WANT TO KNOW A SECRET?

(10)

Nathan came in my room ten minutes later and I was still hugging my pillow for dear life.

He was already showered and dressed.

"You're ok?" He muttered. I shrugged but realized I had to be stronger than that for his sake.

"You?" My voice was hoarse from all the crying.

He shrugged.

I sat up and opened my arms. He ran into them and hugged me fiercely.

"What happened after?" I asked him a couple of minutes later.

"I stayed with Landon and Leo. We played videogames until Owen and Tyler came home."

"Did you have dinner?"

"I wasn't hungry but Owen forced me to eat a sandwich."

"I'm glad he did..." I commented. "Did you eat something this morning?"

He shook his head. "I don't want to see her..." He admitted sadly and I pulled him back into my arms.

"You'd better hurry. You need to pack your bag for the weekend..." He then reminded me.

I sighed.

"At least we know for sure that we won't see her..." I muttered, thinking that we'd still have to survive our very first VH Bros' party.

I took a quick shower and after a few attempts at hiding my puffy eyes and the dark circles around them, I gave up. I then knotted my wet hair into a low ponytail, and started packing what I'd need for the weekend into a big duffle bag. I also made sure to pack my laptop and my headphones.

"I'm ready, I guess." I said after checking I hadn't forgotten anything one final time. "Need any help with yours?"

"Owen and Leo made sure I packed everything." I was glad they had been there for him when I hadn't.

"Do you know what we're supposed to do with those?" I asked, dreading to have to come out of the room.

"Knock, knock!" Owen's voice said from the patio. "Are you visible?"

"You can come in..." Nate replied and in came Owen, Tyler and Leo.

I felt like digging a hole and hiding in it forever when their worried gazes studied me to assess how I felt.

"Where are your bags, Buddy?" Owen asked Nate who went to his room to get them.

Tyler grabbed my duffle bag and my messenger bag, which he slid across his chest, in one hand and my hand in the other before guiding me across the pool beach to what I gathered was his room. Only then did he let go of my hand.

"I thought you'd rather leave the house from our block..." He explained embarrassedly.

I took a quick look around. The walls were aqua blue and dark grey while all his furniture was black, and I couldn't help but notice how incredibly tidy everything was.

"Thanks." I muttered, grateful for his thoughtfulness. "For everything..." I added, referring to the way they'd taken care of Nate the night before.

He opened his mouth to say something but changed his mind at the last second and simply nodded.

Owen, Leo and Nathan joined us less than a minute later and we all walked to the second block, where we instantly went right through the door leading to the see-through tunnel to the first block. Once there, we went up a first flight of stairs and then up another staircase to what looked like a huge apartment, complete with a huge living room, kitchen and no less than six doors which I soon discovered where bedrooms.