The Exception

Chapter 49: When My Day Turns To A Dark Night

"Agnus...Agnus,"

I was in a deep haze. My thoughts turned to Ellie's story so many weeks back about Evan's fight. Dots started to connect. How on earth did I not see this? Why on earth was I so stupid to believe that Evan was truthful to me that night on our date? How could Keith not simply tell me the truth!? But if Keith was one of those that Evan hospitilized...was it Keith who hit her? But that would not be possible...Ellie would tell me. Or would she?

A headache formed in my head. I was jerked out of my daze as Keith shook me slightly. I looked at him, my mouth agape. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Keith opened his mouth then closed it.

"I need to go..." I stood up. "Thank you so much for your stories..." I started to walk out, and I heard pounding of footsteps behind me. As soon as I was outside, Keith finally decided to speak.

"Agnus, wait, please..."

I turned around. "Why? Why didn't you tell me?"

"There is so much more to this than what meets the eye...my grandmother only knows the main facts...nothing else..."

"Evan picked a fight with a guy that hit his sister...was that you?"

Keith frowned. "No...but I was part of the group of friends that...was not exactly so kind to newcomers."

"You mean, bullies...so you knew the guy who hit Ellie? The same guy who hospitalized Evan?"

Keith nodded. He took a deep breath. "I wasn't there when Ellie got hurt, or Evan. But I was there when he picked a fight with him."

"With who?"

"I can't say,"

"Why not?" I asked and crossed my arms.

"Because after the whole mess, we agreed never to bring it up again. To start over..."

"Your forgot to bring your grandmother into that pact..." I said. Tears started forming in my eyes. My boyfriend hurt Keith. He nearly killed him. Here I was, prancing along, wondering so nonchalantly why Keith and Evan had such bad blood. Now I found out, and more and more questions poured into my mind. My heart wanted to explode. I did not know who I could trust, and what other secrets were stuck in Keith's throat, or Evan's mind? And now, even Keith admitted he was in the crowd that hurt Ellie. They were a whole bunch of messed up. I was tossed straight into the centre of it all. 

"Agnus...please trust me..."

"Well that's the thing, Keith...I don't know if I can...I don't think I can trust you, or Evan or even Ellie to tell me the truth..." I said, my fists clenched. 

"And this is exactly why I didn't want to tell you..."

"I think it's exactly why you should have, because it is easier to hear the truth from the mouth of someone you thought was your friend, rather than from someone who lets it out accidently," I said. I shook my head. "You know what? Today has been a nightmare from the start, and it's just getting bigger and bigger, and I can't deal with this." I turned around.

"And so what? You're just gonna run away?"

I turned around and glared at Keith. "You had no problem doing that at the bowling alley."

"That's not fair," Keith spoke.

"And when has anything been fair?" I asked. "Tell me Keith? Was it fair that Ellie got hurt? Was it fair that when Evan tried to stand up for her met the same fate? Was it fair that the other guy and you got hospitalized? Was it fair that I lost my job over a nearby shooting, and was it fair to take a blow to the face just because a boy couldn't man up and take responsibility for his actions? Was it fair, that I find out that my boyfriend hurt my closest friend, out of the mouth of someone else? Even though I have been asking nonstop for the truth?"

Keith stood there, a deep grimace etched on his face. "Can you or can you not tell me what really happened, or  are you still gonna refuse?"

"Agnus..."

"Then enough has been said," I turned around. I saw my mom's car, and she parked right next to the curb. I opened the car door and climbed in, watching Keith's sombre face. 

"Hey, honey, how are you feeling?"

"Like I've just been punched in the face..."

"Oh, sweetie...Tyler will pay..."

"I know," I said as I watched Keith's house fade from view. My whole life, the guy I really really liked and my closest friends hid something dark from me. A part of me wished that I never found out, but another side of me knew that it was absolutely necessary.

It just sucked that everything bad happened in one day.