The Lost One

Chapter 27 The betrayal

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked, looking out at the lake, my head leaning on my knees. I heard him sigh. "I just realized that I didn't really tell you anything about me." The statement surprised me. "You know Kale's father is the chairman/headmaster of the school. Lauren told you that her parents were both doctors and Scott's parents are lawyers. My parents are both therapists and psychologists."

I turned my head to look at him. "Does that mean you will be joining them?" He chuckled and nodded. "I'm meant to take over the practice after I graduate from college, like most people here. And, like them, I've already learned a majority of the business."

I scoffed, turning my head away. "So you came here to talk to me?" There was a short pause. "Not about what you think." I turned back at him, lifting my head up in curiosity. "Then what did you want to talk about?" He didn't look away. "I know. I know about you and Mike, and about that night."

I froze, then frowned in disbelief. "And how is it that you know?" His face didn't change. "My last name is Jacobson." Now it made sense. My parents had me go to a 'doctor' the first few months after that night. Riley was their son. I sighed and shook my head. "Seriously, how do things keep happening like this? How is it everyone knows me through there parents?"

He laughed warmly. "Now you know how I feel. I can't tell you how many people in this school have seen and talked to my parents through business." He became serious again. "I wanted to know what you're going to do next."

I frowned and looked down. "I've already gotten some of my memory back from that night, but not enough to know who killed Axel that night...but...whoever did also tried to kill me." I started to tear up. "Axel was trying to stop it...but...then..." I couldn't go on without knowing I would cry, so I shut my mouth and turned away from him.

"So whoever killed Axel was trying to kill you first?" I nodded and told him everything that I remembered so far, including the fact that Axel blackmailed me into kissing him and tried to make me go further. The whole while, Riley didn't say anything judging or be his goofy self.

"Who else knows about this?" He asked when I finished. "Just Kale knows that I regained some of my memory. I didn't tell anyone else, not even Mike." I looked back at him. "I...I didn't know what he was capable of...until he tried to..." My voice broke for a moment before I cleared my throat, trying to push away the memory.

"I think...I think Mike was the one who killed Axel that night." I clenched my jaw. "But I can't remember." Riley nodded. "And the police can't arrest him for Axel's murder, because you lost your memory and wouldn't be credible as a witness." I nodded. "Mike didn't have an aliby at the party and if he saw Axel and I together, then there is a motive. That's what the detectives told me."

Riley nodded, frowning. "So the only way to get him convicted is for him to confess or your memory to come back." I nodded. "Either that or he has to try killing me..." Riley looked at me worried. "So, back to my first question: what are you going to do?"

I thought to myself for a few minutes before looking back at him. "Riley, I need you to do me a favor." He nodded. "Anything." I sighed, my chest aching. "Mike has a lot of connections, so it's likely he'll get community service and be back at school within the week. When that happens, things will change..."

I stared at him. "I have to find the truth out for myself. In order to do that...I have to hurt a lot of people. Will you keep quiet about all of this and hold onto something for me?" He nodded again, hesitantly.

"Yes, but what are you going to do?" I looked away. "Find the truth, no matter the cost. I have to know..."


Riley left a few minutes after that, saying he'd talk to me later. Kale and I were sitting together now. "El, how are you?" He asked, his arm around my shoulder. I shrugged. "I guess I'm just tired. So much has happened." He nodded and kissed my head. "Let's go back. We can rest there for tonight."

I didn't say anything and stood up with him. As we laid down in my bed, he clung onto me tightly. I returned the hug and started to drift off into sleep. This is it...I think I'll miss this most, but...it's the only way to be free.


(One week later)

"Hey, Ellain, I heard you got with your ex-boyfriend last week." I didn't turn my head. I knew it was Maren, my former bully from last year. After Kale and I started 'going out' back then, and he stopped the bullies, she'd just glare at me. I'd get insulting notes every once in a while, but she never confronted me face to face.

"Maren, don't you have a guy to go and screw, other than Josh?" Lauren said venomously. I looked over at her, surprised. I've never heard Lauren talk like that. Maren scoffed and rolled her eyes, looking at her groupies behind her.

"Wow, now you've got Lauren fighting your battles too? You really are pathetic." The girls around her laughed. Lauren was going to say something else, but I put my hand in front of her, stopping her. "It's okay." I whispered, not looking at anyone, but at the ground in front of my feet.

"What exactly do you want, Maren? Does insulting me make you feel better?" I heard her scoff. "Yea, a bit...but what I really want is for you to be put in your place." I looked up at her. "The way I see it, you killed Axel. You cheated on Mike with him. Mike owns you."

She smirked. "And the Kale doesn't deserve someone like you. You cheated on him in the infurmery with Mike. Those marks on your neck are proof of that." I zipped my jacket up more, covering my neck. "That's not true! Mike attacked her!" Lauren yelled.

"If that's true, then why is he back at school? He just walked out of the headmaster's office five minutes ago." I tensed up, and Maren noticed. She smirked. "I guess you didn't know about that, did you? I'm sure you will talk to him soon then." She and the groopies walked away.

Lauren looked at me with pity. "Do you want to skip today?" I shook my head. "Lauren." I looked up at her. "You've been a good friend, but...I don't want to talk or see you for a while." She frowned. "But we're friends and room mates. Why?" I shook my head. "I need to do something, and I know you won't like it. I just don't want to argue or fight about it."

She looked away. "Alright." Turning around, she started walking away. I turned and headed for the headmaster's office, which was just down the hall. There's no turning back now... Walking around the corner, I saw Mike several feet away. When he spotted me, he frowned and we both walked to eachother.

We stopped when we were a foot apart. "Ellain." I looked at him with sadness. "I'm sorry Mike." His frown softened. "I still belong to you..." He grinned and nodded. We were both quiet for a moment. "Hey!" Turning around, I saw Kale at the corner where I came from, panting and frowning.

"Stay the hell away from her!" He yelled, running for Mike. I shook my head and pulled on Kale, stopping him. "No! Don't Kale! I wanted to see him!" He froze and backed away, looking at me confused, still frowning. "What do you mean?" I looked down, wanting to cry. "I can't do this anymore, Kale. I can't deny my true feelings...I'm in love with Mike."

Kale looked at me, then back at Mike. "You're making her do this, aren't you!" I pulled on him some more and shook my head. "No, Kale. It's me..." I sighed and looked up at Kale, wanting to hug him and tell him I'm sorry. "I...I was using you to make Mike jelous. I wanted him to show me that I was the only one for him. In order to do that, I needed someone who could make him more jelous than anyone."

I stepped back, away from Kale and inches from Mike. Kale looked at me with despiration in his eyes, and with anger towards Mike. "Ellain, I know you feel something for me." Mike cut in. "Don't you get it? She was using you, dude. Just like how you were going to break her heart too. She just beat you to it."

I looked at Mike, confused. "What are you talking about you bastard?! I would never hurt Ellain like that!" Mike glared at him. "Oh?" He looked at me. "Ellain, after the accident, you lost some of your previous memories, right?" I nodded. Remembering things before the accident was a bit difficult, but I gave up trying to remember. They weren't important memories.

Mike glared back at Kale. "Did Kale tell you that you two knew eachother before the accident?" I was shocked. Kale...and I knew eachother. "No?" I looked at Kale, who looked at the ground, clentching his fists. "We did?" He didn't answer. Mike did that for him. "Yes, but not very well. You two met through a friend, his best friend and my brother: Axel."

I froze. Kale looked up at me with regret. "I'm sorry. I didn't think it would matter." I wanted to be understanding, but I frowned. "What if I thought it would matter?!" Mike chuckled. "You were going to break her heart, for her killing your best friend." But, Kale and I both knew that I didn't do it.

"I know she didn't hurt him!" Kale yelled with furry. "Oh yea? Then who did?" Mike asked with amusement. Kale glared at him in silence for a moment. "My money is on you." Now was my chance. I pushed my arm forward and slapped Kale square on the face. He stared at me in shock. "Don't you ever say that again." I said quietly, turning back and standing next to Mike.

"El..." Kale whispered, sounding more hurt than ever. I looked at Mike's chest as I put my hand in his. "I belong to Mike, Kale. There's nothing you can do about it. Even if he doesn't want me..." I was cut off by Mike planting an aggresive kiss on my lips, then looking at Kale with a grin. "Of course I will want you. I will never let you go, unlike some people."

Putting his arm around me, I used all of my will not to jump, stiffen up, or shy away from him. "Let's go, my little Elly." We started walking towards Kale, towards the dorms. As we got closer, Kale looked at us with anger, jelousy, and at me with sadness.

I wanted to cry. I wanted to run into his arms and tell him I'm sorry and that everything I was saying wasn't true, but I knew that if I did that, we could never be together. We would never be able to be free of Mike. Thinking about how sad Kale looked at that moment, it reminded me of my favorite movie, Andrew Lloyd Webber's the Phantom of the Opera; when Roul saw Christine and the Phantom on stage at the end of the song The Point of No Return.

The irony was, I was pretty much reinacting the movie. I, Christine, have to fool the Phantom to be free of him. The only difference is, Roul (Kale) doesn't know I'm doing it, otherwise he would never allow it. And he probably never will forgive me or talk to me after this... I wouldn't blame him either. I just broke his heart...