ᴡʜɪsᴘᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ʟɪᴇs

19

Adelaide

He's a piece of shit. I can't believe he would do that to me. After everything? I remember Damon Torrance. And it's clear as day, he remembers me. I knew him way before he got arrested. We are still bonded together because of our parents. The only difference is I thought I'd never see him again.

After he got arrested, my parents talked shit about his family. Saying they were never going to do business with them again. Well, the Torrance family has a lot against mine. And we owe it all to Damon. He's the reason my parents got back to dealing with his father. This motherfucker.

Now, he wants to mess with me, too? Hasn't he done enough?

''Do you think she's okay?'' Mila is fucking worried about Elsie. I understand, I saw in what state she was. But, really? What the fuck? Will fucking fingered her and she let him. Plus, she left with Michael? What side is she on?

I am not angry with her. I am, stunned. I thought she had our backs. But clearly, there's more to the story. Will's attracted to her and she's attracted to him. Normally, we wouldn't have minded. If they didn't find out who we were.

Why would they be bothered anyway? Will wants Elsie, he'll have her. He already controls her. But, Kai and Michael? What do they have to gain? I won't even go into details with Damon. If anything, he put them all to this.

''She'll be fine'' Quinn answers. She's mad, it's understandable. Elsie keeps pushing us away. Her childish games are over. I might have not cared before but I do now. She had a freaking panic attack. Was it because of Will? No way.

''Do you think she'll be a-''

''Fuck Mila! Do you know something we don't?'' Quinn snaps as she throws her bag in my car. I press my lips together, they never fight. We never fight. What's happening to us?

''Why would you think that?''

''Are you kidding me? What's up with Elsie? Surely you know because she tells you everything!'' Quinn crosses her arms over her chest. This isn't just about Elsie. Something is going on in her life and we don't know about it. We're losing each other.

Goddamn it.

''She doesn't tell me everything! All I know of her past is because I searched for it, not because she told me!'' Mila fires back. Mila and Elsie have always been closer. They'd be spiraling if they didn't have each other.

I glance at the two of them. Quinn is taking a step forward and if I am the one who has to stop this fight? Then, we've gone deep.

''Oh yeah? And how much did you find?'' Mills takes a step back but Quinn doesn't stop. We are supposed to be together on this, what the heck is going on?

''Did you search for our pasts too?'' Okay, this question actually bothers me. Mila would never do this to us.

''No, I did not.'' Their expressions say it all. I don't know how I am supposed to stop this.

''And why is that? Weren't you curious?'' Mila doesn't say anything. She keeps her eyes on Quinn, daring her to say something else. And I know she will. This is about to turn into a fight I do not want to stop. One I don't think I could stop.

''You only care about Elsie, Addy and I noticed'' Quinn turns to me and I shake my head.

''Don't bring me into this'' I glance at Mila and she doesn't seem angry. She's taking a step back, analyzing what she could say. She always does this.

''It's the truth! You may be our friend but you may as well be on their side'' Quinn is going too far. I hate this. Fucking horsemen.

''On their side? What? You think Elsie is on their side?'' Mila explodes in laughter.

''Will and her are magnets. You saw them. We can't keep them from each other. And as for me, I don't know if you realize that I have disabled the camera they installed in our apartment while you were too busy being on top of Kai Mori to even notice they put it there'' Mila says out of breath.

What?

''So yeah! I might be on their side after all, right?'' She turns her back and when she climbs into the passenger seat, I don't glance at Quinn. This is bullshit. We need to be in this together. We can't let the fucking horsemen separate us. This is our thing. The girls on fire's thing. Our fucking secrets are going to be the downfall of us and the fucking horsemen know all about them.

''I am sorry'' Quinn whispers as she slams the door and fastens her seatbelt.

''It's fine'' Mila looks out the window and I drive away. We need to get to school. I have practice after literature and if I let what happened this morning sink in my head, I won't be able to concentrate.

Fallen stars by the neighbourhood play in the car. It's a song Elsie adores and I don't dare to change it. Elsie is a part of us. We wouldn't be who we are if she wasn't here for us. It's ironic when I think about it. 'We're further apart, the closer that we are', she used to sing these words louder than any other lyrics in the song. I know why now. She has been there, for all of us. We've never been there for her. She never showed us this much emotion until the past few days. Maybe Mila saw her have a panic attack once and that is why she is so worried. But, Elsie was right. We are further apart the closer that we are. I want this to end. We need this to end.

''It's El'' Mila says and lowers the sound of the radio. She puts her phone on speaker and we listen closely.

''Are you okay?'' she asks, not even a hi or hello. Classy Mila Hale.

''Kai! Stop it! Sorry, what did you say?'' she giggles and I've never heard her laugh like this. She almost sounds, happy.

''I asked if you were okay'' Mila repeats. I peek at my mirror rearview, Quinn's eyes are puffy. She's not crying but she's on the verge of tears. This was their fight and it better be their last. Quinn can't stand to fight someone. She can fuck them all pretty good but she always feels an ounce of remorse after. It's the way she is.

''Oh yeah, I am sorry'' Elsie's voice is quieter than it was.

''Don't be, it's fine''

''Um, I'll see you guys later?'' Did she call Mila only for this?

''Sure, at the auditorium? As always?'' I hear Will clear his throat and whisper something to Elsie. It's strange how we know what's going on and we can't even see them.

''No! Will! Stop it!''

''The auditorium? We'll be there'' Will answers and hangs up. I chuckle to myself. This is going to be a disaster. We have to plan something. If the four horsemen decide to not be on our side, we will end them. I won't forget what Damon told me. I know what they want. That's the trick. Remember what people say.