When life gives you lemons, throw it back and demand chocolate.
'"Sweet baby Satan!" I screamed, accidentally gaining the attention of the murderers. Act natural, Arya.
"Did you just shoot them?!" I mentally face-palmed. So much for acting natural...
After a minute, I could still feel them staring at me. And it was honestly creeping me out. Reluctantly, I put my book away. It would have to wait.
Cue the awkward silence.
"So, uh, Arya." Wyatt cleared his throat. "You said that the boys had kidnapped you? Why?"
"She saw us kill about three weeks ago." Isaac explained. "And Ethan hit her over the head, she turned out to be Chris's um... friend and her family are idiots so here we are."
"Wait..." Wyatt drew out the word and his jaw dropped. "Hold up, you're the Arya. Like Chris's ex best friend?!"
I winced at 'ex best friend' but nodded. I mean, it was my fault.
"Woahh!" He sat down next to me. "I feel like I'm meeting a celebrity! He would not shut up about you. We were dying to meet you, but we never really got the opportunity."
I looked at Kit, who refused to meet my eye. My heart plummeted and I felt guilt suffocating me.
"It's my fault." I whispered. "I didn't want to do it, but I had to."
"Was someone holding a gun to you head and forcing you?" Kit's voice was bitter and hard.
"Well..." I trailed off, unsure how exactly to answer. "Yes and no?" That wasn't it.
"Oh so, someone was holding a gun to your head and at the same time they weren't?" He snapped. "Make up your goddamn mind, McKenzie. Why don't you come to me when you think of a better lie?"
"I'm not lying." I forced myself to say. "I'm trying to give you an explanation-"
"NO!" He shouted. "You're giving me excuses!"
"Same difference." Wyatt muttered and Nick elbowed him to stay quiet.
"FINE!" I screamed. "YOU WANNA KNOW WHY I LEFT YOU? FINE!" I stormed upstairs and emptied out my backpack. Lots of books, pens and pencil shavings fell out, including a red folder.
I ran downstairs and threw the folder at his face. Not expecting it, Chris didn't catch it in time and it fell, pictures falling out of it.
"What is this?" Nick breathed out in horror.
The pictures were of me, Chris and Jacob. Chris's and my brother's had large red 'X's on them and sheets of paper contained threats. Chris was looking through them, his shoulders shaking with anger and sadness.
"That is why I couldn't be friends with you." I snarled. "Those monsters threatened you guys. You might have been living with the pain and anger I caused you, but I've had to deal with this for three bloody years." I took a shuddering breath. "They held a gun to my eleven-year-old brother's head and forced me to do terrible things. I'm sorry Christopher, for what I did to you. But if I could go back in time, I would still do it again."
"This is the reason you left me?" He breathed out in a small voice, looking up.
I shook my head and took a step back. "Not entirely. I was planning on breaking our friendship even before that- for another reason entirely. A reason I can't tell you."
Tears slipped out from his brown eyes. "Wh- Why?"
I swallowed. "You wanted to know why, I told you why. Don't ask for the truth if you're not prepared for it."
I went to the kitchen and grabbed a whole therapy chocolate bar from the fridge. I chewed on it angrily, glaring at the counter. Soon, it gave way to sadness and I cried, banging my head on the table.
A warm hand came between the countertop and my head. I looked up through blurred vision and saw Kit. I hugged him tightly and sobbed, letting out all the pain and anguish from over the years. After a few minutes, we pulled away.
"I'm sorry, Skittle." He murmured. "For not trusting you had a good reason to do what you did."
"I'm sorry too for what I did." I responded and we sat in comfortable silence.
"Umm..."
Our heads snapped up to Ethan, who was fidgeting nervously.
"Look, I don't know what the bloomin' heck is going on right now." He started. "But I know you two are upset and need something to cheer you up. So... here." He tossed me a bag of Skittles and gave Chris a KitKat.
My lips curved upwards in a smile. "Thanks Ethan!"
"Yeah, well," he cleared his throat. "Let's not make it a habit. And don't tell the others- I've got a reputation to maintain."
"Have you?" Kit teased and Ethan punched him in the arm. "Ow."
"Zac hasn't told Blake or Wyatt about your situation." Ethan said, looking at me. "He wants to give you the choice of telling them yourself- although, you don't have to if you don't want to." He shrugged. "I mean, they can't force you and even if they wanted to, they're too scared to try. What you did with Ashley was incredible, but also very scary."
I nodded, munching on the sweets. "Do you trust them?"
"With my life." He responded immediately.
"Then that's good enough for me." I pushed myself away from the table and followed them to the living room.
End of chapter 9.
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Stay safe and thanks for reading :)
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