My Understandings [ON HOLD/EDITING]

My Understandings: Part 15

-Austins P.O.V-

"Bye guys!" shouts Edith while she heads out the door. We all wave goodbye as she walks out to my car.

"Dude. What if she crashes your car?" asks Tino with a laugh. I laugh a little and look up at him.

"I trust her. She's just going to Kat's and I didn't want her to walk. If she crashes my car though I'll be pissed." I laugh. We continue eating breakfast and everyone starts discussing the questioning.

"So we all know the story right?" Whispers Alan referring to the story Edith told us to tell the cops. He looks around for nods of approval and then to me. I slowly nod and go back to eating. I'm trying to think about what to say but my mind seems to always wander back to Edith.

I can't even imagine how much stress all of this is putting on her. First she finds out that her dad has been hiding her mothers love since her mother left. Then her best friend almost dies. Her dad is fucking crazy. And then you find out the police won't leave her alone. I would have exploded under the pressure and I respect her so much for sticking through all this shit. It's so sad that all these terrible things are happening to such a pretty girl...

Tino snaps his fingers in front of my face. "Hey! Earth to Austin!" I lean back in my chair and nervously laugh. "Man you need to snap out of it. The cops are going to be here soon so you gotta focus." says Tino. The rest of the guys look at me and nod in approval with Tino.

"Why should I be so worried? Why should any of us be worried? We didn't do it!" I say leaning forward in my chair. I smack my fist down on the table. "Why can't we just tell them it was her dad?" I ask. I didn't see why we had to keep this such a big secret. No harm would be done with that asshole in jail. Everyone is silent as they look to the table.

"It's not that simple Austin." Aaron blurts out. I look over at him but he's looking over at Alan. I look to see him staring right at me.

"If her dad goes to jail ... then she can't come to the cities with me, she'll have no home or money. If we rat out her dad she'll be fucked. She has her job but that isn't enough." says Alan coldly. I can see the worry on his face, I know how Edith is basically his sister... Couldn't argue with that. Separating those two would be the end of the world.

"I just don't understand why all of this had to happen to her." I say looking towards the floor.

"I didn't even know that her dad was like that... It's crazy what she can hide from us." Mumbles Tino. Phil nods in agreement and Aaron leans forward and puts his face in his hands

"What else do you think she's hiding you guys?" He asks. I look over to see Alan's face turn to worry and pain and he clears his throat.

"Uh. Hold on a sec guys. I'll be right back." He gets up out of his chair and wanders into his bathroom. Alright. Something's up. I get up from my chair and walk down the hallway to the bathroom that Alan's locked himself away in.

"Alan." I say through the door quietly. The guys are still talking in the kitchen but I don't want them to hear me. I hear Alan take a deep breath and I knock on the door. "Alan what's up?" I ask. He opens the door with a distressed look.

"Nothing just... Get them to stop talking about Edith like that." He mumbles looking towards the ground.

"Like what?" I ask.

"Like she's so fucking secretive. No one out there really know what she's going through and it's fucking pissing me off." He says angrily. He clenches his fists and looks at me

"Dude they're just worried about her." I try and calm him but it doesn't work. He sighs and shakes his head.

"Just fucking forget it ok? The cops will be here soon." He says brushing past me. I'm left standing there wondering what the hell is going on with him. I don't understand why he's so upset, but whatever.