Weirdly enough, the first person that I told about the truth I just learned wasn't Kendra. Part of the reason was because I didn't want to hear her say "I told you so." Also, she was working over time at Marie's because they were short in staff. I didn't want to intrude. But I have to talk to someone about my findings. And the only one who knew about the text message aside from Kendra was Topher.
I was outside of the diner where Topher's Gophers sing every night. I was thinking twice whether I should go inside or not. What if Topher's busy? And what if he has Sarah with him? I tried calling his phone before I went here, but he wasn't answering. I left a voicemail to call me back, but he hasn't yet.
"Dee?"
I turned around and saw my ex-boyfriend, Dave. He was smiling at me, that same crooked smile he wears every time. He was cute, and there was a dimple on his cheek. "What are you doing here?" he asked, approaching me.
"I'm... looking for Topher," I said, returning his smile. "There's something I need to tell him."
Dave raised an eyebrow. "Topher, huh? Are you aware that every Wednesday Sarah comes with him?" he asked. "Wait, do you even know who Sarah is?"
I internally groaned. So I was right. Sarah's with him. "Yes, I know who Sarah is," I grumbled.
"What are you going to tell him, anyway? Is it that important?"
"It's very important and it's private," I replied.
"Well, I guess Sarah wouldn't mind to have Topher taken away from her for a second," Dave joked, shrugging his shoulders. "Come on, I'll walk with you."
"Thanks, Dave," I said, smiling at him.
Dave opened the door and led me inside the diner. There were a lot of people sitting around, eating and talking. There was a band singing some indie song on stage. I followed Dave backstage where other bands were just chilling, smoking and laughing, waiting for their turn to sing.
"So, how are you, Dee?" Dave asked, walking beside me now. "I heard from Topher that you're with this young rich businessman."
I looked at him, obviously surprised with his remark. "Topher talks about me?"
Dave burst out laughing. "Not in that way," he told me.
"In what way then?" I demanded.
"Sometimes when we're just chilling around, he would talk about his mother, Kendra, you and Sarah... Topher likes to talk about a lot of things. Especially if he's drunk."
"Oh," I said, slightly disappointed. I thought... Never mind.
"So, you're into older guys now?" Dave asked, going back to his original question.
I chuckled at that. "I was always into older guys, Dave. You're the only guy that I've dated in my age."
"True," he replied. "Where are you going for college?"
"NYU. You?"
"Seriously? NYU, huh?" he said impressively. I just shrugged modestly in return. "I'm just going to the local college. Nothing much. Besides, I wouldn't want to leave Topher's Gophers. They'd be lost without their amazing drummer."
"Not that amazing, bro."
Dave and I turned around and there was Topher, grinning crookedly. "We can find a better drummer than you in a heartbeat, Dave," he said, ruffling his hair.
Dave patted down his hair. "Ugh, damn you Topher," he said, glaring at him.
Topher then turned to me, and he seemed surprise to see me. "Dee? What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, frowning at me.
"I'm here to see you," I said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Do you have a moment to talk privately?"
"Uhh... sure," he said. "But it better be quick. Sarah's going to be here in a few minutes."
"All right," I said. I turned to Dave and smiled at him. "Can you leave us for a moment, Dave? I'll just have to talk to Topher alone."
He glanced at us suspiciously before nodding. "Okay. I'll see you around, Dee."
"Okay. And thank you for showing me around."
When Dave left, Topher asked me to sit down with him on an empty bench. "So, what do you want to talk about?"
"I know who sent the text message," I informed him. "It's Emilie Vang."
Topher frowned. "Who?"
"Emilie Vang! Remember the girl James is supposed to be engaged to?"
"Oh. The one with the birthday party we attended to," Topher said thoughtfully. Then he shook his head. "And how did you know this?"
"I checked James' phone. I saw Emilie's number in his contacts and it was the same number who texted me," I answered.
"Why are you telling me this? And why not Kendra?"
"I... want your opinion," I replied slowly. "What should I do?"
Topher looked at me in disbelief. "Wow. This is the first time a person wants my opinion," he said, with a nervous chuckle. He scratched the back of his head before looking back at me. "Why don't you text her? Ask her to meet up somewhere and talk about this like adults."
I frowned. "You think that would work?"
"Look, if Emilie does know about... about the kiss, then ask her what she wants. Then you try to talk to her out of it. Persuade her not to tell anyone," he said, giving me a serious look.
I tried to consider what Topher said. "So, I should talk to her?" I asked for clarification. "Find out what she wants?"
Topher nodded. "Yeah."
"But you know me. I can't just start talking to people like that. I'm not like Kendra," I said, shaking my head. "I... I..."
He hesitated before replying. "Do you want me to go with you?" he offered.
Bewildered, I stared right back at him. "What?" I asked, not sure I heard him right.
"Do you have problems with your ear?" Topher asked sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "I asked if would you want me to go with you?"
"Really? You'd do that for me?"
"Um, yeah, of course," he said slowly. "Besides, she's threatening you about our kiss. So she threatens me as well."
I smiled at him gratefully. "Thanks. Thank you so much. I-I would love it if you come with me when I talk to her."
"Just text me, all right?" Topher said, smiling warmly.
Before I could even think about what's happening, I placed my arms around Topher and hugged him tightly. I felt him tense but then he slowly relaxed. I felt nervous, and I knew he was too. It wasn't like me to just hug Topher all of a sudden. We were enemies. But now... hugging him like this... felt like we were almost friends. It felt like we were never enemies before. And it felt like we could be something more.
"Toph?"
Topher pulled away from me and stood up. A different smile was pasted on his face. It was a smile I know he would never wear for me. "Sarah," he greeted his girlfriend in surprise.
A sigh escaped my lips. Figures. He's smiling for her. I turned around from my seat and also smiled at Sarah, as if I wasn't just hugging her boyfriend a while ago. "Hello," I said politely.
She glared at me with distaste and walked over to her boyfriend. "What's she doing here?" she asked him, completely ignoring me.
"She just asked for something," he replied honestly. Then he gave me a pointed look, as if to say 'just go along with it.' "But she'll be leaving soon, right?"
"Yeah," I said brightly, not missing a beat, and stood up from my seat. "My parents would be looking for me. See you later, guys."
"Okay, bye, Madison," Sarah said sweetly, with that sickening fake smile on her face.
I smiled one last time and then turned around to leave.
***
The next morning, before I got up from my bed, I picked up my phone from the bedside table. I went to my inbox and looked at Emilie's text message for the umpteenth time.
*Who kissed who, I wonder?*
I took a deep breath and then began to write my reply. *Emilie, I know this is you. Meet me at Marie's for brunch. Please reply ASAP so I'd know if you're going to meet me. I'll be bringing a friend of mine, if you don't mind.* I hit 'send' and then waited for Emilie's reply.
My phone vibrated after two minutes. *Okay. As long as you don't bring James or that blonde girl with you.* Kendra works at Marie's, but then I remembered that it was Thursday morning, which means it was Kendra's day off.
I got up from my bed and then contacted Topher. While I waited for him to pick up his phone, I went to my window facing the Byrnes' house. I saw Topher still lying on his bed and then got up to answer his phone. "Hello?" Topher's voice came to my voice.
"Hi," I said. "Sorry to wake you up."
"No, no, I've been awake since half an hour ago. What's up?"
I smiled, not bothering to tell him I just saw him dozing his ass off seconds ago. "I texted Emilie. I told her to have brunch at Marie's. You up for that?"
"Oh yeah, sure. As long as you're paying for brunch?"
"Okay, forget that I called you--"
Topher chuckled, interrupting me. "I was just joking. Jeez, Dee. I'll come and pick you up in an hour if that's okay?"
"Sure," I replied, grinning. "That would be okay."
***
"Where the hell is she? I told my dad I'd be in the clinic at ten-thirty!" I said, checking my watch for the twentieth time.
"Chill, Dee. She's a supermodel," he reminded me. "It will take her forever to apply her makeup or pick her clothes."
"Oh please, Topher. Stop stereotyping--"
"Dee?"
Topher and I looked up and saw Emilie, looking beautiful as ever. She was only wearing lipstick and eye shadow but she manages to make every single guy in the diner look at her as if she was some Hollywood actress. She smiled at us as she took the seat across us. "I'm glad you met up with me," she said, still smiling.
I regarded her coolly. "So, what do you want, Emilie?"
"I just want everyone to know the truth."
Topher scoffed angrily beside me. "So you could have James for yourself, huh? You are one scheming little bitch, aren't you?"
"Topher!" I chastised him.
Emilie was taken aback with Topher's remark. "I-I... I'm not aiming for that. I mean, yeah, I'm doing this because I like James but it's not only that! I don't want to get Dee hurt."
"What?" I said, narrowing my eyes at her. "What do you mean?"
She frowned back at me. "Didn't you call me here to ask the reason why I sent you that text?"
"Yeah! But how would you know that Topher and I kissed, anyway? I mean, you weren't even--"
"Hold up," she interrupted me. "What the hell do you mean 'Topher and I kissed'? I-I don't get it..."
"What? You texted me the message! 'Who kissed who, I wonder?'"
"I know that," she said, regarding me as if I was some stupid person. "But I didn't mean you and Topher! I didn't even know you guys kissed!"
Topher and I exchanged surprise glances. Then Topher asked her, "Then what do you mean by that text?"
Emilie looked at me seriously. "Did Kendra ever tell you how she met James?"
"Yes," I replied slowly. "She met him at Ryder West's party. Ryder is James' cousin."
"Right. And do you remember what I said when I first met Kendra at the coffee shop? I recognized her, Dee. Because I was in that party," she told me. Then she rolled her eyes. "Also made out with Ryder at that time, which was super embarrassing since he was a high school student."
"Where are you going with this?" I asked her angrily.
"I was wasted at that party," she continued. "But I remember everything that happened. And I saw Kendra and James made out."
"What," I whispered, not looking away from her. "Kendra never told me about that... Unless you're lying, of course. So you could have James for yourself!"
Emilie stared back, hurt evident in her eyes. "I may be hopelessly in love with James, but I would never lie. If you don't believe me, then ask Kendra."
"But that was before Dee met James," Topher said firmly. "What's past was past."
"It wasn't just a simple kiss, Topher. I didn't see them share one simple kiss," Emilie said, tightening her jaw. "I saw them make out. I saw James leading Kendra upstairs, inviting her to do God knows what! Why did Kendra introduce Dee to James in the first place, knowing full well something happened between James and her?" Then she looked at me. "And why didn't she tell you about kissing James?"
Topher turned to me. "You have to ask Kendra about this, Dee," he whispered to me.
I looked away, frowning. Why didn't Kendra tell me she had a past with James?
_____
Hi guys! Were you surprised? I hope you are lol. Anyway sorry for the late update. Went to the dentist yesterday buuuuut I didn't have my wisdom tooth pulled out cause I am wuss. I'll have them pulled out in October though. For all you guys reading this and already had your wisdom tooth pulled out, DOES IT HURT?!?!?!?!?! PLEASE GIVE ME TIPS THANK YOU.
Btw, isn't it weird that I hate dentists and Dee wants to be a dentist? She's also working in a dentist's clinic too lol wtf
Hope you like this chapter!
- Bella, xoxo
PS: Okay, uploaded this 20 mins ago and I changed the chapter title from "Secrets Revealed" to "Who Kissed Who" cause I already have Secrets Revealed from another story of mine lol okay that's all bye