Best Kept Secret

❥ Chapter One

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//Havensdale Animal Shelter//

//September 13th, Sunday//

What does one do when their life seems to break apart at the middle?

I, specifically, smile. It's one that doesn't quite reach my eyes, but I do my best to crinkle my eyes, slightly, so that even someone who has known me for many years won't be able to tell that I'm faking it, faking it one-hundred percent.

That someone in this scenario is Nathaniel "Nate" Knight.

"Of course, I'd love to go with you and Morgan!" I said, false happiness saturating my words. Morgan Fyres, a girl with a head of bright red hair and a hole where her heart should be, had somehow managed to get Nate - the purest of the purest - to fall for her. I have no idea how the relationship even blossomed, but even if I did know, I wouldn't be able to change a thing.

"Really?" Nathaniel asked, suspicion evident on his sculpted face.

"Of course. We made a pact to always support each other when we were seven, remember?" I replied, bringing up childhood memories in a hope to hide how much I really don't want to go. I don't want to hurt Nate.

"Sara ... thanks. It means a lot that you're willing to give up years of animosity with Morgan, just to make me happy. I honestly love you," he said sheepishly, running his fingers through his dark blond hair.

Those words made my heart clench with hurt; I know that Nate loves me, just not in the way I had hoped he would one day. This hope that begun to blossom in my heart since the first day we had met; it was a love that continued to grow with every passing day. But, Nate never realized, and he never thought to see me as anything other than a friend. In a sense, I was friend-zoned, and I was locked inside that zone hard.

"Anyway, Sara, I have to go," Nate said to me, slipping his phone out to check the time and then putting it back in after he was done. "Student Council meeting, you know. I'd ask you to go, since you're my vice president, but since this meeting is sort of one that I spontaneously planned, you don't have to cancel your volunteering at the animal shelter for me."

"Oh, okay," I said, nodding "I'll see you at school tomorrow."

"What? What do you mean? Today's Sunday. Sunday's are our movie days, Sara. I've got buckets of white cheddar popcorn ready for tonight," Nate exclaimed, a frown forming on his face.

"Um ..." I was at a loss for words. I loved my movie nights with Nate, but I don't know if I can keep my happy - or at least slightly happy - mask on for too long, at least not in front of Nate.

"She's volunteering for a little longer than usual tonight," said a deep voice behind us.

I turned around to meet my mysterious savior, and found a pair of familiar blue-green eyes staring at me - eyes belonging to one Zadrien Diamond. His eyes were asking me to go along with his statement.

"Rhea, a cat at this shelter, gave birth to kittens recently," said Zadrien matter of factly, as if it was common knowledge.

"Right!" I exclaimed, turning back to Nate. "Most of the kittens were adopted yesterday, but we still have two remaining that we need to name and take care of."

What Zadrien said wasn't a complete lie: we did have to take care of the kittens, though I don't think it would take that long, at least not enough to block Move Night time.

"Oh, of course. Sara and her love of all things cat related," Nate laughed. "But we're definitely having Movie Night next week, after the double date with Morgan, you, and whoever you decide to bring."