WANT TO KNOW A SECRET?

(20)

"Ok out with it already!" I finally exploded, fed up with his constant depressed state.

"Great!" Tyler groaned and I was tempted to stick my tongue out at him but refrained from doing so to avoid one of his outbursts.

With four pairs of eyes on him, Owen looked kind of green all of a sudden.

"I-I don't think I can..." He looked really sick. "Do you mind if I show you what happened instead?"

"I just want the truth, Owen!" I snapped. "I can't stand to see that depressed face of yours anymore..."

"Telling you won't change that..." He mumbled and I was tempted to slap him so he stopped with his self-pity already.

He went to get an Ipad that he placed in front of me. His father took his chair and settled next to me. Tyler dragged his chair closer to mine and Landon went to stand behind us.

Owen selected a file and clicked on it, opening a video that started playing on the screen.

"Are you filming?" Somebody whispered as the person holding the camera left a pathway of the fitness trail between Rochester and Brading to get into the woods.

I imagined it must have been filmed on that Friday two years ago during bonfire weekend.

The person suddenly made a close-up on two naked people who were having sex on a blanket laid on the floor. When she saw the camera light, the girl shrieked prompting the boy to turn around.

I instantly recognized Tom.

"I thought you were on your periods, Kaylie?!" A younger Owen appeared on the video, his rage was visible despite the poor quality of the image.

"I-I'm sorry, Owen..." She muttered with her eyes cast downwards.

"Get the f*ck away from here!" He growled. "I'll deal with you later..." The girl was trembling as she slowly stood up and started looking for her clothes which were scattered all over the blanket. "I said, get away from here!" He hollered next so she had no other choice but to run away in the darkness of the woods totally naked.

I noted bitterly that Tom didn't even try to help or defend her. He just watched the scene unfold in front of him wide-eyed.

Owen then walked to him and kicked him twice in the side.

"Just answer this question, Wilson." He then said in that lethal tone Tyler, Landon and he mastered. "Did you know she was my girlfriend?"

"Yes..." I raised my eyebrows at Tom's answer. I'd known him to be a bit of a player but I thought he played fair.

"You knew and yet you had sex with her behind my back..." Owen looked too calm. "Was this the first time?" He then asked.

"No."

"When did it start?" Owen's hands were now clenched so tightly that we could distinguish the slight tremble that shook them.

"About two weeks ago..." Tom was too far from the camera so we couldn't see his facial expression.

"Ok. Do you know our rule?" Owen then asked and Tom nodded.

"When someone attacks you or your brothers, you give back twice what you got or more..." Tom's voice sounded strained.

"Funny how you knew and still stole my girl..." Owen pointed out, his bitterness hard to miss. Tom didn't answer. "So tell me, Wilson, what's the most precious thing in your life?"

"You know exactly what it is..." Tom answered with a defiant expression. Owen frowned at that.

"I don't think I do, actually..." He interjected.