Lead Me Out of the Dark

Ryan and Sexiness

Leaving Holl-brooke was even sweeter this time around. For one thing, the new meds they’d put me on seemed to be working. Deck and I had come out with a great friendship. Jackie had kept making passes at Deck, but he’d resisted. They had put Deck on some strong antidepressants, but that was to be expected. I’d had no idea that the only medication Deck had been on prior to being admitted were some meds for PTSD. They’d taken him off of those. When we got home, Jamie, Johnny, and Georgie had greeted us excitedly. Linda had told them that Deck and I had been on a camping trip like the one they had been on. Brianna and Taylor knew the truth, but they didn’t care enough to say anything. Things got back to normal fairly quickly, and soon we were back at school. Deck had driven me that day because I still didn’t have my truck back.

“Skye, if you hear a rumor, don’t believe it, okay?” Deck had said quickly. Before I could ask him what he’d meant, he ran off to his first class. Weirdo, I muttered to myself. I trudged into all of my classes. Surprisingly, a lot of people had noticed I was gone. A lot of people asked if I was okay and that they thought I’d died, even though I had only missed a week of school. I sighed, making my way to my locker. Sophie was trailing behind me, yammering on and on about something. I couldn’t bring myself to listen. When I yanked my locker open, red and black confetti shot out. I yelped and jumped backwards. There was a sign that read, LETS GO TO SADES!

“Son of a bitch!” I screamed, tripping backwards on my own feet. Strong hands lifted me up. I turned around to thank Deck, but it wasn’t him. It was a guy who looked remotely familiar. He had blond dirty blonde hair and green eyes. I swore I’d seen him somewhere before…

“So?” he asked. I stared at him, shaking my head as if to clear it.

“So what?” I returned. A crowd began amassing. I grew uneasy. Did he want me to thank him for catching me?

“Will you go to the SADES dance with me?” he asked. I heard a chorus of “awws” but I winced.

“I’m sorry, who are you again?” I blurted. I wanted to smack my hand over my own mouth. When had I become such a bitch?

“I’m Alan. We sit next to each other in global, remember?” he asked. I tried to think up a good excuse. I’m going to be going out of town was much too common. I was going to move before then? I was allergic to dances? I had super strict parents who chose who I dated? I was a lesbian? Before I could utter any of these responses, Alan flew out of my sight and into a wall of lockers. His body slammed against the lockers with a sickening crunching noise.

“What the Hell are you doing!? That’s my girlfriend!” Deck snarled. He shoved Alan against the lockers again. Alan didn’t even wince. I was too shocked to even move. I had completely forgotten that Deck and I had told everyone at school that we were dating. Well, technically we never said that we were. They all had just assumed that we were.

“Oh, so you’re still together? She’s okay with you banging my sister while she’s still dating you?” Alan snapped. Deck paled instantly. Deck was hooking up with someone? Why did that thought make me feel sick to my stomach?

“Who is your sister?” I asked. My voice was so quiet I was sure no one had heard me. Alan turned to me, giving me a smile that looked false. There was something off about him. I couldn’t put m y finger on it. Deck glanced at me. His eyes were frightened. What was he afraid of? Losing me or having me find out the truth? Alan seemed to take his sweet time as we waited for him to answer.

“Tiffany Matthews,” Alan answered. I swallowed so hard I felt my throat tighten convulsively. Deck…had…fucked…Tiffany? Each word felt like a different blow to my stomach. The image of Deck and Tiffany together, completely naked, alone in the dark…. Did she know about his scars? Did she know about his past? What if she knew more than I did? What if Deck had this secret romance with Tiffany? What if Deck was in love with her? That last thought hurt more than any other. This morning, Deck had told me not to believe any rumors I heard. Yet…if it wasn’t true, how would he know to warn me beforehand?