The Boys and Me

75. Best Bros

ZANE:

"Do you think that argument could have escalated further if Alissa hadn't stepped in?" Elton asked me as I drove him home from Heath's place. I sighed as I shrugged.

"Maybe. Heath and I can both be stubborn when we have different points" I said and he sighed in response.

"What's with the sigh?" I asked as he sighed again.

"I don't want to cause a riff between you guys" He said and I laughed.

"Have you met Heath and I? A strong gust of wind is enough to cause a riff between us. He didn't see it from my point of view because he's always with Alissa. Once he realised that we don't actually hang out a lot and he takes you away from her, he understood. But he wouldn't have unless she said it" I said.

"It's crazy how much he listens to her" He said with a laugh as he shook his head, making me laugh too.

"Believe me, it doesn't get any more normal. She freaked Todd's mom out with it too because she managed to stop him lashing out as well. She's a freak of nature" I said and Elton laughed.

"Without that freak of nature, one of you guys would have expelled by now" He said and I shook my head.

"Nah it wouldn't have gotten that bad, would it?" I asked and he shrugged.

"The pressure of Senior year would have gotten to one of you. Probably you with needing to graduate to get to Tallahassee. Even though none of this drama would have happened without her, something would have." He said.

"I guess you're right. Probably for the best she showed up and fucked things up when she did" I said with a laugh, Elton joining in.

"You know she didn't mess anything up. If anything, she's helped you guys more than you give her credit for. Especially Heath and Scotty" He said and I nodded in agreement.

"One of them would have definitely been in jail by now" I said, laughing as though it were a joke but understanding that there was some element of truth behind it.

As I pulled into his drive and parked my jeep, neither of us moved.

"I hope nothing happens so I can stay friends with you guys. Well you at least, I'm not exactly sure where I stand with the others" Elton said and I smiled as I shook my head.

"Heath may not show it but he's your friend too Elton. And Alissa. Three out of six aren't bad odds" I pointed out and he laughed.

"No, not at all. I'll see you at school tomorrow?" He asked and I nodded. Even though we both knew there was no way in hell I could afford to miss any more school, if I wanted to pass that was.

With one swift movement Elton was gone and I was left alone with my thoughts, not the most desirable option for me.

'The pressure of Senior year would have gotten to one of you. Probably you with needing to graduate to get to Tallahassee'

That sentence alone made me see the world from Heath's point of view.

It took me six months to come clean about my dad abusing me and that wasn't to Heath, it was to Allie. Only after that did I feel I could open up to Heath and even then it only happened recently. Whereas after studying with Elton twice, it had come up and I had told him almost freely.

Heath didn't know that but I knew that if he ever found out, it would kill him. So Elton knows he's sworn to secrecy with it. Which, thanks to the kind of person Elton is, means he'll keep the damn secret. I haven't been able to trust someone, without threatening them, for so long, it's weird but good.