Byron's Secret (Slenderman Romance)

Chapter 43. I Meant It

Friday

I watched the diner turn into a bar as the night arrives. Martha has been really nice, giving me free snacks and drinks for the past hour. People are starting to crowd the diner－I mean, bar. I've been sitting here, waiting. I chose a table at the corner of the bar, a spot where people avoid as much as possible since the point of being in a bar is to socialize－and mostly to drink yourself to death.

The reason I'm here?

It's because I'm a chicken. I'm a coward.

Today, I only had one class. After I finished, I wanted to apologize to Byron and tell him the truth about Dylan, but when I returned in the office, he wasn't there. It turns out, he had a two-hour class at the time, so I waited in the office.

But I was overthinking things and ended up running home.

Basically, I didn't see Byron at all today.

After wallowing in self-hatred, Dylan got fed up and told me to just get it over it－and he doesn't even know what happened. Well, I still took his advice and texted Byron, telling him to meet me here, so I could at least explain myself.

'Hey, Byron. I didn't have the chance to tell you in person, but could we meet later? Preferably at the diner at 9? I really want to clear up the misunderstanding between us.'

We were supposed to meet an hour ago, but it looks like he won't be coming.

Still, I'm thinking he might just be late. I mean, when I first invited him out to shop for the middle school, he made me wait for a while too, but in the end, he came.

I think I'll wait for a while more . . .

As for Dylan, I'm positive he's fine because he's literally in my basement. I told him I wouldn't leave unless he agrees to my condition. He said all he needs is his laptop and food, and he'll be fine for the rest of the night. He locked the basement from the inside to assure me－he really wants me to solve this issue even though he has no idea what it is. I think it's because I keep whining about my current self and how stupid I am.

Well, the basement is the safest room in my house. No windows and only one way in. According to Dylan, the wifi is also fast down there which gives him another reason to stay. As long as Dylan doesn't have a reason to leave the basement, I won't be worrying about his safety.

. . . He wouldn't leave, would he? Chester is also with him, he has food. Even if he runs out, he can simply go upstairs and get some more, then he can go back in the basement and lock the door. I guess there's no reason for him to leave . . . Unless he got bored . . . Unless he was only saying and doing all of that to get me to leave.

Goddammit.

That's probably why he listened to me without protest－which is damn near impossible. I took my phone out and saw that Rachel had sent me a text. I'll read that later, I have to message Dylan, "If I find out that u tricked me into leaving the house, ur DEAD and Chester WILL be homeless." I sent it to Dylan.

Satisfied, I opened up Rachel's message, but before I could read it, my phone rang and vibrated. I stared at Dylan's name on my phone, wondering why he called, "What?" I said as I picked up.

"Stop getting Chester involve in everything we do." He grumbled through the phone, "Besides, why will he get kicked out if I was the one at fault? Where's the justice in that?"

"You're seriously calling me because of that?" I asked with incredulity.

"Well, no," He answered, "How's your . . . something doing?"