The Broken One

Chapter 13- The Truth

Harley's Point of View

I drove to our meeting place. It was in the woods behind my house. I got there and started walking. I finally got to the tree where we all scratched in our initials and looked at it. Under each one were tallies for all the times we got in trouble, before everything happened. Daniel and I were tied and Lucas and Max were close behind.

"We stopped after eighth grade, it seemed like we weren't really friends so why keep up with it." I heard someone say behind me. I whipped around to see Max and Lucas.

"Hey guys," I said offering a small smile.

They both stared at me. "You changed your hair," Lucas pointed out.

"Yeah," I said softly, they hadn't even seen my hair when it was just turquoise. So much time had passed. "You guys changed too. You both look taller."

Max stared at me. I could tell he was wanted answers. "You can say what your thinking," I said to him. "Don't forget I knew you guys since we were kids, I know what that face your giving me means."

Max pressed his lips into a line. "Look Harley we don't know what happened to you or Daniel. That's all we want to know."

"Oh," I said quietly.

"It's not that we hate you Harley," Lucas said. "We just want answers before we form an opinion."

"Guys do you know how much trouble I'll get in if the cops catch me? I'm doing this because I want to be friends again. I'm sorry about what happened in eighth grade but-"

"No Harley you listen, we spent practically our whole lives together, then suddenly in eighth grade you are not talking to any of us, and in the summer between ninth and tenth Daniel dies, you disappear and you are not allowed to come within a hundred feet of us. We just want to know what the hell happened." Max yelled at me angrily.

I sighed. "Okay, you're right. You deserve answers.
You're parents filed the restraining orders because I was accused of Daniels' murder." I explained.

"Did you do it?" Lucas asked.

"No," I said softly. "But I might as well have," I said in almost a whisper.

"What does that mean?" Max asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well-"

"Harley!" A voice called. "Guys I found her."

I turned around and saw Hailey and Ryder running towards me. My initial thought was how the hell did Ryder find me here? And then I saw Hailey and then decided none of it made sense. I waited for them to make there way here. All five of us stood awkwardly once they got to us.

"I can't believe you would just run off," Ryder said finally to me. "You scared the hell out of all of us."

I opened my mouth to respond but closed it. What was I going to say? I couldn't just explain why I felt so desperately I had to come here. Hailey and I made eye contact and I think she realized how I was feeling.

"Leave her alone, Ryder she had her reasons." Ryder gave her a funny look as Hailey continued on. "Harley, I don't know if you could hear me while you were unconscious but I wanted to tell you how sorry I am for everything. I had a lot of time to think and I really have been trying to be a better person so I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am," she said. She sounded so genuine, Harley actually believed her.