Our Secret To Keep.

Chapter Thirty-Four - I Don't Know What Else To Do

Blythe

The sound of someone rattling at my front door wakes me abruptly from my sleep. What the hell? What time is it? I groan, searching for my cell. It is only eight. Whoever it is, better have a good reason for knocking so loudly, or I swear I will kill them. It continues, and it is enough to wake Kade up.

"Who is that?"

"I have no idea. I am about to find out. Stay here and be quiet."

He nods. I sigh and climb out of bed, wrapping a dressing gown around me since I am naked. I don't want to answer the door naked, but it would maybe scare them away. I stomp towards the door. I don't check through the peephole, something I regret when I open the door. Beth comes barging in, fuming and gets right in my face.

"You told on me? What age are you, twelve? What is your problem? Are you jealous that he is interested in me and not you?" she says, hands tossing all over the place.

I should have prepared myself for this, but I wasn't even thinking. Even after talking to my parents about it and them talking to her, she is still delusional! She still believes that Kade is interested in her. God, I want so badly to tell her what has been going on between Kade and me, but it would only make things worse for everyone.

"Yes, because it needs to be done, Beth. You are getting out of control. The same way you did the last time. I wasn't going to let you make up lies and get Kade into trouble because it didn't go your way. You nearly ruined a man's life the last time you did that. I thought you would have learned, but clearly not. Kade isn't interested, okay? You need to back off unless you want to go back on meds and go back to your therapist. You don't need to be like this or go through it alone, Beth."

The last man she fixated on was married. He made it clear he wasn't interested, but she still tried to pursue him. When she didn't get her way, she told his wife they had been having an affair. She ended up with a restraining order. Thankfully, we managed to talk to the couple and explained that it was all lies. They were fine. She went into therapy and got put on medication. It worked for a while. We thought it had worked permanently. It was four years ago, and it hasn't happened since, not until Kade showed up. Beth has always struggled with rejection and not getting her own way, even when we were kids. She got me in so much trouble for things I didn't do. It took my parents a long time to realise she was lying. I don't know why she is like this. No one else in the family is. We got her the help she needed. It breaks my heart seeing her like this, but there is only so much we can do for her. Tough love, but even that isn't enough.

"There is nothing wrong with me! He is interested. Why would you bring him? You know what he did to me, and that was years ago. I am not that person anymore." She protests, her fists balling at her sides.

"Beth, you are showing the same patterns of behaviour as you did then. He didn't do anything to you. He rejected you because he was happily married. You were the one in the wrong, not him."

I always try to be calm and understanding until she keeps pushing and pushing, and I stop. I want to help, not push her out of my life. There is only so much I can take, though.

"No, I am not. Back the hell off. I am not going to let you ruin this for me out of jealousy. Stay the fuck out of my way and my life," she hisses, storms off and slams the door behind her.

I sigh, running my fingers through my hair. We need to get her help, something that will work, something to make her realise she is in the wrong. I am worried about how far she will push. Maybe Kade and I having a thing right now isn't a good idea. If she finds out, she will seriously go off the rails, worse than she is now. It will put her and him in danger. I don't believe she would hurt him or herself, but there are other ways to hurt people that don't include physical hurt.

"Blythe, are you okay?" Kade's nervous voice comes from behind me.

I draw in a breath and turn to face him. "How much of that did you hear?"

"It all. Blythe, that conversation has made me more nervous. What happened with the other guy? Did she have an affair with him?"

I shake my head. "No, he rejected her, and she told his wife they were. They got a restraining order against her. She nearly ruined not only their marriage but the man's reputation. He worked for our company and had to leave. Kade, I am so sorry she has fixated on you." I whimper. I want to stop it. I don't know how.

Kade comes over, wraps his arms around me and hugs me tightly to his chest. "You have nothing to be sorry about. This isn't your fault. I will just need to stay away from her."

"That isn't the problem, Kade. The problem is, she won't stay away from you."

I part from the hug and massage my temples. "Kade, I think we need to stop, for now. If Beth finds out, then things will get a million times worse. Us seeing one another, even casually, isn't a good idea."

"What? No! Why? You can't let the situation change things between us. She won't find out. We will make sure of it." He pleads, reaching for my hand.

I shake my head. "We can't. I am sorry. We should go back to being professional and maybe friends, but nothing more. You don't deserve all of this. I am so sorry, Kade." I whisper.

It is the last thing I want to do, but it is the right thing. I rush off to the bathroom and lock myself in it, hoping he will leave. I don't want to punish him for something he didn't do. If Beth finds out, it won't end well for anyone. I have no other choice. I will stay in here as long as it takes to make him leave.