Outcasts

Chapter 10

Alex

It was late afternoon when I got out of the shower. I was surprised to find Alice back. She was in the kitchen, cooking. And I had to admit it smelled delicious.

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

"I... Didn't expect you to come back. Let alone cook for me."

"Alex I already told you it's fine. No strings attached remember?"

"Yeah... I still feel bad though."

"Don't."

We don't say anything after that. When dinner is ready, we eat in silence.

Then Alice speaks up,

"You've got to find a guy."

"Why not a girl?"

"Cause a guy will make you feel less guilty. It might even make Luce more jealous."

"Ha! Thanks for the advice but I'm waiting for the right one. As sappy as that sounds."

"Please. Luce has been the one for you since day one."

"That's not true!"

"Well I suppose you did have that crush on Lucky... But that's over now that he's with Adrian."

"Wha-!? I did no-! Oh never mind. How do you know all these things."

I raise an eyebrow.

She smiles innocently.

"I have my ways," she says cryptically.

I roll my eyes.

"I think you and Seth would make a nice couple."

I look at her in surprise.

"He already likes you. If you ask him out he might just die of happiness."

"Well I want him alive for our date."

"So you're going to ask him out?" she asks happily.

"I didn't say that!"

"I already know you will."

"Damn you and your freak intuition."

"You'll thank me later."

"Whatever."

There's a short pause before she asks quietly,

"Do you really hate Nathan, though?"

I shift uncomfortablely.

"I... I don't know. I just never liked him."

"He's been through so much..." she says thoughtfully.

"So I've heard."

"Did Luce tell you?"

"He was sixteen then, right?" 

She nods.

"He was going to a concert with his brother, Jacob. Then they got hit by a car and Jacob died and Nathan's legs were paralysed."

"That's part of the story..."

I look at her confused.

"Luce has always been really private about this but I think you deserve to know."

She sighs.

"Jacob and Nathan were incredibly close. Nathan used to get bullied in middle school and Jacob always used to step in and cheer him up when he needed it. So he took Nathan to a concert and they had a nice time and were coming back home when a car crashed into them. In the car were a group of drunk highschool boys from Jacob's school.-"

"-And he dies. I already know all this."

"No. You don't," she takes a breathe, preparing for what she is about to say.

"Jacob didn't die in the accident."

"What?!"

"After the accident, they came out of the car. They pulled Jacob out. Both Nathan and Jacob thought that they were trying to help. But they didn't get Nathan out. They attacked Jacob. They took a long sharp piece of wreckage and impaled him with it. Then they put him back in the car, seatbelt and all."

"Oh my God."

"The doctors thought he was delirious; traumatised. Luce doesn't believe that though. I don't either."

"I never knew."

"That's why Luce won't leave him. She doesn't think she can."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because if she doesn't choose you, at least you'll know why."