THE DEVIL // MITCHEL CAVE

16

tate's pov:

this isn't the first time i've been held at gun point.

it's funny how foster killed his brother because he was going to kill me, now foster was the one behind the gun.

kras and i have never told mitchel what happened with reed and it's going to stay that way. nobody but kras and i should know what happened that night.

"you okay t?"

i snap out of my zone and turn my head towards mitchel whose setting up the balloons. "yeah i'm alright." i smile.

it's weird how i really am feeling fine right now. maybe because i've already been through this before.

it's been a few days and mitchel still seems a little shaken up. i don't blame him, i mean who wouldn't be after seeing someone get shot?

today is the boys big day. the band is releasing their album tomorrow and they are throwing a big premiere party tonight. all day we have been getting the house ready for the party. we are all going to have to put on our best faces and act like everything is okay.

kras walks up to me. "can i talk to you outside?" he sounds very nervous.

i stop what i'm doing and follow him outside. he shuts the door and takes a deep breath. he starts pacing around.

"so what's going on?"

"i don't think reed is dead."

i laugh. "that's impossible. we saw his dead body."

he comes closer to me. "trust me when i say reed is not dead."

"how do you know?"

"i saw him."

my heart drops. "no, you couldn't have. he's dead. foster buried him."

"tate, i know i sound crazy right now but i swear i saw him. i know it was him."

"when the hell did you see him?"

"yesterday."

"yes- kras you didn't tell me?!" i yell.

"shh keep it down. i'm sorry, i didn't know how to tell you."

"where did you see him?"

"i saw him when i was at the store yesterday. he had a scar on his head right where foster shot him."

now i start pacing. "this can't be happening. this can't be fucking happening!" i look back up at him. "are you positive it was reed?"

"i'm positive."

"what are we going to do?"

"i don't know but right now we need to keep calm and try and enjoy tonight. don't stress about it."

don't stress? is he crazy? "i'll try not to."

he brings me in for a hug. "everything is going to be okay."

"i hope." i whisper.

we go back inside and act like nothing happened.

tonight is going to be really tough.

———

"alright guys here's our first song, it's called into it." mitchel starts playing the song on the speakers. they are only going to play a few songs off of the album. my personal favorite is triggered.

i look around the room and see people enjoying and dancing to the music. it makes my heart warm for the boys. i know they are going to make it one day.