WANT TO KNOW A SECRET?

(11)

"What the hell happened to her face?!" I heard Nathan shout. I opened my eyes and realized I was still in Tyler's arms.

"Not you as well, please, Nate..." I groaned before freeing myself from his hold. "Do you mind driving us home since we're all there?" I asked Landon.

"I thought we were going to the Waffle House?!" Leo realized his mistake as soon as the words were out. His brothers' murderous glares might also have helped.

"I'm sorry..." He muttered after his shoulders slumped down.

Comfort food had never been more appealing than right then, especially when I had no idea of how to process everything that had been thrown at us in the last forty eight hours.

That's when I remembered yet another disturbing piece of information that had been thrown at us today.

Our mother was expecting Bryan's child.

"A chocolate waffle sounds heavenly, actually..." I croaked, and they all looked at me as if I'd grown another head.

That's when I remembered I had no money.

"Except we kind of cannot go?" The worried looks they sent my way told me that they were questioning my sanity.

"First time she actually sounds like a girl..." Owen pointed out and when I glared at him, he added, "It was actually a compliment..."

"Is it about money again?" Tyler asked, clearly still annoyed at my refusal to tell them who'd attacked me, and I nodded sheepishly.

"It's on me..." Landon said. "And it's a gift..." I gave him a small smile. The grey-eyed boy was really growing on me.

"Ok..." I muttered.

"Yay!" Leo clapped excitedly and Nathan smiled weakly.

He was still worried about me and I hated to see him look so down because of me.

"It's sorted then, last one to the car is a loser!" I meant to shout but it came out as a weird squeaking sound.

Leo and Nate cheered excitedly before running away like possessed chicken. I was about to follow them but froze in my tracks.

"Damn! I don't even know what car you drive!" Landon and Owen bobbed their head up and down with a knowing smirk. Tyler seemed lost in his thoughts. I was tempted to reach for him but stopped myself just as I was about to touch his arm.

I must have looked crazy with my hand mid-air so I pretended to tug on the end of my braid nervously with my eyes to the floor.

"Come on, loser..." Landon wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "Let's go eat that waffle..." And I let him guide me to his car, a black Escalade which was parked in the first row of the car park.

The boys sat at the back so I had no choice but to sit in the passenger seat.

"How was your day, guys?" Landon asked them as soon as he'd started the car.

I spaced out a few seconds later.

There were so many questions running though my head that my brain seemed numb all of a sudden.

It was as if I'd been running for such a long time that my legs were about to give way from under me any minute, but I knew I simply couldn't stop because a looming shadow was growing in front of me. The shadow of the fast approaching tsunami that would soon swallow me whole. Because more than anything else, I felt doomed. Just like a sailor must have felt as his ship started to sink when in the middle of the sea.

"We're there..." Landon said with his hand on my shoulder.

"Oh, sorry. I s..."

"You spaced out, I know." He finished for me. "Come on, the boys are waiting."