Distorted Reflections

Chapter 8

I rubbed my temples and took off my glasses as I stared at the now full paper.
I did like algebra but when Mr. Kian decided to hand over homework, he was just the worst.
I got up from the desk to put my notebook back in my backpack, and threw myself in my bed.

DING DONG

Oh my god, why me?
I sighed, lazily getting up and straightening my clothes.
I'm suddenly not so glad for the party mom and dad just left to. Ugh.
I opened the door and rolled my eyes, leaving it open as I came back inside and reminisced about the sign that I may or may not have totally forgotten about. I glanced at the clock and sighed "you're late."
"It was just three minutes." The blonde stated, as if it made him any early. "Are you ready?"
"Ready?" I turned to him, crossing my arms "ready for what?"
"We're going out. And well, by your choice of clothing, you aren't."
I looked down at my black tank top, cardigan and jeans "What's wrong with my clothes?" I shook my head "it doesn't matter. We're not going anywhere."
"Look princess," he said, his face unreadable "I'm sor-"
But I was way too done with that bullshit to not cut in "Sorry doesn't cut it Ross. You'll need more than that."
He sighed, as if he was exhausted by our conversation. Hell, if it was so tiring, why wouldn't he leave? "That's what I'm trying to do here."
I narrowed my eyes "Take me to another part of your little bad boy world that will probably get me killed this time around? No, thanks."
"I promise it's nothing dangerous this time. Give me a chance to fix it."
Ha.
As if.
"Why would I give you a chance? Wasn't I some kind of spoiled bitch?" The blond smirked and I was sure he was guessing I'd ask that because he didn't miss a beat "Because it would also be a chance for you to prove me wrong" I glared at him like a toddler and he rolled his eyes "and to rub it in my face."
So he was making himself important in my life now?
"Why would I care with what you think?" I crossed my arms.
He just smirked "See? You're already doing it. That was against the let's-please-everyone attitude-" he paused as he felt my glare almost digging holes in his tan skin "-that you don't have."
A minute passed by and we just stood there as I considered everything he said.
I couldn't do it.
But he said it wouldn't be dangerous.
And now you believe him?
Well...
Absolutely not.
If I proved him wrong, he would admit that he was wrong about me.
Then go! Ugh, just know that I warned you.
I shook my head. Was I really arguing with myself?
"One chance. You have only one chance to try to do it, do you hear me?"
He nodded and I started my way back to my room when he interrupted me "where are you going?"
I turned back to him. "Change my clothes." Duh?
"So you need people's approval on your clothes?" He challengly raised his eyebrows
Well, shit. That wasn't exactly a good start.
"No." I made my way down the few steps I just climbed "No I don't."

•••

He parked the black Prius on the side of the street, and got off.
We were in a neighborhood about 20 minutes away from our houses. It was a dark road, only illuminated by the lights of the restaurants and clubs in it.
"Can you tell me now where are we going?"
"We're getting there, your highness."
I struggled to walk in the same pace as him. "Can you slow down? I'm short, I have tiny legs!"
"Just buy a pair of roller skates and hang on to my sleeve, we don't have all day princess."
I rolled my eyes at his joke but I was thankful because he slowed down.
We stopped in front of a bar. It wasn't huge, nor too small, and a flickering neon sign said KARAOKE.
I shot a curious glance at the blond "Really? You sing?"
He took a deep breath and I was expecting his silence or a cold comeback. But instead, he struggled out "No I-" he let out a slow breath "I just like to come here. Watch them sing and yeah."
We walked inside after Ross greeted the security by the door.
The place had a dimmed light, the brightest ones being the colorful neons on the walls. There was a guy up in the small stage next to the bar. He didn't seem much older than us, and his hair reminisced Ross's - just a darker shade of blond. He was playing a guitar and singing a song I've never heard before. We sat in a booth, in opposite sides.
"I think your friend liked Hayden."
My head snapped back, only to meet a red haired girl standing in a tight uniform.
Where did she come from?
Ross raised his eyebrows at me and let out a loud chuckle before turning back to the pale girl "I don't think so Mels. She doesn't play in that team, if you know what I mean."
My mouth fell open as I kicked him from under the table.
Douchebag didn't even flinch.
"Hey, it's okay darling." She said, touching my hand that was resting above the table "No one's judging here."
I shifted uncomfortably, biting my lip. She wrote down our order and left.
I took a glance to Ross, he was on his phone.
"Why would you do that?!"
"Do what?" He kept on typing, only  raising his eyes at me when I didn't answer.
"Tell her! You know-"
"Hey, hey." He grabbed my hand "You don't have to worry. I've known Melissa for years now and I'm sure she won't tell anyone."
"And how is that supposed to make me comfortable? Your trust?"
There was a silent break before he sighed, putting his phone down "Look, princess-"
"Don't call me that." I crossed my arms
"Okay, your highness." He smirked "I know you're still mad at me because of what you heard. But I only told him that because I wanted him out of my hair! Calum still thinks you're going to..." He paused.
Great. His contact thinks I'm a freaking monster.
"What? Send someone and tell to beat him up? Because he helped me? How does that make any sense?!"
"I don't know, okay? It's just..."
He sighed deeply as Melissa brought our French fries and drinks.
As she left our table with a quick "enjoy", he hesitantly let out "it's just that... Your friends aren't exactly the nicest people ever."
I raised my eyebrows. We literally went to a illegal street race some days ago. Yeah, he was definitely the one to talk about friends.
"Don't give me that look. You know it's true."
I took a sip of my drink and held on to the straw "And that's just a great excuse for you to hit one of them right?"
He glared at me, popping a French fry in his mouth. "That was different."
"Oh, was it?" I smirked "because I think that you just accused my friend of bullying. And you were doing what, exactly?"
He sighed, clearly annoyed - his eyebrows always give that away "let's change the subject before we start fighting."
Ha. I was not gonna drop it.
"But I don't want to. So tell me, what makes you so different from Cody?"

BANG.

I jumped staring at his fist on the table 

I calmed my breath down as he opened his eyes, and the rage was...

Gone

"Don't do it."

He just lifted his head up, silently questioning me

"You're giving me that look. The one you only give me right before you cut me off. And I know I crossed some kind of limit, but if you're gonna turn into a breathing freezer again, I swear I'll just-"

"There was once a family."

I raised my eyebrows at the sudden change of subject as he took a breath and continued 

"For... Some odd reason, they decided to have exactly 4 kids." He looked down, his face still not giving out a hint of what was going inside his head.

Silence filled the table and I was pretty sure that if it wasn't for the music, I would be able to hear my own heartbeat.

"What does that have to-"

"Let me finish it." He blinked a few times before continuing "There were three boys and a girl. The family lived in a small city and they didn't exactly have much money, but they could handle themselves. They always found a way out of everything and... Despite all the struggles, they were happy."

"But there was this really dark night. It seemed like it was darker outside than usual and a storm was coming. They cancelled the plans to head to the city. But the youngest one... He begged them to go. It was something really important that they've been talking for weeks. So they grabbed a few snacks, picked up their best friend and left, thinking a bad weather couldn't get in the way of that."

"But it did. Halfway there, the oldest one started to have an argument with the girl. She thought it was too dangerous, and she wanted to go back. But in between the argument and not having much visibility, in one turn, the car simply... slipped off the road."

I felt my mouth open a bit, but somehow I couldn't move.

Why was he telling me this?

"And well..." he let out a questioning chuckle "It may be ironic to say that the only one who was taken out of the car..." his voice slightly failed, but I didn't miss it "...breathing, was the one who suggested they left the house in the first place."

At this point, my chin was almost hitting the table.

As he brought his knuckle to clean his eye, the pieces started to fall in it's place.

"The youngest one..." I roamed my eyes everywhere, only stopping when they landed in his face "It... It was you wasn't it?"

He just nodded, trying to recompose himself.

"And Cody knew it. And used that to annoy you right?"

Another short nod.

"How many people know about this?"

"I have no idea. For years, it has been really hard for me to talk about it. It haven't told him, our parents used to be friends."

I stood speechless as the fact that Ross Lynch just opened up to me sinked in.

I figured it was a long time ago, since I've never heard a word out there about this.

A lot of things ran through my mind, but the only thing I managed to struggle out was

"When... did you decide that it was time to talk about it?"

He gave me a small smile, still, the saddest smile I've ever seen.

"Just now."