The Thoughts Between Us // CHALEX

Twenty-Two

Alex

From: percyakr2161@gmail.com
To: me

Guys, I know every one of you is a good person. 
You've kept my secrets, and I've kept yours, but we've all done terrible things. 
I can't live with that anymore. I can't keep looking over my shoulder. I can't live like this. We can't live like this. I'm sure a lot of you feel the same way.
Something has to change. Wouldn't it be better for everyone if we just told the truth?
We hurt people, and it's time to come clean. 
If we don't all confess to what we did, I'm going to tell everyone the truth at the senior share campfire.

Clay.

As if my nightmares weren't enough to keep me awake last night, this email from Clay made my sleeping more difficult.

I was having dinner with my parents when my phone pinged, and when I saw an email from Clay, I had to get out of the room. I messaged Tyler, then Zach, Jessica and Charlie too. Tyler and Jess answered straightaway, while Charlie took his time and Zach remained MIA.

Then Justin messaged everyone saying Clay was hacked, and he doesn't know anything about that email. I mean, it was possible that someone hacked him, because these days anything's possible with all the technology.

But who knows?

"You know, I was against Clay about coming to this trip." Jessica approached me as I was getting my bag. "Aren't you worried about him?"

We had just reached the boundary of Burnham Woods, where the Senior Camping Trip was going to take place. The buses were arriving one by one, as everyone was busy grabbing their stuff. It was late afternoon now, so people were hurrying to get their tents up before it becomes dark.

"He says he was hacked." I reminded Jessica, and got my bag on my back. 

"You can't really believe that." She answered. "We have to do something. Take control of this."

"But is that maybe exactly what whoever wrote the email wants, for us to do something that makes us look crazy or guilty?"

I had spend my time thinking about everything last night, and for a fact we can't just rule out this possibility. But Jessica was thinking otherwise and shaked her head at my guess.

"Someone wants a confession." She stated. "They're sure as hell not getting it from me. So we have to make sure they don't get it from anyone else."

I just nodded at her, and then we went our separate ways to the campsite. 

If anyone would be most worried about the email, it should be me. I was the one that's going to jail for everything that happened.

I walked through the campsite, where everyone was busy putting up their tents. Most of the football team was here, and they had all put up their tents together at the side. 

Surprisingly, Charlie was allowed to come to this trip too, even if he was a Sophomore at school. Dad told me he is supposed to keep the football team under control, which if you asked me was kind of funny seeing they don't listen to him much these days. 

Looking around the place I caught sight of the one person I was actually looking for, and made my way over to him.

"Hey." I greeted, as he turned around to smile at me. "Seems like you don't need any help."

Winston had already put our tent on, and was now busy arranging the table outside. 

I had decided to bunk with Winston because... why not?