Starting Over Anderson || ✔

Sixteen: Comfort

All I do when I get back home is hide out in the safety of my room. Erin and Isaac aren't back from school yet, and so with nothing better to do, I log on to Skype and is more than thrilled to find Aaron online. 

"Hey princess," he greets me like he always do. "So do you have anything on Will's runaway girlfriend yet?"

"Good afternoon to you to, Aaron," I smile. "Well you're in luck, 'cause I do." I read off the information that I have copied from Bella T-2000 a few nights ago but have forgotten all about it until this moment. "Based on his description, she's currently residing somewhere off the coast of California. I've narrowed the list down to three people most likely to be Will's girl after doing some background digging. I'll copy their names to you later."

"That's really awesome, thanks princess." He flashes me his killer smile. "Have I told you the things we found out about Will though?"

I shake my head. "Fill me up."

"Okay, so apparently, he's an Imperial College student" - my mouth tastes bitter as I think of Keith, studying in the same college - "currently in his final year. Some sort of kid genius with an IQ of 154. I'll send you a copy of his information too. The boys got nothing suspicious when they're trailing him. He's as clear as a lamb."

"I think the expression should be as innocent as a lamb," I retort, laughing.

We talk for awhile about life and random things before Aaron has to excuse himself to work. He attaches a link in our chat and I click on it, waiting for the page to run. I drum my fingers on the table impatiently as Will's picture load slowly.

And then I screech "holy shit!" so loud that I think the whole neighborhood hear me.

"Are you fucking shitting me," I mutter, dissing out more profanities. I try to keep swearing to a minimum, but this instant calls for a cuss club. It's none other than Keith James's picture I see staring back at me.

Will.

Keith William James.

Of course, I should've known.

I should've guessed right away when I Aaron described the girl we're supposed to be looking for. It's really me, but Aaron doesn't know that. He doesn't even recognize Keith's name because I've never told him. Yes, Aaron may know all of my story, but I have never shared the characters' names. And now I regret not telling him.

"Holy shit," I cuss again, covering a hand over my mouth. Keith looks just the same as three years ago. I feel a pang in my chest as I realize how much I miss my best friend. He hasn't betrayed me, not like Rachel did, but I've distant myself from him because I'm scared of the effect he has on me. I don't think I'll live through another betrayal.

A soft knock on my door sends me minimizing the information and bringing up a random Google page. It's Erin. She calls me softly.

"Come in," I call back.

She does, and closes the door behind her. Instead of sitting on my bed, she crosses the length of space between us and hovers beside me. I frown uncertainly, wondering what is the purpose of her visit.

"Chris told me to check up on you."

Ah. I nod in understanding. "I'm fine, really. It's him you should worry about."

Erin's usually playful eyes darken. "What happened?"

I sigh but tell her anyway. About Noah, and Chris, and everything in between. She gasps when I reach the part where Noah asks me out to the dance and gasps louder when I tell her about Chris's semi confession. I still don't know what to make of it, hence my frustration now.