Theodore |Book 1|

Ride

I put my stuff in my locker and started to prepare myself for what is going to come at lunch. I went over what I was going to say.

Theo was just giving me a ride to school. Yeah. That's what I'll say. It's not a complete lie.

Once I got my plan down I opened to cafeteria doors and kept my head down. I walked to my table and saw that Dylan and Ryan were the only ones sitting there.

"Hey, guys. Where is everyone else?" I say as I sit down next to Dylan. I look over to Ryan for answers when I see that Dylan is way too busy on his phone.

"Sydney said she had to take a test in biology. I don't know where the others are at." He answered. I was about to ask another question when I was cut off.

"Paige Taylor!" I heard her voice from the other side of the lunch room. I cringed when I felt everyone's eyes land on me. I slowly turned to meet my doom.

"Hi Hailey." I said as she got closer to the table. From Hailey yelling my name that caused Dylan to look up from his phone. He smirked and leaned in closer.

"Good luck." He said and went back to looking at his phone. When she reached the table I smiled innocently at her.

She grabbed my arm and tugged me up out of my chair. She dragged me to the bleachers outside. When she let go I sat down.

"Why did you run from me this morning?" She asked. I could hear the hurt in her voice. Now I felt bad. I stood up and enveloped her in a hug and said, "I just wanted to avoid this confrontation that early in the morning." I let her go to look at her face.

"It's not that I didn't want to talk about it, it's that I didn't want to talk about it then and cause a big scene. But I'm glad I can talk about it with you now." I saw her facial features soften as she heard me.

"Okay, I forgive you. But you have to tell me everything." She exclaimed. I felt the panic rise in me. I cant tell her about Roe or Chad. I'll only tell her about Theo. I felt myself relax when I thought it over.

"Alright, I'll tell you. But you have to promise not to tell anyone. Not even Racheal or Sydney. No one can know okay?" I held out my pinky and smiled. She rolled her eyes playfully and hooked her pinky with mine.

"Okay, Theo was staying at my house for the past couple of night and last night I stayed with him." I watched as she slowly took in the information. A shit eating grin washed up on her face. I knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Nothing like that happened." I scolded her. Her smile just grew wider. I slapped her shoulder and rolled my eyes playfully.

"So, why was he staying at your apartment?" She asked in a suggestive manner. I shrugged and tried to think of my answer.

"He got in trouble at home and he needed a place to stay." I lied right through my teeth.

I wanted so badly to tell her about Roe and what happened with Chad that night but I couldn't have anyone else find out about it. I don't think Hailey would tell anybody about it but I cant take that risk.

Cole and Dallas don't even know the whole story. I feel bad that they know more about my situation than Hailey does. But then again, they don't know the whole story. The only person that know is Theo. And I want to keep it that way.

Theo knows what I've been through, I think. He said his dad went to prison for abuse and a bunch of other things, but I don't know if he was abused. Theo's biological father could have only beat his mother. Maybe he didn't beat Theo.

Thinking about all this made me sick to my stomach. I pushed the thoughts out of my brain and focused on Hailey. "We should do something this weekend." I suggested. Roe wasn't home so I was free to do what I wanted.