U N T O L D
T R U T H
chapter thirty five
"Would your mom be home from her trip?" Flynn asks as he follows me up the pebble path to my house. I see her car parked in the driveway, and she had messaged me to say she was home.
"Yeah, her car is in the driveway." I twist the doorknob, expecting it to be locked after a downfall of events that took place in the home, but it's unlocked. Unusual, I think to myself.
I open the door and immediately voices meet mine and Flynn's ears. It's not a soft and normal conversation, it's a male's voice yelling. The voice is not unfamiliar to me. I dread being in the same house as him.
"Who is that?" Flynn asks me quietly with a frown on his face. I don't answer him since I am more determined to make sure my mom is okay. The further we walk into the house, the clearer the voices get.
"I don't care about that! It all circles back to me!" The voice booms at my mom. My heart thrashes against my rib cage with nerves as I near the kitchen. "One of the men I work with somehow knew about everything! The psych hospital, the investigation, everything! She looks guilty, and now they all are looking at me! I can't have this all fall on me!"
I step into the kitchen where mom is standing behind the kitchen island, her hands gripping the edge of the bench and her back straight. She seems me which makes the room fall silent.
Once I know she is unharmed and okay, my eyes finally fall on the man on the other side of the island. He turns around- his red hair and blue eyes that match mine face me.
His face is tinted red from his outburst. I hold no love for him anymore, everything had burnt away over time. Silently, he stares back at me. He hadn't expected me to be here. I watch his sight move to Flynn.
"Get out the house." Whatever he had come over to say to mom, neither of us want to hear it. We don't want him in our life anymore.
"Violet-"
"Get out now. I'm not going to say it again." I have never stood up to someone I use to call my father. But I have learnt to stand up for myself and not cower away from people like I use to. Without saying a word, he storms out of the kitchen, and the sound of the front door being slammed closed let's us know he is gone.
"Oh, you're back. I thought you left Hamilton." On my track to the cafeteria, my peaceful walk is interrupted when Nancy Dennis is beside me.
I roll my eyes and choose to ignore her, since I don't want to start trouble on my first day back at school. The only good she has done for me is stopping my thoughts about seeing my biological father being mad at mom because I was causing shame to his name.
I walk faster, successfully losing her in the swarm of students. "Finally! I was beginning to think you fell into the toilet." Camila laughs when I meet her out the front of the loud cafeteria. She links her arm with mine.
I had surprised her this morning by scaring her at her locker, and it was one of the funniest reactions I have witnessed. Ever since then, she made sure we walked with linked arms and talked about Penn Sterling.
"Sorry, everyone decided to use the bathroom at the same time I did." I tell her while walking into the busy room. As much as I hate it here, it's certainly better than Penn Sterling and I will never take school for granted again.
We settle at the table we all use to sit at, that oddly is still vacant. "Your mom won't be mad if I stay at your house for two weeks, will she?" Camila asks me rather calmly.
"Two weeks? I'll be sick of you after two days." I cough out while she sits across from me so we can face each other. "As much as I love you Cami, there's no way I'm housing you for two weeks. We can make up for the two weeks I was away here."
"At school?" Now she scoffs and tries to fight her playful smile from breaking her performance. "Party pooper."
I stick my tongue out at her for a brief moment, earning an eye roll. While laughing I take out my own lunch I packed from my bag, since I am extremely sick of eating all of the healthy foods I had to eat for two weeks. I can't even bare the thought of eating the greasy cafeteria food.
"I hope you both didn't miss me too much!" I inhale a sharp breath when Dianna frighten's me with her loud and obnoxious entrance. The brunette slams down on the seat beside Camila and her heavy bag drops to the ground beside her.
Her and Flynn had the same class together before lunch, so immediately my eyes move to around her in search for her older brother. Like I had both expected and hoped- he is making his way around the table.
"Nope, I was enjoying the peace and quiet without you." I hear Camila joke and can see Dianna firmly shove her shoulder in the corner of my eye. Although I keep watching Flynn's movements as he settles down beside me with a small smile present on his face.
"Hey." The brown haired boy says quietly and tosses his bag to his feet. It has only been two hours since I last saw him, since the only two classes we don't share were back to back. "What are you doing after school?"
I don't have to think about his question much, knowing my afternoon is the same as usual. The only things that have changed are the hour appointment with my psychologist twice a week that are compulsory after Penn Sterling.
"Nothing. Why?" As I ask, his warm hand slips towards mine as he fiddles with my fingers beneath the table.
"I was hoping to come over, so-"
Camila groans loudly, catching all of our attention. "You two have been so weird since Violet got back." I look at my blonde best friend who stabs her fork into her pasta she bought from home. "We can't even eavesdrop on your conversation because you're so quiet."
"We were talking about how annoying you and Dianna are." Flynn pipes up, wounding both girls with his sarcastic tone.
"A, screw you Flynn." Dianna flashes her middle finger at her brother from across the table. "And b, now that we should probably start applying for colleges- can we all apply for the same ones? I don't want to be the one who breaks the link by moving across country."
College isn't something I even have put thought into. I have been more focused on trying to survive my year of chaos to make it to another. "I agree, if we all went to the same place, we could rent a place all together near campus until we graduate." Camila inputs.
I make no effort to add to the conversation, knowing it both would be hard to get into the same college, and that the chances of me being accepted to most are slim. I have missed too much school this year and have too many involvements with the police to e even consider it.
"Psst!" Dianna makes a discreet noise by muffling into into her hand and forcing her eyes to burn into mine. "Sebastian Reynolds's best friend making a move on our table."
The moment her words are whispered, everyone has a different reaction. Flynn inhales a deep breath and sits up straighter while searing the direction of students moving around. Camila is still unaware of my amends I made, so she leans her arms on the table and widens her eyes for a moment to brace herself.
I frown at all of their negative reactions. I understand the last time Flynn saw him wasn't pleasant, but people like Liam Fields don't deserve that treatment. People like Anthony Graham do.
"Hey." Rather cautiously, Liam drawls out. His posture and fidgeting hands prove his awkward state. He never once looks at my friends at the table, but it's obvious he feels their gazed on him. "Can we talk?"
Liam stares at me, awaiting my answer. "Tell me if I'm wrong, but the last time we saw you, you were-"
"Flynn." I spin in my seat to face my boyfriend who is looking up at Liam. I know not telling him about going to see Liam is wrong, but I'm not obligated to, and it was something I needed to do for myself. "It's okay. He's not like that. I'll be back in a minute."
Before he and the girls can protest, my hand falls from Flynn's as I stand up. I know he is still unsure about the ordeal, alike my friends too. I decide it's best to explain it later rather than leave an awkward looking Liam standing by the table.
Once I slide out from the seat, I fall in step with the blonde boy who spins around as fast as he can to have his back to the group. I have not a single clue what he would want to talk about, but I assume it would be a continuation of our apologies.
We walk out of the cafeteria in pure silence, somehow ending up down the long hall of lingering students and around the corner where the closed doors of the gym is.
"So-" I drawl out once we stop in the area free from students. "What did you need to talk about?" I ask the blue eyed boy who is still radiating thick tension. We had spent so long avoiding and disliking each other to dive straight back into accepting a neutral feelings.
"I, uh." Liam stutters for a moment and I shift between leaning on each leg under his unmoving gaze. "I was hoping we could talk more about- everything after you came over, but we never had a chance and you disappeared for a while. Oh, and I wanted to ask you about your mom t-"
"My mom?" I understand him wanting to learn more about Sebastian's death and everything from my side, but my mom has nothing to do with it. Curiosity burns at me. "Why my mom?"
He panics for a moment. His eyebrows shoot up in surprise and his lips parting as sounds fall from his lips. "Sorry, that came out weird." He forces away his embarrassment with a sigh and closes his eyes to recollect himself. "When you fell off the face of the earth for a few weeks, I saw your mom dropping my dad home a few times and I figured she is the one he has been seeing. I saw her pick him up too on the weekend to stay somewhere. I wasn't sure if I was the only one who wasn't told about them being together."
My body ceases as he speaks. I never would of guessed that Mr Fields's would be who mom was spending time with recently. Liam's mother had passed away almost five years ago, leaving just him and his father alone.
I am happy for mom, from what I can briefly remember about Mr Fields is quite nice. "No, I knew she was seeing someone but I had no clue it was your dad." In ways, I am glad Liam and I had cleared our tension earlier. It would of been so much worse to have our parents dating, and us resenting each other.
"Oh," he pauses, seeming shocked I didn't know. "Well at least we're not acting like we did months ago." Liam jokes- saying what I was thinking aloud. "It's weird though, he's never dated anyone since mom. And of all people, our parents."
I prefer it being Liam's father rather than a stranger who I know nothing about their family status- and would have to learn it. It gives the both of us reason to move forward from our differences.
"What are the odds?" I laugh slightly, trying my best to add comfort between us since it still is awkward. The idea of mom dating someone not only makes me happy for her, but the idea of the house being crowded with more people excites me.
The door beside Liam abruptly opens. He stumbles to the side in order to avoid the wood from the office belonging to Kyle Reynolds to slam into him. "Oh, sorry Liam." The teacher I have managed to avoid all day grips the door before it can hit Liam. "I didn't see you there." His eyes move from Liam when he notices he isn't alone, and settle on me. "Were the invitations not sent out for the reunion?"
Immediately I look at Liam in order to see if he is either friendly or hostile towards Kyle Reynolds. He stands there with no sign of a frown or smile, remaining neutral towards his former best friend's cousin.
"Now we're just missing the Davis boy."
"His name is Flynn." I decide I can't stay silent anymore and let Kyle run over me. "If you can't see, Liam and I are trying to talk in private. Now is not the time for you to express me being with Sebastian that night again."
In hopes it was enough to send him away, I focus my attention back onto Liam so Kyle would understand I no longer want to speak to him. "You have missed two weeks worth of theory lessons. You will be expected to stay behind after school to catch up."
Kyle Reynolds infuriates me after ignoring what I had said. "I'm not staying after school." I look back at him with stern eyes. "You're not saying that as a teacher, you're saying that as you. The last time we spoke you made it crystal clear just how much you view me for something I didn't even do."
"I'm sorry Mr Reynolds." Liam stops me before I can continue speaking. "But I really need to speak to Violet in peace now. It's urgent." I am grateful for Liam aiding my attempt to rid Kyle.
"Liam, I'm not trying to be rude but if Violet won't stay in after school hours to catch up- she'll need to use her lunch break now to do so." Kyle protests against leaving.
"The principal organised with my mom to have all the work I missed compiled into notes I would study at home- so I know you don't want me to catch up on my work. I'm calling it how it is, and you want to talk about how you said my 'judgmental decision' was being at the park with Sebastian." It's a never ending battle with Kyle Reynolds. "I don't know if you're parents told you or not, but your cousin was murdered. His biological father's friends planned to kill Sebastian, then Flynn and Dianna. He wasn't killed because I conveniently placed him in the park, he was killed because of men that were watching him. So there- it wasn't my fault since it was bound to happen."
I don't even have to tell him to leave before he spins around and marches down the hall without a single glance. I couldn't even see his reaction. It was a harsh way to find out, but I am tired of his behaviour.
I suddenly remember Liam in front of me. He also didn't know. "Sebastian's death was planned?" His passing continues to haunt everyone if different ways. All I see is brief memories of him around school, and then his unrecognisable body laying in Hamilton Park. Liam is haunted by his missing friendship from his childhood best friend.
It would be as if I had lost Camila. "I'm sorry- I didn't want you to find out like that." I watch carefully for any sign of his old cold expressions towards me. There is none. "I was away from school because I wanted to help Flynn find out who his, Dianna's, and Sebastian's biological father was, so I did some investigating until I found out their so called 'father' had his friends kill Sebastian and make it seem like a mugging to cover his tracks. It's a long story, and I don't think it's one that should be shared in school."
"Oh, wow." Liam blinks a few times and ever so slightly shakes his head. "That's a lot to take in, but thank you for not diving into it all, otherwise I would of been embarrassing myself in school." He looks down at his shoes and forces out a quiet laugh. "If someone like Nancy Dennis saw me I would never hear the end of it."
I understand what he is implying openly to me, feeling a lot more comfortable with expressing himself to me since we have had such a long history together. "It's okay if people see you cry, Liam. Sebastian was your best friend, everyone would understand."
He purses his lips and looks back up to me. "Flynn and Dianna are related to Sebastian?" The subject is immediately changed by Liam's unanswered knowledge of the Davis family.
"Yeah, there was a lady called Sandra Reynolds who is their birth mother. She was in a mental institution when she fell pregnant twice, giving birth to both the Davis's and Sebastian." I'm almost tired of explaining the same thing over and over again. I only hope once the court trail is over, and the men are all in custody I won't have to anymore. "I can explain it all in detail when we're not in school."
Liam nods and stuffs his hands into his pant's pockets. "Thank you, I would like that." He agrees to learning about the long and complicated family history. "I guess it will work out well since I guess our parents are spending a lot of time together. Who knows if one day we end up being step siblings."
Although I know he is joking as I join his light chuckle, the thought of even having a step sibling is something I have dreamed about since I was little. I wanted nothing more than a big family so I would never feel alone. "In that case, how about instead of sitting by yourself outside in the freezing cold, come sit with me and my friends? You could get to know Flynn. It would be good for him to have a break from being around girls all the time."
"You knew I sat outside?" He smirks slightly. "You stalked me?"
"I didn't stalk you, I was simply observing from afar." I defend before the heat of embarrassment can crawl up my cheeks and swallow me. I never stalked him properly, I was just curious once I returned after Sebastian's death where his blonde best friend disappeared to.
"Definitely stalking."
"Just shut up and walk before I drag you to the cafeteria." I say sternly, earning a laugh from Liam before he holds his hands up in surrender and starts to walk down the hall.
I walk with him back in the direction of the room filled with wild teenagers. No wonder Liam avoids it now. "I don't think Flynn likes me, I get it since the first time I met him wasn't my finest moment." Liam fills the silence as we walk. "I've never met Dianna, and I haven't spoken to Camila since we all stopped hanging out."
"They'll be fine." I reassure him, knowing my friends are extremely caring and accepting. "They're just people. There is nothing to be worried about."
We near the table where my friends are sitting, but aside from them being oblivious to us approaching- I see Nancy Dennis taking note of Liam Fields being beside me. She rolls her eyes and looks away so her attention is back on a pink haired girl beside her.
"Flynn and Di, this is Liam. He's an old friend." I slide back into my original seat next to Flynn, watching his extremely observant eyes that watch Liam hesitate sitting down. "Cami, you obviously know him."
From across the table, my blonde best friend has her eyes unapologetically burning through Liam who now sits beside me thinking it to be his safest place. "Yeah, I remember Liam. I also remember you being an asshat and destroying our friendship and rubbing everything in Violet's face. Seriously, you didn't even let-"
"Camila, it's okay." I stop her from reigning anymore harsh words on Liam.
"I know, I know." Before I could continue, Liam finally speaks up. "Everyone reacted differently after Sebastian died. I was mad, Violet was distant, and you were quiet Camila. I admit I took it a few steps too far, but I knew Sebastian my entire life- it was like losing a brother, and everyone was saying conflicting things about it so it all got to my head."
I turn to see how Flynn is taking the whole situation in, hoping for the best and easiest outcome. I don't know how I would handle dealing with the heartwarming boy beside me being either jealous or angry.
Flynn's hazel eyes are blankly on Liam, absorbing in his words so he can decide for himself if he believes them. They move from him and onto me since I had turned to him.
I smile softly to assure him Liam means no harm anymore. Without Flynn asking me for my opinion, I knew his eyes were silently asking me. His hand takes ahold of mine, weaving his fingers through my own.
Camila sighs loudly, catching my attention away from Flynn. I squeeze his hand once to let him know not to be so tense. "I can't argue. I was an asshole and split from Violet too." She sides with Liam, taking stress off me by accepting him. "Dianna, you take the reins."
The brunette beside her perks up and snaps out of her curious stare. "What? I have never even spoken with him before, how am I suppose to know what to do?" Dianna asks and looks between Camila and I.
"Flynn, you're turn."
All eyes move to my boyfriend who thinks of something to say, but is silenced when Liam does instead. "I'm sorry about what I said when I met you. I just- I spent a long time being angry at Violet for being with Seb the night he died. It was hard seeing her and you being friends because it's like seeing him again. I'm still trying to look at you without being dizzy."
I look at Flynn who seems to be understanding Liam and isn't mad at him. Grief effects people in all weird ways. "I get it, he was your best friend. I never even met Sebastian and I was upset when I found out he was murdered." Flynn starts to say and I can't contain my smile as he accepts Liam. "I'm sure we can look past it all and be civil."
I throw my bag into the floor of my room, trying to ignore the heavy book inside it that holds homework that is due tomorrow, and all the notes for the classes I have missed.
"So-" Flynn draws out whilst I dive onto my bed face first, letting my body melt into the soft covers. "Liam Fields was also yours and Camila's friend?" I expected his question- I would of been worried if he didn't ask.
I turn so I am laying on my side since I felt the bed dip where Flynn has also decided to rest beside me. "Yeah, he was Sebastian's best friend from birth, and I met him in sixth grade. He became really good friends, and so he, Camila, and I were all inseparable at times. We never hung out with Sebastian that much, since Liam liked our friendships separated." I explain.
"I'm guessing after the accident that's when he stopped being friends?" I nod at Flynn's slowly asked question. "And what did Camila mean by you and Liam already having such a complicated history?"
Later during the day when Liam had his own classes to attend to, Camila didn't fail to slyly mention a lot of things from junior year about our friendship with Liam. Although they mostly were memories of us all sneaking out to party at a young age and having fun, a few times she hadn't realised she was saying too much.
"Liam had a crush on my for four years, and I only ever saw him as a friend so it made a lot of tension sometimes." I am comfortable being completely honest and open with Flynn, regardless if the information is relevant or not.
His eyebrows raise as if he hadn't expected me to say what I had. "Liam liked you? Does he still like you?"
I shake my hand. "No, he's too thoughtful and selfless to even think about liking me that way again. His dad has been sneaking around with my mom, and Liam is the type of person who would surrender his feelings for his dad."
Flynn smiles, immediately shooting the familiar warmth through my body. "If we hadn't had the run in with him a while back, I would be completely sold on the thought of him being a genuine good person. He still may be, but we're working on it at least. Oh, and if you're thinking that I was implying earlier that I was worried about him liking you- I'm not."
I can't help but laugh aloud at Flynn protesting about being worried because of another boy. "I knew that, Flynn. I like you, and only you. I had no doubt you wouldn't be worried."
"I know." His smile melts my thoughts away, freezing me still. "You've made it quite clear just how much you like me." In an instant, be turns my thoughts straight back on.
I roll my eyes, despite a smile still being evident on my face. My cheeks slightly burn with heat that has snuck into them. "You've made your point." He gently pushes my shoulder back so that I am lying on my back and he can move to be above me.
My hands instinctively move to wrap around around the back of his neck and allow my fingers to bury into his brown locks. It seems as if it has been an eternity since I last kissed Flynn, so when he dips his head down to mine and his lips meet mine- I'm filled with pure euphoria.
An audible sound hums from my throat before I can stop it, which eggs Flynn to continue moving his lips in sync with mine. His hands move to wherever they can reach, leaving a burning sensation in their path.
He suddenly stops, his lips separated from mine and his hand freezing beneath my shirt. "What time is your mom home?" Flynn asks me quietly.
I glance to the clock beside me bed to observe the time before my attention is back onto the boy above me. "She'll be home in two hours."
Flynn smiles widely, almost making me want to laugh at him while his hands pull up the material of my shirt. I scoff humorously at his slow and innocent actions, swatting his hands away.
I'm met with his pouted lips and frown after my hands pausing from moving his away. I laugh at his attempt of a puppy dog face, one that I purposely tried to make him pull by teasing. I pull my own shirt over my head and toss it beside the bed.
The look his gone from his face and replaced with his wide-toothy smile that I love. In a matter of seconds, his lips are back against mine.
___________________________________
Currently in time, there is a lot going on in the world. First we started with my country (Australia) almost burning to the ground, and then had the rest of the downfall in time.
Unfortunately, George Floyd was murdered by the police. I was outraged and heartbroken to have heard and seen the news. This has sparked a protest around the world as people fight to end police brutality and for the world to be anti racist.
I am proud of people for standing for what they believe and saying enough is enough. Black lives matter. George Floyd and many others killed by police did not deserve it. They deserve justice.
I urge everyone to stay safe.
Until Next Time,
Hannah