Secrets

RAINEY

The morning sun gently wakes me, its warmth seeping through the window and onto my face. I roll onto my stomach, squinting against the light.

Blinking sleepily, I rub my eyes until the room comes into focus. Ansel isn’t in Alex’s bed.

I sit up, reaching for my phone on the bedside table to check the time.

Six o’clock.

I have school today, and I need to swing by home to grab a fresh uniform. A note and a toothbrush are waiting for me on the lamp table.

~Good morning. You looked so peaceful, I didn’t want to disturb you. Here’s a toothbrush. Feel free to use my bathroom. I’m downstairs helping my mom with breakfast. Join us when you’re ready.~

~—Ansel~

I linger over his neat handwriting, smiling to myself. Even his penmanship is charming. I set the note down and pick up the new toothbrush.

Throwing back the covers, I yawn and step out of bed, wincing as my bare feet hit the cold floor. I hurry to the bathroom.

The room smells of soap and body wash. I strip off my clothes and step into the shower.

The cool water cascading over me is heavenly. But the thought of returning to my unhappy home soon dampens my mood.

I hope my mom and Jeff won’t be there, but considering Jeff’s jobless status, he probably will be.

Jeff doesn’t work. He relies on my mom for everything, and she doesn’t seem to mind. She ensures he gets his monthly paycheck for doing absolutely nothing.

I suspect he’s with my mom for her money, but she believes otherwise. Who am I to interfere in their so-called love?

Reluctantly, I step out of the shower and dress in yesterday’s uniform. I pull on my leather boots and tie my hair up in a messy ponytail.

After making the bed, I quietly open the door and step into the hallway. I immediately spot Alaric. He’s shirtless, wearing only gray sports shorts, and whispering into his phone.

His back is to me as he leans against the wall next to his room.

I turn to close the door behind me, but I can’t help overhearing his conversation. My curiosity piqued, I pause to listen.

I’m not usually one to eavesdrop, and I mentally chastise myself for being so nosy.

“No, babe. I miss you just as much.”

~Babe?~

“No, no, you can’t come over. I’ll swing by your place after work so we can hang out, okay?”

He scratches his forehead, sighing in frustration. “No, my son is here. Damn it, baby. I said I’ll come see you. Yeah, I know, but you can’t come here, my girl is here.”

I purse my lips. ~Poor Sam~.

He runs a hand through his hair. “Yeah, me too. See you later. I tell you I love you all the time, Bee. I don’t need to repeat it. Yeah, I’ll see you later.”

He ends the call, muttering a curse as he taps on his phone. I pretend I’m just stepping out of the room, closing the door with a deliberate thud.

He turns around, and when he sees me, he smiles.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning.” I return his smile.

He faces me, tapping his phone against his palm as he leans against the wall. “Rainey, right?”

“Yeah.” I nod, shifting my weight.

“I’m glad my brother isn’t wasting his good looks,” he chuckles. “He’s usually got his nose in a book. It’s nice to see you here. I like it.

“So, how long have you two been…you know?”

My cheeks flush as I quickly shake my head. “No, we aren’t like that. We aren’t dating or—”

The door to the room opens, cutting me off. Sam steps out in her robe, pushing her messy hair out of her eyes. She grins when she sees me.

“Hey, Rainey. Did you sleep well?”

I feel a pang of guilt seeing her, but it’s not my place to interfere.

“Yeah, it was the best sleep I’ve had in a while,” I admit.

It’s a sad truth. Even on the rare nights when I don’t suffer from insomnia, I toss and turn. I never really sleep deeply.

“Awesome.” She beams at me, and I can’t help but notice how pretty she is. I don’t understand why Alaric would cheat on her. But again, it’s not my business.

“You should come over again,” she suggests, and I nod.

“I’d love that.”

She smiles, then turns to her boyfriend. He doesn’t show a hint of guilt as she wraps her arms around his neck and kisses his cheek.

“Who was that, babe?” she asks softly, nuzzling into his neck.

“My boss,” Alaric lies smoothly, without missing a beat. “He said I have to work late tonight.” He kisses her forehead, as if to seal the lie he just told her.

She pulls away, her lips forming a pout. “Really? I was going to leave Anthony with my mom so we could have some alone time tonight. I thought maybe we could watch a movie or—”

He pulls her close. “I know, babe, but it’s work, and you know my boss has been riding me lately.”

~He’s going straight to hell.~

“Okay.” She smiles sadly.

“Don’t make that face, sweetheart.” He plants a kiss on her neck. “I’ll be back by ten. You know I can’t stay away from you for too long.”

His words send Sam into a fit of giggles as Alaric continues to pepper her neck with kisses.

I force a smile onto my face. “I’ll be downstairs.”

***

The breakfast was amazing. It felt good to have a proper meal instead of my usual cereal.

Melissa’s eggs, bacon, and waffles tasted like they were from a high-end restaurant. I couldn’t help but notice everything about the family meal.

The way they held hands and said grace, the way they talked to each other, their humility. If only they knew what they had.

Ansel’s dad works in construction and is currently working on a project at the twins’ university.

They had to leave halfway through breakfast because Aiden and Arden had a group project to finish at school.

Melissa works at the local diner, so she left right after breakfast, reminding Ansel to lock up the house when he leaves.

Sam and Alaric left earlier with Anthony, skipping breakfast. I couldn’t help but feel guilty when Sam gave me a sweet smile as they left, remembering the conversation I had overheard.

Ansel has to get ready for school, so while he heads upstairs, I decide to take a walk around the neighborhood I wish I could call my own.

People are leaving their homes, heading to school or work, and the smell of breakfast fills the air.

Alex is cleaning a car in the garage. The cool morning breeze hits my face as I walk over to him.

He looks up, a smile spreading across his face when he sees me.

“Wow, is this yours?” I ask, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear as I look at the car.

It’s not new, but it’s not old either.

“Yeah. Meet Lucy, my Honda baby.” He grins. “But she’s been acting up lately, probably because I’ve been spending more time with Alaric’s Chevelle.”

I laugh. “Girls need attention. You can’t neglect her like that.”

He chuckles, opening the trunk of his car. “Speaking of girls… Riley. When is she coming back to town?”

He pulls out a pack of joints, takes one out, and offers the pack to me. “Want one?”

“No. I don’t want to be high for my first history class,” I laugh. “She’ll be back on Friday. Why are you so interested in Riley?” I ask, crossing my arms.

“Well, she’s cool. Does she have a boyfriend or something?” His smile widens as he pulls out a lighter from his back pocket.

“What do you mean by ~something~?” I laugh.

“A guy she talks to sometimes, but it’s not official.”

“Last time I checked, no. Riley’s more into rescuing stray cats and watching ~The Walking Dead~.”

“Damn, we could be good friends.” He takes a long drag of his joint. “Or more, maybe.”

He gives me a mischievous smirk, and I laugh, my thoughts drifting back to Alaric and his infidelity.

“I don’t trust you though. I mean…I can’t trust any of you King boys,” I tease.

“Why?” He squints an eye as he inhales, a cloud of smoke billowing out of his mouth and nose. “But you trust Ansel though, right?”

That’s a good question. I feel like I can trust Ansel, even though I’ve only known him for a few days. Despite his mysterious nature, there’s something about him that makes me feel safe.

“Yeah…I guess.” I shrug.

He smiles, sitting on the trunk of his car as he looks ahead. His tattoo of a snake coiled around the number five is visible between his ear and neck.

I can’t believe I hadn’t noticed it before. It was right there. But I guess I’ve been too focused on Ansel to notice.

He takes another hit of his joint, exhaling slowly as he turns to look at me again.

“Mm. What if Ansel is the one you should be afraid of?” He smirks, winking at me.

~What does he mean by that?~

“Don’t listen to Alex’s nonsense, Rain.” Ansel suddenly appears behind me. I almost jump in surprise while Alex grins, taking another drag of his joint.

“I wasn’t feeding her anything,” he mumbles.

Ansel’s fresh scent fills my nostrils as he walks past me to open the back seat of the car.

He’s now dressed in his school uniform. His white shirt is perfectly ironed and tucked into his pants.

His plaid tie is neatly tied around his neck, and his hair is slightly tousled but shiny from whatever product he used.

His glasses are tucked into his shirt pocket, and I can’t deny how good he smells.

“Alex, you’ll be late for school. Let’s go. Plus, we have to drop Rain off at home to get her uniform.”

Alex tosses his joint away and dusts his hands on his jeans. “Think about what I said about me and Riley, Rain. We could be great.” He raises his eyebrows, and I smile.

We get in the car and start to leave the neighborhood. I feel a pang in my chest as Ansel’s house fades into the distance. I wish I could have stayed.

Our neighborhoods are less than fifteen minutes apart. In no time, we’re at my house.

The sight of the large house in front of us makes my stomach churn, and I let out a deep sigh as I open the car door.

“We’ll wait for you, okay?” Ansel says.

“Appreciate it,” I say, nodding.

I make my way up the walkway to my house, crossing my fingers that neither my mom nor Jeff is home. My hopes are dashed when I push open the door to find my mom at the kitchen island.

She’s clad in a silk nightgown, a cup of coffee in her hand. Why isn’t she at work?

“Damn,” I mutter, shutting the door behind me.

“Well, look who finally decided to show up,” she starts, her nails tapping on the countertop as she clutches her coffee cup.

I roll my eyes and start heading for my room. Her gaze follows me through the windows behind me, her head tilting to the side.

“Whose car is that in my driveway?”

I keep walking, ignoring her question.

“Rainey!”

“Why do you care?” I spin around, anger flaring. “Don’t pretend like you give a damn about me, because you don’t. You didn’t even bother to call me last night.”

She sets her coffee cup down on the counter and places a hand on her hip, shifting her weight.

“You’re the one who should have called and apologized to Jeff. He told me you were flirting with some boy at a café, and when he tried to take you home, you had him thrown out.”

“I wasn’t flirting with anyone. He’s a damn liar.”

“Watch your mouth, young lady!”

“And he deserved to be thrown out of the café. He has no right to embarrass me in public. He’s not my dad, he doesn’t own me, and he sure as hell doesn’t have the right to tell me what to do.”

“He does have a right. He’s been here when your father wasn’t. He’s always here.”

“Don’t you dare bring up Dad. ~You~ have no right. ~You~ destroyed our family!”

“Oh, so that’s what this is about?” she scoffs. “Throwing a fit because of daddy issues?

“You need to grow up. Jeff is here now, and he’s a father figure to you. He’s always cared for you. He’s always looking out for you.”

“By doing what? Ruining my life and taking advantage of me?”

Her eyes narrow. “What did you—? Listen here, young lady, I won’t stand for you talking about him like that. I won’t tolerate it.”

She points a finger at me, her voice defensive.

I shake my head, stepping back.

“Can you do me a favor and leave me the hell alone? I can’t stand either of you,” I spit out, turning on my heel and bolting up the stairs.

She watches me go, her mouth opening as if to say something, but she changes her mind and runs a hand through her hair instead. She swallows hard, turning away and heading for the sink.

I storm into my room, slamming the door behind me. I strip off my worn uniform and change into a fresh one. I pull on a hoodie, since the morning air is a bit chilly.

I check my schedule on the back of my door, then dump yesterday’s books on my bed, swapping them out for today’s.

Soon, my heavy boots are thumping on the wooden stairs as I rush back downstairs. My mom is still at the kitchen island, but I don’t give her a second glance as I head for the door.

“Would you like some tea?!” she calls after me. I don’t respond as I leave the house.

I slide into the back seat of Alex’s car and slam the door with a bit too much force. I’m pretty sure I almost broke it.

“Wow, someone’s in a mood,” Alex chuckles.

“Sorry,” I mumble, shoving my hands into my hoodie pockets.

I glance up to see Ansel watching me in his side mirror. I quickly look away. I don’t want him reading my eyes today.

Alex starts the car. “You okay, Rain?”

I stare out the window as we pull away. “Yeah…I’m fine.”