Long Time, No See

BONUS: Tattletale

Fourteen years ago...

"Denni give it back! Your momma said if you did it again, she'd take away your PSP, so give it back or I'm tellin'!" Denise screams; her bottom lip shakes and her eyes pool with frustrated, unshed tears.

I stand holding Denise's diary in my left hand above both our heads away from her stretched out arms.

Rolling my eyes, I turn away from her and try to pry open the locked, pastel yellow book in my hand.

"What's even in here that you can't show me, huh? We're together all the time. What don't you want me to know?" I ask throwing a suspicious look at her from over my shoulder before turning back to the book.

Curse this stupid lock.

"Stop Denni! I'm serious it's not yours!" She huffs, grumbling and whining behind me.

And then it's quiet.

I debate turning around but decide to continue picking the lock when all of a sudden, an unexpected yet lightweight crashes against me as Denise jumps on my back, catching me off guard. We both go tumbling on to the floor in a painful heap.

Denise lands on my back so I'm unable to get up, which she uses to her advantage, springing for the diary and running like hell out of her bedroom. Checking my elbow for any scrapes or cuts, I lift up my sleeve and sigh in relief when I see nothing but a slight scratch.

Right.

I squint my eyes and jump up from the ground before taking off after Denise. Thanks to how predictable she is I know she's either at our hill, or she's running like hell for my house to tell my parents.

The little snitch.

I check the park first because it's closer to her house, literally running for the hills as I make my way up to the giant willow tree.

No one seems to be here... But I'm not convinced.

Walking quietly around the hill I listen for any noises when I notice a slight movement coming from behind a 'thicket' of bushes --my dad taught me that. I lean against the tree smirking in the direction of the neatly packed bun sticking out of the leafy hiding place.

"Damn... I guess she isn't here. Well, I'll just go to my house then," I exclaim crossing my arms over and watching the bush area as I pretend to stomp away on the spot.

I really didn't think she would fall for it, but sure enough, after a few seconds her head pops up like a whack-a-mole target, out of the bushes. She turns around with the diary held to her chest giggling to herself only to come face to face with me.

And then makes another break for it.

I race after her down the hill towards the park playground, the whole time Denise giggles and screams for me to stop chasing her but I grin as I begin to easily catch up to her. She was never going to be able to outrun me in those slightly oversized flats, or that skirt. Just as I'm about to grab her cardigan, she stops suddenly and I crash into her back.

"What the hell Denise? Why'd you stop like that?" I whine rubbing my nose where the back of her head connected.

Great, it's going to bleed I just know it.

A small, dark hand is clamped over my mouth in answer and I'm suddenly pushed behind the giant metal slide. I scowl turning my head to Denise, but she's too busy watching with wide, scared eyes at the group of boys headed into the park near where we are.

Kaden's boys.

She turns to me with a frightened look on her face and brings a shaky finger up to her mouth telling me to be quiet and I nod back in understanding. One of the boys pulls out a soccer ball from his bag and the boys seem to split themselves into small groups, about four on each side with Kaden as their captain making the decisions. When they split, I watch as Kaden turns away from the group to look at the park; surveying it... Like he's looking for someone. Denise freezes up beside me and I subconsciously pull her more out of sight.