Once A Liar

Chapter 20: What's the Plan?

PARKER's POV

"I'm going to go grab us some snacks," Holden smiled at me before leaving the room.

I finally unclenched my chest and let out a quiet sigh.

Suddenly Ben started making a random popping noise with his mouth.

I side-eyed him as he sat awkwardly on his bed.

"Could you not be annoying for like, two seconds?" I complained.

He stopped and did a doubletake towards me.

"Wow, now it really is just like old times..."

I rolled my eyes. I shouldn't be such a dick to him but sometimes it's hard to avoid. Nothing personal to him but right now Holden was taking every moment of energy I had in me.

I think part of me secretly hoped that if Holden knew I had cheated on me he would leave me just like Cole did. Obviously, I know now it wasn't that simple.

I felt like no matter what I would do he wouldn't let me go. I was trapped. Stuck with him.

I couldn't help but envy Ben. Me. Envy Ben.

He seemed to have a good group of friends and enjoy college. His biggest issue seemed to be my father haunting him.

What the fuck are you doing Aero?

I was mad at her for not coming to me with this sooner but I also felt myself ready to explode at any second now from all of the issues in my life. I felt a little guilty for feeling relieved that my father wasn't stalking me at the moment. Maybe if he was that would be what scared Holden away.

Still, it made me feel like shit that she didn't trust me enough to tell me.

"Holden really held his own against those muggers, huh?" Ben chuckled interrupting my thoughts.

My throat immediately dried up. This was the dumbest cover story in the world.

"Like looks like he let you take the brunt of it," he continued. "Remind me not to walk around alone after dark."

I didn't respond to him in case I risked blowing the cover story.

"Hey...can I talk to you?" Aero startled me as she poked her head inside our room.

"Sure, what now, has our dead mother been writing letters that you've been keeping from me?" I snapped at her continuing my sour mood.

She smooshed her lips together and wrinkled her nose annoyed with my tone.

"Not you. I need to talk to Ben," she corrected me.

Ben's head perked up surprised to hear this.

"M-Me?'' he stuttered nervously while pointing at himself.

Aero nodded and then indicated with her head for them to go out to the hallway.

"Did Cole leave?" I asked curiously before she left.

She nodded her head while her eyes looked to the floor.

Ben got up hesitantly but eventually followed her out of the room letting the door shut behind them.

I wasn't shocked Cole didn't say goodbye to me. Not after the nasty things I said to him.

Once again I sent him away.

The door suddenly opened when Holden came in.

"They were out of Diet Coke so I just grabbed us a water," he smiled walking over to me.

"Thanks," I mumbled insincerely.

"Where'd this one go?" he asked looking at Ben's bed.

Did you not pass them in the hallway?

"Talking with my sister," I simply answered.

He nodded slowly.

"Oof,'' he sighed slowly while tracing his finger around my right eye.

I winced a little and then he pulled his hand back slowly.

"I have a surprise for you, later when we're back home," he explained with a little smile.

"What is it?" I asked afraid to know the answer.

"No silly,'' he laughed casually. "That would ruin the surprise!"

"I don't like surprises," I complained honestly.

He smiled at me and said, "Trust me, you'll like this one."

AERO's POV

"So...what's up?"

I could tell Ben was nervous based on the constant movement of his fingers down by his sides.

"Are you sick of my father taunting you? Hunting you down when you least expect it?" I began probably too aggressively. "Well, what if you could stop him?"

He stared at me with a blank face.

"You sound like an infomercial," he scoffed.

I frowned and rolled my eyes.

"I'm being serious," I told him. "I need your help. I sort of have this idea on how to catch him."

"And it involves me? Absolutely not!" Ben exclaimed turning away.

I grabbed his arm and pulled him back towards me.

"Ben!'' I whined annoyed.

"What do you mean catch him? Doesn't seem plausible at this point,'' he sighed.

"Just hear me out!'' I argued.

He just shook his head a bunch of times.

His not even willing to hear me out was frustrating me. I just need this all to be over.

My face burned with anger but I could feel tears welling in my eyes.

"Ben! If we don't catch him he's never going to stop trying to fuck with us! He could be watching us now for all we know! Every moment of every waking day we'll all just be waiting for the next fucked up thing he's going to do," I cried hysterically. "And it's not fair to you or Thomas or any of my friends. I'm sorry that you've been so wrapped up in for years but we can't change that now! If we don't–don't fix this now we'll never be normal we'll never be safe we'll always be running and I'm so sick of running I can't do it anymore I can't do it I can't!"

"Okay, Okay!" he stopped me.

He placed his hands on my shoulders to calm me down.

I bowed my head down a little as he pulled me in and hugged me.

"It's okay," he tried comforting me. "I'm sorry. It's all just a lot.''

I sniffled and nodded.

He let me go and then mouthed "fuck" or some other curse word.

"What's the plan?"