Trusting My Friend

Chapter 8

Alissa

I'm walking around the basement, looking at Kayden's pictures and trophies when he gets back.

"You have a lot of pictures up from when we hung out." I note with surprise.

"Yeah, some of my best memories are from that time. I wasn't sure if we would ever be friends again. I wanted to keep the good times in my mind. The pictures help."

I look over my shoulder at him standing in the doorway leading to the stairs. Walking over to him, I wrap my arms around his waist and lean my head against his chest. Automatically, he wraps his arms around me in response.

And then he ruins the moment. "We should go. The party starts in twenty."

"I still don't want to go. But, because you asked me to, I will, although I'm taking my kindle with me. Also, would you be able to bring me back after about an hour?"

The sincerity can be heard in his voice when he replies, "I will do whatever you want."

"Thanks." Smiling, I step back and head up the stairs to go to his car.

On the way to the party, Kayden has me aching from laughter. The ride only takes about fifteen minutes, and I'm on my phone when we start slowing down. Looking up, I see the house as we pass it.

"Kayden, why are we at Landon's?" My voice is shaky as I ask.

"Landon is letting me use the field behind his house for the party. Why?" The car slows to a stop and Kayden puts it in park.

"Please, take me home. I change my mind, I don't want to be here. I can't be here." I'm shaking now, remembering that December night, three and a half years ago.

I don't get a chance to say anything else, and neither does Kayden, as someone knocks on the window at that moment. I look up to see Landon standing at my window. Nononono. Why is the happening? I don't want to be here with him standing there.

Kayden ignores Landon, turning my head towards him. "Liss, you're shaking. What's wrong?"

"You don't...won't understand. I need out of here though. Please." I look towards the window, where Landon is standing with a smirk on his face. He pulls on the door handle and luck is on my side, it's locked.

Landon is saying something while pulling on the handle. I scoot over on the seat, trying to get further away from Landon with tears threatening to fall. Kayden puts his arm around me, trying to turn me towards him.

"Liss, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" I feel his fingers on my cheeks wiping away the tears.

"Please, Kayden. I can't be here. It's too much." The tears fall faster as I beg for Kayden to do something.

Kayden takes his arm from around me and puts the car in drive, slowly taking his foot off the brake, giving Landon a chance to back off. He's lucky, if it were me driving, I would have taken off, not caring if his feet were in the way of the wheels or not.

I don't stop shaking the entire ride back to the house. Once Kayden parks the car in the driveway, he gets out and comes around to my side. He opens the door and kneels on the ground in front of me.

"Liss, can you please talk to me? I want to know what's wrong. Please, tell me."

"I can't. You won't understand or believe it."

"Liss, tell me what's wrong. If it has something to do with Landon, tell me now. I will go back to the party and-"

"Kayden, stop," I interrupt his thought. "Please, I was just hurt in the past and seeing where we were, brought it all back."