Blank Stars

chapter 19

“Kayla… where are you going?”

I jumped as Alec seemed to appear in front of me, I stammered words in my mind until I managed to produce some kind of response.

“I’m just going to go for a walk.”

I knew that it was a weak excuse and it obviously didn’t convince Alec of anything. He stood there with his arms crossed in front of his chest with a raised eyebrow waiting for me to come up with a better excuse. He must not have trusted my phone call, and wanted to check on me in person.

“Kayla, don’t lie to me, I know you wouldn’t just go for a walk. You barely leave the house on the best of days.”

I cursed to myself, but I still refused to tell him why I was really out here, I guess I would have to submit and be dragged back to Sophia’s.

“Fine, let’s just go back.”

Alec nodded but he seemed unsure, I couldn’t blame him because I was acting out of character again, if he really knew where I had been going he wouldn’t let me out of his sight again.

We walked back in silence and as we reached Sophia’s, Alec stopped and turned to me.

“Does Sophia know you were gone?”

I shook my head and he let out a small sigh.

“Ok, follow my lead and don’t speak”

I nodded my head and let him open the door.

“Hey Sophia, its Alec I just came to see Kayla.”

I could hear scuffling and I hoped that she wouldn’t come to the door to greet him, luckily she didn’t and instead shouted something through from the kitchen. Alec walked in the door, motioning for me to walk close behind him, I did and he quickly closed the door behind me and shuffled me up the stairs. Once we were in my room he paused at the door and turned to me, obviously wanting an explanation for my actions.

“Ok, so why were you really outside?”

I sighed and walked over to my window, I didn’t want to look him in the eye but I also needed to buy time to come up with a reasonable excuse.

“I wanted fresh air.”

“Don’t talk shit Kyte, I know you, you don’t care about fresh air.”

I racked my brain for a response but came up empty handed, I jumped as I felt Alec’s arms around me.

“Don’t shut me out Kyte, what’s going on.”

I felt my defences fall at the sad and hurt tone in his voice.

“I needed to find something.”

He turned me round and looked me in the eye, trying to judge whether he should believe me or not.

“Find what?”

“if I tell you, you’ll think I’m crazy.”

He let out an exasperated sigh and looked down at me, reprimanding me with his eyes.

“Tell me kyte.”

“Tunnels.”

He looked at me, obviously thinking that I was either joking or crazy.

“Tunnels?” he said incredulously.

“Yeah.”

He seemed so confused but he didn’t say anything further.

“Why?”

I took in a deep breath, knowing that I would have to tell him everything.

“Because, in my mum’s diary there was a place where tunnels supposedly were… they would lead to the outside.”