"Everything I Never Told You"

Chapter |1| Kennedy

I hate my life.

Not metaphorically. I literally hate it.

Sometimes I would like to disappear. That way, the black smoke that lives inside my head would vanish, and maybe I could finally live in peace.

Peace. What a strange and unknown feeling. Never in my life have I felt like I've experienced it, except for when I was spending time with Mom, Jaxon, and my best friend Keila.

But that was some long time ago.

Alone is how I feel now, even knowing that I have my brother and best friend.

But I'm not the same after everything that happened, and I don't think I'll ever be again.

Old Kennedy is dead.

I take one last look at the house where I grew up and spent the last 18 years of my life, and I feel a lump appear in my throat.

I let out a big breath that I didn't know I was holding and take a moment to process the decision I'm about to make.

I don't know why I do the latter. I shouldn't overthink.

It's the right choice.

Don't overthink, Kennedy.

I wanted to get out of this house since I've lost mom and leave this town after what happened with...him.

This place has more good memories than bad, but for some reason the bad ones are the only ones that live rent free in my memory.

Keila and Jaxon are waiting for me. And mom... mom would want me to be happy. And this place can no longer give me what I struggle every day to find.

Putting aside my thoughts, an aspect of my personality that I would say is negative - overthinking everything - I turn my back to the house, close the trunk of the car with the suitcases inside it, and get behind the wheel.

I connect my phone to Bluetooth and play my Chase Atlantic playlist as I start the car. Then I text Keila.

6:30 p.m., Kennedy: 'Be there in ten minutes'.

My best friend's automatic response pops up on the screen a second later.

I swear to god this girl has her phone on her all day. I'm surprised she doesn't bathe with it at this point.

6:30 p.m., Keila: 'Ready like a skier ready to hit the snow. Haha, that was a good one'.

She always fails at her attempt to joke.

I turn off my phone, step on the gas, and start driving towards her house.

Ten minutes later I turn off the engine and get out of it in front of Keila's huge house. His parents are prestigious lawyers and are among the richest in all of Houston.

The best thing about them is that they're good people and have always treated me like a daughter, and I consider them second parents.

As I'm about to knock, the door opens and Sloane Davies steps into the hall. She is a petite lady in her late 40s with platinum blonde hair and light blue eyes.

She gives me genuine smile, and steps towards me as soon as she sees me. I try to hide the tension in my body when her arms wrap around me, but I'm not that good at acting.

It hurts not being able to enjoy hugs like I used to.

Breathe, Kennedy.

You've got this. You're in control.