Be Your Everything

f i f t y f o u r

It's dead silent outside when Jo and I come back. The beginnings of a fire have started to crackle, and the boys are all standing around uncomfortably while they wait for Jo's instructions. I still don't know what Jo has planned, but I know better than to ask. She looks as angry as I am, but I'm not sure what she's upset over.

"Everyone has something to get off their chests. I don't care how bad of a secret it is, today, you're sharing it and then letting it go." Jo passes everyone a piece of paper and a pen while she explains what's going to happen.

"Whatever you've been keeping from everyone else, write it down on a sheet of paper. Anything that you need to say, you say it right now. Once you've said it out loud, crumble the paper and toss it in the fire. The moment it's in the fire, it's over: no more anger or resentment over whatever the hell you were keeping from everyone. Got it?"

Jo looks around the circle as everyone nods in understanding. "Good."

We all look at each other curiously, wondering what each person has to admit to. God knows I have a lot to confess, so I start writing before the weight of Ashton's judgmental stare buries me in the sand.

"Everybody ready?" Jo asks after a minute and smiles when we all nod. "Who's first then?"

When no one else volunteers first, Luke sighs and steps forward. His paper is covered in writing, and I cannot wait to know the truth he's been keeping from me, along with the rest of his friends. This person I thought I knew so well is about to become a stranger to me, and I'm weirdly ready for it.

"I probably have the most to confess to, so I guess I should start." Luke clears his throat and looks Elle. "I'm pretty sure I've lied to every single one of you at this point, so that makes me this biggest asshole of the lot."

He looks at Michael, the guilt in his eyes looks painful from heavily it's weighing on him. Michael looks back and him with concern, but Luke's body language tells us all that he is the one who should be worried for Michael, not the other way around.

"Kat didn't cheat on you, mate. She never slept with Calum. I've known that she didn't cheat on you this whole time, and I didn't tell you. I just let you suffer, and that's really fucked up on my part."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Michael squints as if trying to make sense of what Luke just told him. "How would you know-"

"Because it was me," I cut in suddenly. All eyes have turned to me, and I'm incredibly nervous to be admitting to everything in front of people I've come to think of as my close friends.

"I was hired to act like Luke's girlfriend to help him look better in the press. For most of that time, I've actually been seeing Calum, but Miss Baker made it very clear that no one could know. Luke knew the whole time, but I hated having to lie to everyone else. I'm so sorry..." I look at Michael and fight the urge to tear up. If he knew all of this before, he wouldn't have believed that his girlfriend was cheating on him. "It had to look convincing."

"You... you're the one who's been sleeping with Calum?" Michael looks ill, like he's going to be sick or something. He doesn't say anything, but he shows no signs of fainting.

"Michael?" Jo walks over to him. "You okay?"

"I'm not sure," he admits blankly before looking over at Calum with guilty eyes. "I'm sorry for giving you a black eye."

"It was understandable," he says quietly. "But that doesn't change the fact that Kat never cheated on you. She'd never do that to you, and neither would I."

Even though he's talking to Michael, I can't help but feel like that last part was meant for me as well. I should've had more faith in Calum when he said he didn't sleep with her. That doesn't change the fact that he eventually did, but if I had given him the benefit of the doubt in the beginning, he wouldn't have.