RANDOM QUESTION:

My Grandparents Are Weird (It's A World Wide Fact).

"So hold up, hold up," Simon said as we all sat in my room, huddled together. After everything that had happened, I was pretty sure that the group had some questions for Xav and me both and we owed it to answer them.
"You're telling me that the same dude who I'm pretty sure has a grudge against you since you kicked his ass while racing," he continued as he looked at Xav and then looked at me, "is the guy whom we have all hated for the past year?"

Xav nodded in affirmation. "Yeah."

"So Ryan Richardson is this 'Serpent'?" Jerko asked.

"Yeah, he is," Roy answered for him.

"Small world, huh," Jamie said as he stared off into space.

"And Ver," Sky said as she turned to me. "Whose funeral was he talking about?"

I visibly gulped at that question. I knew there was no way round it this time. Lizzie was a secret I had kept from the whole world for practically my whole life. I wasn't sure at the way they would react at not being aware of an entire person who existed in my life. All I could do was hope that they would understand.

Jen and Jerko both gave me brave smiles and nodded, telling me it was time to let them know.
Kelsi must have seen my struggle since she said, "You don't need to if its going to be difficult for you, honey. We'd understand."

I smiled at her gratefully but I knew there was no way round this.
"I'm right here with you, SpongeBob," Jerko said encouragingly.

"We all are," Xav said with a small smile.

And so I told them. Everything. Out in the open. There were a few laughs, a few gasps. A few smiles and a lot of tears. Shockingly so, I made it through the entire story without being a nervous wreck.

"We had her funeral after a week," Jen said the last part. "With all the Ryan stuff going on, there was never a correct time to tell you guys. Besides, it wasn't like we were in the state to talk about her ourselves. Liz was like family to us."

"More than family," Jerko said as a stray tear escaped his eyes. I frowned and wiped it away for him. Then, shaking my head, I said, "She wouldn't want you to remember her in sadness."

Jerko smiled and kissed my forehead. He nodded with a put together expression and said, "Even after we were able to mention her here and there, Ver still couldn't. And however close Liz may have been to Jen and I, at the end of the day she was her sister, right? So telling you guys about her wasn't really our secret to tell."

Jen rubbed his back comfortingly and said, "We're sorry if you guys think we lied to you. We really are."
She was crying too.

Surprisingly, though, I wasn't.

Roy, who was sitting next to me, nudged my shoulder and said, "Well, I don't know about these guys but you don't have to apologise to me. I've just known all of you for two months but still you decided to share something like this with me. I'm honoured and not upset in the slightest."

I smile at him and give him a hug in gratitude. "Thanks, Roy."

Roy chuckled into my hair and with his hands still around my waist said, "No problem, Ver."

The sound of a throat clearing broke us apart.
Xavier.

"This was...." Kelsi said with wide eyes.

"A lot to process," Simon finished for her.

"Am I upset that you didn't tell us sooner? Yes I am," Jamie said.

My smile faltered.

"But," he continued. "It's understandable. She sounded like a really cool person to be around and yes, I do feel bad that I never got to know her. But we're cool, Ver."