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Chapter 6: Family Secrets

*Alexa's POV*

*one month later*

So the Halloween Bash wasn't absolute trash. I won at beer pong, never took a single shot, and whooped all of the players' loser asses. 

I had to drive Chloe's sloppy drunk ass home.  She let some random hit it and didn't tell me who. But it's whatever. Not my business what she does behind closed doors. EVEN THOUGH WE TELL EACH OTHER EVERYTHING.

I searched for James asking everyone if they'd seen him, but all they could say was he was with some bitch who didn't want to smash Trey. Probably Jocelyn. Oh well. His loss. 

Chloe seems to be a bit distant. Maybe it's her aunt again. Every time I tried to ask her if we could hang out, she would tell me she's busy or gives some other excuse. I didn't want to press her, ya know. Some people need space.

This semester went by expeditiously. I was going through the motions. I didn't see Chloe today, though. I hope she's alright. Maybe I should check on her today. I'll see if Vic can drop me off.

The bell will ring momentarily. I texted Vic: Hey, can you drop me off at Chloe's? I'll give you gas money. He replied: It's cool. You don't have to pay me. I'll take you there. But don't expect me to stay there. I've got somewhere to be.

I replied: Wow. Thanks. :) I'll meet you in the student parking lot. He replied: Gotcha. See you there. 

*Bell rings*

I quickly make my way over to the student parking. I walk by the locker room just trying to avoid the bottleneck traffic, and then suddenly someone collided with me. 

I fell over and looked up at who wasn't watching where they were going. James. I let go of my momentary anger, and I smiled for a couple of seconds as he extended his arm to help me up. 

"Hey. I'm sorry, I should've watched where I was going." I apologized. "No, no. I'm glad you didn't. I wanted to see if you'd go out with me on Friday. Pick you up at 7?" He offered, with raised eyebrows and a cheeky smile. 

"Oh, wow. That's sweet, James. Sure," I said, in a rush as I speed-walked down the hallway. "I'll text you!" He shouted from down the hall. I held up a finger gun to him and winked. With that, I pushed through the double doors in front of the school to make my hasty exit. 

I met Vic in the parking lot. "Hey. Thank you so much again for taking me to Chloe's." I said, rubbing Vic's arm in a friendly manner. 

"It's nothing. But I can't stay long. Chloe and I broke up." He said, melancholy in his voice. "Aw. I'm sorry. Did she say why?" I asked, giving him a puzzled look. "No, not really. She just said she wanted to break up. Maybe it's my fault?" He asked. 

Oh boy. He doesn't realize that she just used him. Dammit, Chloe. The things I do for her. "Oh no, hun. I think she's just going through some things. It's not your fault." I reassured. 

He gave me a small smile, and we got into his BMW. God, I love this car. He dropped me off a block from Chloe's. 

I thanked him once more for the ride, and I got out of his car. Grabbing my cross bag and slumped it over my shoulder. I closed his door and waved goodbye.  

Walking toward Chloe's, I noticed her granddad's car was parked in the driveway- not their garage. Hmmm. Strange. 

I walked up to their front door and opened it. Before I entered, I heard Chloe screaming in anger, "Why did she have to die?!" Her breath was shaky between all her rage and crying. 

Upon entering, I tried not to let the door slam, but I realized both noticed me anyway. Chloe ran over to me and buried her face into my chest. Tears were streaming down her face. It hurt my soul to hear those sobs. 

"She's gone, L-lex. My.. aunt.. is.. g-gone!" She stuttered as she became hysterical. I rubbed circles into her back and cried with her because it broke my heart to see her so heartbroken. Also, I'm a cry baby ass bitch, too.

"Actually, sweetie, I wanted you to know this before, but I thought it would have been best to wait it out until she got better. Your aunt isn't really your aunt. She's your mother." Her granddad said. 

Chloe shot up. "What!?" She said softly, gripping my arms while looking at her granddad. She looked confused and horrified at the same time.

"Yeah, baby girl. I wanted nothing more than for her irresponsible self to tell you. But she didn't want you to know that she got knocked up either by a random guy in the winter solstice orgy back in the day. Said she couldn't handle the parenting part. The mother that raised you, technically, she's your aunt. Your aunt said she'd take you in and raise you as her own." Chloe's granddad explained, regret in his voice. 

I could sense the rage boiling in her skin just by looking at her. She ran over to him, hitting both his arms with hers. "you knew!?" She shouted. "All this time, you knew she was my mother, and you made me believe she was my aunt!? I've lost both of them now. And I can't believe you would keep that from me." She exclaimed with frustration and began crying harder. 

Confusion ran through my mind. How could he do Chloe like that? More importantly, why couldn't she take care of Chloe? She missed out hard on what an amazing kid Chloe turned out to be, and now she'll never know. Sad af.

Chloe's granddad held her in his arms, trying to calm her, but she kept wailing hysterically. She was inconsolable. I needed to comfort her too, but my heart was broken for her, too. Tears streamed down my face, but I walked over to hug them both.

Chloe needed me now more than ever. Coping with death and a lost connection that can never be restored is so much for one young girl to handle. I studied this in my psych class, and what people really need during times like these is a great social support system. If she's got her granddad and me, she'll be alright. 

*A/N: I bet you didn't see that plot twist coming. Did you? ;) More to come. Comment and vote, please.*