Twilight: Betrayal

Chapter 8

School was a breeze. Keegan struggled but because we had the same classes, I was able to keep him afloat.

Keegan was a miracle in disguise. My mood had improved greatly since his arrival. We've only known each other for three months and he already feels like the brother I never had.

We stayed up all night talking about our pasts. He was a rich kid. He grew up over-privileged and spoiled. I was surprised that he didn't have that corrupted brat demeanor.

He was an only child and was often ignored by his parents. They were business partners and traveled all over the U.S. leaving him behind in their vast mansion.

One day he decided he'd had enough. He was lonely, like me. He saw my ad in the papers and one thing led to another, we'd found each other. His parents knew of his departure and opened a bank account under his name to give him a monthly 'allowance'. When I was a kid, my allowance came in the form of 1's and 5's, not hundreds. 

He was a great distraction from my past. I hadn't thought of them one time since Keegan came.

When he asked about how I grew up I gave him vague details. I lived with my mom in Phoenix, Arizona until I moved to Forks permanently.

He asked about my dad and I gave him some story about how he travels a lot and left me the house. But the question had gotten me curious.

I researched him online and came to find out that 62 years ago, he had been killed; stabbed to death in prison. Only a year after being committed.

I shut off the computer and I pushed it from my mind. I felt guilty as hell. I'm the one who had sent him to prison. He could have gotten help. But I doomed him.

I didn't mention Charlie much and it bothered Keegan but that's just how it had to be.

Halfway through the first semester, Keegan's car broke down. From my room I heard his angry grunts as he kicked the cars tire repeatedly.

I dash downstairs and outside. Keegan was dressed in all black today, giving his figure a slimming shape. His expensive boot continued to collide with the front right tire, bouncing off mockingly.

"What are you doing?" I asked with a bemused smile on my face.

He looked up at me with one accusing finger pointed to his car. "This piece of black licorice is dead. It won't start and I know nothing about cars."

"Do you think that if you give yourself a flat it'll come back to life."

He narrowed his green doe eyes at me. "Watch it, Swan."

I held up both hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, calm down. We'll just take it to a car shop."

He sighed defeatedly. "You don't get it. I already called someone out. They told me it's done for."

He buried his fists in his coat pockets and kicked the tire weakly, one last time.

I leaned against the porch rail. "You realize that my bike is a two-seater, right?" I gave him an evil grin.

His eyes bugged out of his head. "Hell no. I've seen you on that thing. No thanks. I want to live."

I laughed, insulted. "I'm a good driver. And you don't really have much of a choice. You're going to need a ride to school tomorrow."

He gave me a deer in the headlights kind of look. Giving up, he tossed his hands in the air. "Fine, but if you kill me, I'm going to haunt you till the day you die."

I laughed. "Too bad I'm never going to die."

He rolled his eyes and went inside to begin his homework. I loved Keegan. He was my family. He was the only family I needed.

The next day came quickly. Keegan dressed in thick clothes, obviously nervous for the ride of his life.

When I came down from my room I threw my bike jacket at him. He held it away from his self between two fingers.

"What is this?" His nose scrunched up in disgust.

I put both hands on my hips. "It'll save your life."

He eyed me wearily. "What about you?"

I shrugged. "Ill be fine." His obvious look of concern melted my heart. "I already told you, I can't die."

He shook his head. "No, Bella. I can't. You need this." He tossed the jacket back at me. I frown.

"Key, please just-"

"No, don't even try." He crossed his arms in determination. "I'll layer it up. You're wearing a thin shirt. Ain't happening, sis."

I looked down. I was in a gray t-shirt and black jeans. It would look suspicious to be driving around in this weather wearing clothes like this without catching a cold.

I sighed, exasperated. "Fine. Go put on a few jackets. And hurry or we're going to be late." He stuck his tongue out at me and ran up the stairs.

Once we were both comfortably settled onto my bike, I revved the engine. His hands gripped my shoulders. "No playing around Bella, this is a sensitive piece of equipment."

I snorted. Sensitive? I've ridden this bike through a hail storm and it had the dents and scratches to prove it. Id only wrecked once and it hadn't been my fault.

We rolled down the driveway and came to a complete stop before lurching forward. I took it slow as we entered the back roads. He started to relax. That is, until I began to speed up. He wrapped his arms around my slight waist.

"Isabella Marie Swan!" he shouted through my helmet. I was giddy with anticipation as I accelerated. We were going 78 in a 55. Charlie would have a heart attack if he saw me now.

My bike slowed to a sudden stop, Keegan's body crashing against my back. His arms were still wrapped around me. I could feel his warmth through my jacket. It was divine.

I pulled onto a busy road, heading to the high school. Keegan waved at plenty of cars as we passed kids from our school. I could practically hear the smile he was wearing.

I came up beside a silver car and almost wrecked. Alice sat in the passenger seat, speaking animatedly with the driver. I didn't have to guess who the driver was. He stared ahead stonily.

"Watch out!"

We came to a screeching halt, inches from the back of a pickup that had stopped at a red light.

"Bel-" I turned around and pressed my hand to his mouth. I knew be couldn't see my eyes so I brought a finger to the front of my helmet where my lips would have been.

He nodded, understanding the message. "Whats wrong?" he whispered.

I shook my head and repeated the gesture. His eyes widened in worry. We spent the rest of the way hovering behind the silver Volvo. I listened intently.

"Rose what are you doing this weekend?" Alice asked.

"I don't know yet." Rosalie sounded bored.

"I was wondering if we could maybe go into Seattle for a shopping spree, like old times?" Her voice was cautious.

"I don't think so." Suddenly everything seemed tense. They were silent for the rest of the ride.

They pulled into the school parking lot as I sped past them. "Bella, what are you doing?"

I ignored him. We drove for another ten minutes before I knew where I was headed, I pulled up. We were at the edge of the forest leading to the meadow Edward had brought me to.

The motor stopped and I kicked the stand up, pulling off of the bike. I paced around it. I couldn't go to the school. I couldn't let them know I was here, alive.

"Bella?" I continued pacing. Until he grabbed my shoulders. I hadn't even heard him climb off my bike. He forced me to look into his calming green eyes that were filled with worry. "Bella, whats going on? I've never seen you act like this." He hesitated. "You saw something, didn't you? What was it? I saw you looking into that car. Who did you see?"

I threw my head back. He couldn't see my face through the helmet and that's how I wanted it for now.

"The Cullens."