Blown by the Wind -Fairytales, Book 1 [ON HOLD]

Chapter Twelve- Secrets Uncovered

Chapter 12- Secrets Uncovered

   "You think the only people who are people

Are the people who look and think like you,

But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger

You'll learn things you never knew you never knew

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon?

Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?

Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?

Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?

Can you paint with all the col-"

"What?" I screech, rolling on my bed bleary eyed to get to my phone. Pressing reply, effectively cutting off Pocahontas' long analogy to John Smith about his arrogance. God, how did Emily get me to buy this ringtone again?

 "Ria! I want minute-by-minute play by of your sizzling hot date then we can move on to more important things, such as moi." This was typical Emily, only thinking of herself - always more important than me, no exceptions. Sometimes I really do wonder why we are friends, I really do. Sometimes, she's just too mean, sometimes it grates on my nerves a little too much and I just can't deal with her, ignoring her when it overwhelms me. She doesn't question it, mostly. But sometimes I wonder- does this make me a bad friend?  

But we pull through, best friends and stronger than ever after our little spats. Making up with sleepovers at her house, her supplying the ice-cream, movies and computer; and I'd supply the gossip, extra goodies and internet knowledge.  

So I did what she asked, giving her all the juicy details and enjoying her reactions to the beautiful dancing I witnessed.

"- So he comes off, all nice looking and stuff. And he goes 'So, Ria, How'd you like it?' with this coy smirk. Alex and I just about collapsed on the floor laughing our heads off. Ooh and guess what? Jerk totally went up to The Slut and kissed her full on the mouth and, like, could almost be classified as porn. Almost." She draws a sharp breath at this and interrupts me.

"Ha! They deserve each other, bitches..." She's quiet for a moment and I fill her in about the aftermath.

"Anyway, I teased him a bit, like, he's in a play Emily, a play! Then he drove me home and I swear, he was this close to kissing me, but he just hugged me. Ugh, how I hate his hugging tendencies."

"Aw! But I'd love to be hugged by the likes of Nathaniel Samilton, you lucky bitch."

"Emily! You know how I hate the swearing."

"Whatever," I heard her mumble. "Anyways, I have something to tell you... but I forgot it. Hey, what do you think of Liam Ashgrove?"

"Uh, he's cute, I guess..." I trailed off, not sure how to respond.

"Hmm. Well, I've got to go! Talk to you tomorrow, Ria." The line went dead. No goodbye foe me, I guess.

Why was she asking about Liam Ashgrove? Does little Emily have a crush? Oh this is gonna be good! My line of thought was cut off by my ringtone.

"You think the only people who are people

Are the people who look and thi-"

"Hello?"

"Ria? Hey, are you doing anything today?" Chloe answered the phone, breathless.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Uh, well we were thinking of meeting up today. All of us, and the only person who's missing is you. I have something to say to you all."

"Where?"

"Emily's."

"Be there in 30." The line clicked dead.

-

"So what?" Emily demanded, facing Chloe.

"Uh, guys, I know I've been a bit unfair to you all." She admitted. "Ignoring you and all. I think I was going through that phase in a relationship... What was it?" She looked at Emily.

"Puppy love. It's that phase where virtually the only person that matters is the only person it's kind of like-" Emily was cut off by Chloe.

"Anyway," she said, giving Emily a look. "I gathered you guys want some explanations, like of why I was crying over Tim and stuff like that."

"Yeah, yeah," Alex said, sounding bored. "We get it. You guys are soul-mates or whatever." With this, she threw in a glare.

"No!" Emily shouted. "He and you are soul-mates!" Whilst exclaiming this, she pulled Alex to her.

Alex simply smiled.

Shooting Emily a glare, I urged Chloe on.

Chloe nervously glanced at Alex and Emily, still encased in arms and legs. The force of Emily's pull had left Alex off balanced so she fell on Emily, and this was all wrapped up in bursts of giggles.

"We were childhood best friends, "Chloe started off softly, as if afraid someone would hear. "Me, Dan and Tim, we were practically joined at the hip, us three." She smiled softly, as if the memory left a certain brand of sweetness in her mouth. "Getting in truckloads of trouble together." Her smile faded, and she looked down at her hands. "Dan and Tim are brothers, you see, Tim was older by eleven months. Dan was closer to my age, though, being born in November and all.

"Anyway, I'm getting off track. The Holland's are family friends, you see. So we were put together from square one. Best friends since they ganged up on me to push me in the pool, they did. Many, many misadventures followed.

"Dan..." She stopped, gasping for breath and fighting back tears. "Dan and I... we were put together, way more than Tim and I were. I think it was the age gap that did it. In fact, there was a wager going on between our families on who I would end up with. And, well, it turned out to be Dan." She smiled through her tears. "WE had our first kiss under the willow tree down by the creek, when we were thirteen, our first date up on The Hill when we were sixteen..." She trailed off, immersed in memories, tears silently gliding down her face like blue-silver pearls, leaving behind an trail of dark memories, forever embedded into her memory.

"B-B-B-But Dan," Chloe couldn't get the words out, she was crying too heavily. "Dan, he h-h-h-he died, under the w-w-willow tree. He was struck by l-l-l-lightning." She broke down in sobs, reaching for Emily, who was rubbing her back in soothing circles. "T-T-That's why both Tim's family and my own moved away. There were just too many memories in that town. I saw his face everywhere I went." She looked at all of us with an expression of agony.

Mumbling "Sorry." She took off, running out Emily's door bedroom door.

We could all hear the front door slam.