Bad Memories // a.u.

chapter 20: love

The pavement was hot underneath my bare feet as I ran from Keaton's house to mine. I hadn't grabbed my shoes after rushing out the door. I'm not quite sure what came over me, but I knew the one thing I couldn't have happen was him going to the police. It hadn't gotten to that point yet and I wanted my life to stay relatively normal, even if my safety was somewhat at risk. I slammed the door and leaned up against it, my breath heavy.

"What's going on? Are you ok?" Skylar asked, coming around the corner with a glass of apple juice in her hand. Her face was twisted in a look of concern, but she stayed a distance away from me.

I shook my head, trying to catch my breath. "I couldn't do it."

"He needs to know," she put her open hand on her hip, knowing instantly what I meant. I summed it up to best friend telepathy - she could always tell what I was talking about. "You've come so far at starting to let him in. This is a huge thing, Noelle. You can't start keeping things in because it's going to eat you alive."

I slid down against the front door, my butt hitting the tile floor with a thud. "I don't want to bring him into this. What if he comes after me?" I started to think about my parents' killer and how he killed them. I didn't want to feel like I was running for my life.

"Noelle. He's been in this since you started dating him. The only way he won't be is if you break up with him."

I brought my bottom lip in between my teeth. "Maybe I should," I whispered.

I watched Skylar set down her apple juice on the table in our entry way and come sit down next to me. "I know you don't want that. I can see it on your face and he doesn't want that either. He cares about you. I saw it that first day we came here. It's crazy, Noelle but I honestly think I witnessed love at first sight if there is such a thing."

I had tears forming in my eyes now as I shook my head. "What if love isn't enough Skye? I don't want to put him in danger. I'm in enough danger myself and what if Kathryn wants me to come back to Rhode Island? Then what's going to happen with Keaton?"

"Did she say that?"

I shook my head. "No. It's just something that crossed my mind."

"Hmmm. Well, what if this guy isn't even in Califonia? Do we know that for sure?"

"No, but you know my aunt's on the police force. She would know everything about the case even though she's not supposed to be working it. She said she wasn't even supposed to tell me. That's why I'm so scared to tell Keaton as well. I don't want him to go to the police because they have their own way of doing things and I'm not even supposed to know anything."

"Well then explain it to him. That's all you can do. You just can't keep him in the dark." She wrapped her arms around me and I felt like she's been doing this a lot lately, or the other way around. I was happy that we had each other and I promised myself that I would do everything to always be there.

A loud knock on the door jolted me out of my thoughts. We slowly stood up as the person at the door banged again. I was expecting to find Keaton at the door, so I braced myself as I twisted the knob but Jake was standing there with an angry look on his face.

"Uh, what are you doing here, Jake?" Skylar stammered.

"I've been waiting for you to come by or call or something and you haven't. I need an explanation Skylar. I need something." He shoved his hands in his pockets and then took them out again like he was nervous.

Skylar let out a loud sigh and grabbed for Jake's hand, yanking him toward the living room. She flashed me an apologetic look before they disappeared and I made my way upstairs. I hoped that she could work everything with him. I wondered how long he was going to be here for and what his parents thought of him just coming.