Conspicuous Secrets

Chapter Twenty-Four

         

We finished packing all our luggage into Holden's Jeep and Kason's Charger. It was difficult; we were taking way more luggage than we actually needed for two days. We had to carefully fit every piece in so it fit like Tetris, but in the end, we managed to do it. It was Friday evening, we left school just over an hour ago and were getting ready to head out on the weekend trip Aria planned for us. Apparently, it was an eight hour drive. I wasn't sure where we were going because Aria refused to give us any more information other than she got us nice hotel rooms to stay in and there were a lot of fun things to do wherever we were going.

"I call shotgun!" one of my friends yelled. Before I knew it, Aria dived into the yellow Jeep's passenger seat, right before Holden jumped into the driver's. Next, Jaxon and Marla claimed the Jeep's backseat as their own, before anyone could have a say. With all of them piled in, Holden started his car.

"I guess you're riding with me," Kason said, chuckling and shaking his head at our friends. I didn't complain. I was starting to like alone time with Kason.

Nodding, I replied, "I guess so," and followed him to his black sports car where we both climbed in. After buckling and starting the car, he followed Holden out of the driveway and down the road. He turned on the radio, not loud, just soft enough where you could hear the tune of the songs alongside the quiet hum of the car.

"So is your dad off all weekend?"

"Yeah, he switched shifts with a couple of people so he would be able to watch Lucy while we are gone," he informed me.

I nodded. "That's good. I'd hate for Lucy to have to go back to a daycare or somewhere else."

He agreed with me by nodding. "Tell me about your family," he said after a long moment. His voice was calm, he sounded genuinely interested.

Taking a deep breath, I thought about what I could tell him. I hated to lie, especially to him, but I had to for my own protection. "When I was little, my family was really close," I told him honestly. "My parents would take Jaxon and me to the park and let us play until our legs gave out," I recalled with a small smile. "My dad would help Jaxon climb the smaller trees in the park—Jaxon loved it. My mom would sit down on the grass and read a book or film us playing on her video camera." The memories brought tears to my eyes. Those were the best days. "My dad was a big family man, he loved spending all of his spare time with us. On the evening when he would work late, my mom would take us to an ice cream shop down the road and we would wait for our dad until he met us there once he got off work. Jaxon looks just like a younger version of him." I breathed. "It's unreal how similar they look...My mom was the most beautiful woman I have ever met," I told Kason. "Inside and out." The boy in the driver's seat next to me stared at the road in front of him, but I could tell he was listening intently to my words. He was taking it all in, listening to the stories. "She had short dark-brown hair and my baby-blue eyes. She would help others in any way she could. I mean it—if she figured out someone was having a hard time, she would do everything in her will to help them..." I blinked back tears. "I've never admired someone as much as I do her."

"Do you miss them?" he asked, his voice cracking.

I nodded. "All the time." I missed my mom more than anything. The dad I had when I was little, the description I gave to Kason, and it was a father I once knew, but not anymore.

"Your parents sound like amazing people," he told me, his words sounding stronger than before. "They'd be so proud of you and Jaxon now."

I shrugged, not agreeing. The only thing Jaxon and I did now, was run—I didn't know how my mother would feel about that. We were constantly running from who we really are. "When I was fifteen, Jaxon sixteen, our family kind of drifted apart," I told him honestly. I was risking everything by telling him this. "None of us were as close as we once were. Jaxon and I didn't become really close again until we moved away."

"Why?"

I shrugged. "We became teenagers—we blocked ourselves off from our parents. We started hanging out with different people and wanting to spend all of our time out of the house." It was partly true. I just kept the fact that my dad became a raging alcoholic to myself. And the fact that my mother became brainwashed by the horrid man. And the fact that my brother became terrified to ignore a word he said. I was the only one to stand up to him. I was the only one who had the courage to stand up to him...and that's what made us drift apart.

For hours we had deep, meaningful conversations. I loved talking about my family to him—even if I couldn't give him the full truth. It was good to just discuss it—it was something I had never done. He even told me about his family. He talked more about his mom and more of the memories he has with her and his little sister. I adored his stories. I adored him. This time alone with him—talking on a real level—it made me realize it did like him. Truly.

"If I sit in this car any longer, my spine is going to cave in," I groaned, four hours into the drive.

Kason laughed, his dark-blue eyes shining. There was something about his smile that I hadn't seen before. It was a smile that he only gave to me, not anyone else. "I'm pretty sure that's not how that works."

Smiling, I silently agreed, while I pulled out my phone and called my brother. I told him to tell Holden to stop somewhere so they could all stretch and eat. She was starving. Fortunately, they all agreed and soon they were sitting in a retro diner we found on the side of the road.

We were sitting at a circular table in the corner of the room, Holden on the end, sitting beside Aria, then myself, Kason, Jaxon, and then Marla on the other end. A waiter came by, a boy looking to be around our age. He took our orders and then brought us our drinks. After that, Aria nudged my arm with her elbow, making me wince and look at her. "What?"

"He was totally eyeing you," she told me excitedly. "Do you think he's cute?"

Shrugging, I glanced at him as he stood across the room, writing something down on a piece of paper. "I guess so." He was blonde and had bright green eyes. Honestly, he was cute, but he reminded me too much of Miles.

"Give him your number!" she shrieked. On the other side of me, Kason choked on his water, but she either didn't hear him or chose to ignore him. "He could be potential boyfriend material!"

I immediately shook my head, glancing at Kason to make sure he was breathing again. "I don't think so."

She made a noise, between and sigh and a groan, and rolled her eyes at my words. "Oh, come on. I told you when you first moved here that I wanted to find you a boyfriend." I had completely forgotten about that promise, but honestly, she probably had too until this very moment.

"And I told you that I wanted to get settled first," I recalled.

"You've had time to settle," she said.

It was my turn to roll my eyes. "I'm not giving him my number."

"Then I'll get his number for you."

I glanced around the table, seeing if anyone else was listening in, who I could bring on my side to help me persuade her that it wasn't going to happen. Marla and Jaxon seemed to be in their own little world, which wasn't anything new, Holden was reading some dessert special that was advertised on a paper in the center of the table, and Kason was swirling his straw around in his glass of water, most likely listening in, but deciding against joining the conversation.

"I'm not interested in him, Aria," I said more sternly than before. "And that's final."

Sighing in disappointment, she settled back into her seat. "You are starting to sound like the Grinch. You so need a drink."

***

Do you think Lydia will end up spilling all her secrets to Kason while they are on this trip?

She likes him. Does he like her back???

Thanks for reading:)

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~Emily