Stars Around My Scars - Conrad Fisher

5. Secret Knife

The police take us back to the house to a very unhappy Laura. I basically collapse on the couch next to Conrad. I see Laura talking to the officers. A few seconds later, they leave.

"How could you guys be so irresponsible?" Laura asks.

"Mom, it wasn't a big deal, alright? Seriously." Steven says. "The cops were just looking to break up the bonfire."

"Not a big deal?" Laura asks.

"Yes." Steven says.

"I would say getting picked up by the cops for underage drinking is a big deal." Laura says.

"Wait, you can't drink at 17?" I ask, still pretty tipsy. Laura gives me a look and shakes her head in disappointment.

Steven sniffs. "Were you guys smoking tonight?" Steven asks.

"What?" Laura asks. "Keep your voice down, Susannah's asleep on the couch." She says.

Then Jeremiah joins in. Laurel points at Conrad. "You're the oldest, what the hell's gotten into you?" Laura asks. Then she talks to Belly, and then me. "Mackenzie, just because you are having a hard time, doesn't mean that you can go get into all sorts of trouble with no consequences." Laura says. Belly and her mom argue and then Laura tells us to go to bed. Everyone walks out but I'm still behind Conrad.

"I don't know what's going on with you." Laura says. I can read Conrads face, he knows something but isn't telling anyone. "Nothing." Conrad says. "Nothings going on." He walks past Laura and I follow him. I go to walk up the stairs but I fall. Conrad walks down to me and helps me up. "You're really shit faced, aren't you?" Conrad asks.

"Fuck yeah." I say. Conrad helps me up the stairs and helps me into my room. He lays me down into my bed and takes the knife out of my pocket. Then I basically pass out on top of my bed.

Conrad POV:

I take the knife out of Mack's pocket and I set it on her nightstand. She passes out on the bed. I can't just leave her in the sandy long sleeve t-shirt. Her shorts are fine but her shirt has beer on it and sand.

I go into my room and grab one of my t-shirts. A long sleeved one because she seems to like those. Then I go back into her room and take her shirt off. She's still in her bra and it's nothing that I haven't seen before. I've had to change my mom's shirt when she fell asleep before.

I spot something on her lower arms, her wrists. I put it in the light and see small lines of scars. A bunch of them. So that's what the knife is for. Fuck. They don't look too new. One of them is maybe a week old. I put my shirt on her. Great, another secret. I'm not telling anyone. Not after what Mack has been through. I take the knife and then put it in my own pocket. I put the blankets and covers over Mack and then I turn the lights off and walk out. I go into my room and place the blade in the drawer of my nightstand.

Then I go downstairs and put a blanket over my mom. A tear almost slips down my face. Knowing her secret and not telling anybody that I know. My mom has cancer and she hasn't told us.

Then I head to bed.

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Mack POV:

I get up and my head hurts like hell. I get up and look in the mirror. I have a bruise on my cheek. Great. Then I notice something, I'm not wearing the same shirt that I was last night. What the fuck? I smell the shirt and it smells like Conrad's. Oh no. If he gave me a different shirt, that means that he would of have to take my other shirt off and that could've revealed my scars. Shit. What if he saw them? I run over to my bed and check all around for my father's knife. I can't find it.

Conrad knows. He has the knife and he knows. Oh shit. What if he tells Laurel? Or Susannah? I start panicking in my room and my breathing quickens. He can't know. What's he gonna think of me now?

I shake my head. Maybe he doesn't know. I could just be overreacting. I sigh and put my crocs on. I need to sit on the beach to clear my thoughts.

I walk to the beach and see Conrad sitting there. Fuck. I start walking the other direction but then I hear his voice.

"Mack? Where are you going?" Conrad asks. I freeze in my tracks. I turn around.

"I umm, I'm just, ummm. Cold." I say. Nodding. "It's kinda cold out here." I say. The look on Conrad's face can say it all. He knows I'm lying. I'm fucked.