Chapter Fourteen.

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The two adults stood there staring at each other, hut Esmes stare had no emotion, she didn't know what to say let alone what to do, she couldn't lie to him, she couldn't deny the truth when he knew it. But she couldn't openly tell him either, there was always a reason to it being a secret, but behind one secret there was always another.

"Can I have mr bracelet back" She whispers, holding back the tears that were soon bound to fall, as Perri let the bracelet dangle from his fingertips, an amused smile on his face. Whilst he thought he had rumbled Kiss's best kept secret, he didn't know what was about to unsurface, what he was truly about to uncover, and the two adults didn't know fully how to handle it or react to it. "Be honest, tell me the truth" he whispers, as he kneels down in front of Esme, who was sat on the chair, now staring at her own feet on the ground. "I can't" she whispers. "Nod your head if you're girl behind the microphone, it can stay in these walls" he whispers, as he places his hand on her knee, resting it there comfortingly. "If I tell you I am, I have to tell you that you can't tell anyone, you don't understand what I mean when I say my life will be in danger" she whisper, as Perri's eyes fall on Esmes bright ones, but they weren't bright this time, they were dark, holding back the truth, holding back the emotion she was feeling right now.

"What do you mean?" He whispers, as he leans forward, both hands resting on her knees, as he sits cross legged on the floor, staring at the young adult intently, ready to listen to whatever fell from her lips. "Jamie's mum adopted new when I was twelve" Esme whispers, as Perri nods his head slowly. "I won't go into detail, but there was a reason I was moved across the country, a reason why when I was as young as I can remember really I had my name changed, I was in witness protection for so many years, and I finally feel safe, I really do and right now being honest with you could ruin everything, so if you believe I am the girl, then believe it, but then words will not fall from my lips, not right now, not until I know it's safe to do so" Esme whispers, as Perri looks up at her, his brown eyes staring at hers, a small smile on his lips.

And within seconds, their lips are connected, moving in perfect sync, almost as if it was meant to be, as if this was how it was always supposed to be. Like he was always supposed to find her, that they were supposed to be this way. As Esme pulls apart she's met by Perri's half smirk, the kind of smile that made her stomach flutter, the kind that made her know she felt something for this boy. But then the realisation hits, that she could never be part of his world, for more reasons than one. "To be honest with you, I think I like you, you captivate me" he whispers, as his lips brush hers, almost as if he was going to kiss her again, and bring back the feeling both of them had just felt, but he didn't, he just let his lips linger there slowly, before pulling his face away and leaning his forehead on hers, his knees resting on the floor, his hands dancing around in her lap, both of them just enjoying the moment they were living in. "You have a girlfriend" Esme whispers, reality once again hitting her and shocking her down to earth.

Perri sighs and shakes his head. "I don't like her, I don't love her" he whispers as Esme shakes her head, "it doesn't matter, you just cheated on her" She whispers. "and she already hates me enough" Esme sighs, As Perri smiles softly at her. "She can hate us both now then can't she" he smiles, as Esme smiles, but only a small one. "This can't happen, I can't be seen with you" Esme whispers as Perri shakes his head. "I promise, if you want to make this work, I will keep you safe" Perri states, as Esme shakes her head. "I won't be safe, not until his found" Esme whispers, as Perri leans his head against Esmes again, smiling at her. "I promise, I will do everything I can to keep you safe, but you have to let me in, you can't keep running away from me" he whispers, as Esme nods her head, letting his words ring around her head.

Perri had promised go keep her safe, and Esme felt the words, she felt as if he was telling the truth, like he really would keep her safe, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was now feeling, the feeling of regret, the nerves that another person now knew half of her secret, knew who she was. That she wasn't just a figure passing in the background, that she hadn't just admitted to herself that she liked Perri Kiely, that she had just kissed and shared a moment with the famous dancer. This was reality, this was real.

But the question wasn't what happened next, or what was to come. It was whether Esme would be safe, whether the person she thought she could trust, could keep her secret.

But the truth is, can you really trust anybody other than yourself?

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