Bitter Heart √

Nineteen

That just made me feel guilty. Was I doing it wrong hiding this stuff from him? But then again, it had nothing to do with him. It was better if I didn't tell him about those gangs. It wasn't my place to tell him about any of this.

Inhaling deeply, I opened my eyes and looked up at the ceiling right above Alex's bed, at one of our school's football team posters--something I was used to seeing stuck on our school walls.

"Caden is just helping me out." I started, not wanting to tell him anything more than that, and not wanting to lie to him either.

"Those two words don't go well together, Sky. Caden and help."

I sighed and racked my brain for an answer. Something to help me get out of this mess. "I...helped him that day. The night of homecoming. You were too drunk to remember it."

I was partly telling him the truth. He had been drunk after all.

"You helped him?" Alex frowned. "Why would you--Why did you help him?"

"You don't remember anything?"

He looked confused for a moment before replying, "I got drunk, all right. I remember you coming there even though you'd told me homecoming wasn't your thing."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I was enjoying my life until you phoned me."

"I called you." And it was a bit odd that he didn't make it sound like a question.

"Yeah, because you were drunk."

He let out another groan before slumping back on his rolling desk chair, sliding backwards towards his desk. "I didn't do anything bad, did I?"

Not much other than him about to confess his feelings to some random chick.

"No, don't worry. I saved your ass." I closed my eyes once again. Maybe he'd be too embarrassed over getting drunk that he'll forget the thing about Caden. I really hoped so.

"And helped Caden." He repeated my words.

Darn...it.

"Something happened, okay? He got injured due to some stuff that I don't know and well, I just helped him." I rushed out the words. "That's it."

Alex looked at me with an expression that told me he wasn't buying this. But thankfully, he didn't press any further either.

"All right." He murmured, leaning his head back against his seat.

And I did notice the sudden edge in his voice, something that made me feel horrible.

I'll come up with something. Just a bit more time.

•••••

Later when he offered to drop me back home, I refused out of mere instinct. I couldn't have gone with him and not blurt out the secret. Heck, I didn't even know if Caden and that gang was supposed to be a secret. I just couldn't wipe off Adrian's words from my head.

There will be consequences.

So I decided to walk back home myself. What I'd be doing the first thing after I saw Caden, was tell him that I was not going to keep lying to Alex anymore. Of course, Alex could be trusted. He had been my best friend for so long. I didn't want to lie to him anymore.