegas is way better.

“Go talk to her, John,” Mum says quietly to my dad.

“What? No, what can I do? She won’t listen to me!”

I hear vague murmuring, and then Dad steps into the living room.

“Sweetie, I think you should revise for your exams, not sit around all day watching telly. The reason you get off school two months earlier than the rest of the school is so that you can do your GCSEs really well. Not to sit on your fat lazy arse watching crap on TV,” he says firmly.

“Yeah, yeah,” I mumble, stuffing popcorn in my mouth.

“Aubrey, are you even listening?”

“Sure. I’ll revise after the film.”

Dad sighs, and leaves. A few minutes later, I hear the door slam shut.

Not 5 minutes later, my mobile starts to ring.

“What now?” I mutter angrily.

I check the caller ID. Adam. How does that dumbo even have my number? I would never have given it to him!

I hit the answer button.

“What do you want, Parker?”

Adam tuts. “That’s no way to greet an old friend.”

I scowl. “We will be best buds when, and only when, hell freezes over.”

“Well, what a stroke of luck because that just so happens to be today!”

I narrow my eyes at the TV. “I don’t have time for your crappy jokes, Adam. I have places to go and people to see. So get lost.”

“Wait, no, seriously though. Chandra called me yesterday.”

I freeze. Why? Why did he remind me that she exists? She’s pure evil, you know that?

“What did she say?”

“She said the honeymoon’s going excellent. They’re doing a lot of the dirty –”

“Ew! I did not need to know that, Adam Parker! Did I mention how much I hate you?”

“Only a gazillion times!”

“Seriously. What on earth could she possibly have said that made you want to call me? Nothing, surely?” I respond rudely.

“Come, come. What you should have said was ‘to what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?’ Then I would’ve answered the question. But rudeness gets you nowhere.”

“Just answer the goddam question, Parker, and then leave me alone.”

I can almost hear Adam roll his eyes. “Fine. Chandra let a little something slip –”

“What?” I yelp. No way! He cannot let Toby hear about Chandra! But I may be acting suspiciously here…I deepen my voice slightly. “I mean, ahem, what did she say?”

“Yes! I knew it! You know something, don’t you Aubrey? Please tell me!”

“No way am I telling – I mean, I have no idea what you’re on about. You should tell me what Chandra ‘let slip’.”

“Look here Aubrey, Chandra is my cousin. I don’t want to see her getting hurt, so help me.”

I snort. “Her, getting hurt? She’s in the wrong here, dude. Honestly. I’d be more worried for Tobes.”

“Ha! You do know!” Adam yells triumphantly.

I smack my forehead with my fist. “Dammit,” I whisper softly. Then, to Adam, “I would tell you if I could, honestly, but I swore, in blood, that I’d guard this secret with my life. Chandra would never forgive me if I split. Not that I care about her, but I do care about Toby.”

“You’re lying.”

“Don’t get me started on lies, Adam. Isn’t that why I hate you so much?”

Adam exhales sharply. “That was a long time ago, Aubrey. Do you need to bring it up?”

I bite my lip. Yes, it was many years ago. But I’ve never forgiven him. However, I really don’t want to think about it at the moment, so maybe I should let it drop.

“Okay, sorry,” I say grudgingly.

“That’s fine. I should be apologising. Not that I haven’t done it a gazillion times already.”

I shake my head, amused. “That’s not a real number, Adam.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Since when?”

“Since now.”

“Whatever.”

“Look, Aubrey, please please pretty please tell me Chandra’s secret. You can trust me!”

“Can I, though?”

“Yes!”

I mull over that. Well, I hate having to keep this secret. After all, secrets are made for 2, and I don’t think Chandra counts here. Plus if I’ve told one person, I wont feel the need to tell anyone else, will I? And the final argument is that Chandra deserves the whole world to know what a b with an itch she is. Oh, and I have known Adam since nursery, we were pretty close back then.

“Meet me at the Mad Hatter tomorrow at 4,” I tell Adam, before hanging up and turning back to the TV.

“What?” Adam exclaims.

“I know,” I say darkly.

“Why would she do it then? Why would she say yes?”

“Who knows? I’ve decided it can’t be money, because Toby isn’t exactly loaded. It’s can’t be…y’know, it, ‘cause you don’t have to be married for that.”

“You would know!”

“Hey!” I say indignantly. “That’s mean! I just told you my secret and to thank me you act as though I’m some sort of slut? I knew I should have chosen someone else to split with. Someone trustworthy.”

I emphasize that that last word, trying to get across my point. He is not ideal to share this with. But I didn’t have any other options, so I guess this is it. And it’s true that I’ve known him since nursery. But he’s done nothing to deserve my trust. In fact…

“Wakey wakey, rise and shine!” Adam says, waving a hand in front of my face.

I blink. “Huh?”

“You were daydreaming. I was saying, we should probably ask Chandra.”

“No! Don’t you dare!”

Adam smirked. “I might.”

I breathe out through my nose. Calm, Aubs. Calm. “DON’T EVEN TRY IT YOU TWAT!” I shrieked.

People at nearby tables stare at me, some in alarm, some in irritation.

I smile sweetly at them. “Ever so sorry,” I apologise. Then I turn my attention back to Adam. “Seriously, you cannot tell her I told you! She hasn’t told anyone else, so if she finds out you know, I am so dead! I mean, I would totally tell the world, except that it will crush Tobes. So maybe, if you’re good, I will talk to her about it. But you need to lock your lips and throw away the key. If you want, I’ll be more than happy to swallow it. I could do with an Adam Parker who can’t speak.”

We stare at each other for a while, neither of us losing eye contact. Finally, after an eternity, he nods.