Skylar's POV

As much as I loathed the thought of going to school the next day, I did have to go. Mainly because Mom and Dad came over. And even though I wanted to stay and spend some time with them, I didn't want to make things awkward between us--especially since the last time they came back home, things hadn't gone well.

So I took the bus again.

"Hey," I spoke up softly as I sat down beside Hanna. Mrs Jackson was a bit late and the classroom wasn't yet brimming with the usual morning chatters. I usually nagged Alex one way or another during this little free time. But Alex wasn't here. I hadn't seen him even once in school today. And I wasn't sure if that made me feel relieved, angry, or just sad.

Not angry, I told myself. I didn't think I was angry at him. I was angry last night, yes. I was furious this morning too. But the sad, gutting feeling won. Because I was more upset than I was angry. Had our friendship meant nothing to Alex?

"Hi." She replied, facing me with a small smile. It was the concerned look on her face that made me unable to speak or do anything else. I just stuck with placing my textbook in front of me, avoiding her gaze, and waiting for her to speak up the obvious question.

"Did you see Alex anywhere?" She asked after a while.

I blinked twice and felt my throat closing up anxiously. My eyelids felt heavy. Maybe because of the way I had bawled out yesterday, or maybe that was just a consequence of the restless night I'd had.

"No," I whispered, before glancing at her. "Did you?"

Had Alex told her about him being in a gang? Had he been lying all this time about his feelings for Hanna?

"No. But I thought you might know." She looked confused now. "I didn't hear from him since..."

I couldn't help but feel guilty then. Hanna must've been looking forward to this date. Maybe she really liked Alex too. And maybe, just maybe I should've just kept my mouth shut about that gun when I'd come across it. Last night could've gone so much better than it actually had. But, I thought, how could I have acted all fine throughout that dinner date without bringing up the elephant in the room?

"We sort of had a fight," I told Hanna. She deserved something, even if I couldn't tell her everything. I would've wanted a reason too if my date suddenly ditched on me like that. "I was gonna come with him actually. The double date, you know."

"But?" Her voice sounded so small.

I curled and uncurled my fingers and kept my gaze trained on them. How could I have reassured her when I wasn't at all sure about Alex anymore?

"This fight happened and I left." I continued. "I haven't seen or talked to him since."

Not after Caden took me away.

"Oh." Was her reply. She looked down at her lap. "I thought he was looking forward to that date."

I felt awful. "I'm so sorry, Hanna." I blurted out, furrowing my brows. "It wasn't his--I...I'm sure he'd contact you soon, if not me."

She gave me another small smile. I didn't return it. I couldn't have. "It's all right. I think I shouldn't have--" She didn't get to complete the sentence when Mrs Jackson came in. And after that, we pretty much dropped the whole topic. I think neither of us was eager to talk about it.

After classes finished, I went back home to find my parents still there. Which was a relief and a surprise, both. I was happy they hadn't left again. I didn't want to be left alone for a little while.

"Hey, Dad." I walked over towards him with a wide grin, giving him a hug. I was so glad to see him out of that hospital.

"How was your day?" He ruffled my hair, which honestly was no fun to fix, but that was something Dad did when I was a kid, and I secretly always loved that.

Before I could've slumped down on the couch and let the obvious grief of everything overwhelm me, I saw Mom coming out of her room in her work suit.

"Just like every other day." I nodded, pursing my lips, and plopping down on the couch beside him. From somewhere around the house, I heard Chicken mewl. "Are you...guys staying?"

I secretly hoped they were. And to my utmost relief, Dad nodded. I smiled and got up, heading for the fridge and taking out some apple juice.

"Your friend Alex stopped by." Mom told me as she stopped by the kitchen counter, extending a hand towards me. I noticed the small folded note only then.

I didn't take it, though.

"What was he doing here?" My voice sounded a little strange and Mom must've noticed it since she passed me a confused look. Still holding out the paper towards me.

"I don't know. I guess, he must've skipped school." She shrugged.

Skipped school.

"Which he shouldn't have." She added in just as quick. I would've rolled my eyes if I wasn't still stuck on the part where he stopped by my house. "You aren't doing things like that, are you?"

I took the note from her and opened it.

Please just hear me out.

I swallowed before slowly scrunching it into a ball, pressing and pressing until I was sure I couldn't hear Alex's voice behind those words. Then I threw it away.

Both Mom and Dad seemed to have eyed my sudden action. I just slumped back against the couch once again, and let myself frown like I had been doing since last night.

"I thought you and Alex were friends?" Dad asked in a much calmer way than Mom would've.

I started untying my shoelaces, willing myself not to think too much about Alex. I was tired of thinking so much. There were so many questions I wanted answered. And yes, I knew I had to give Alex a chance and tell me, explain this to me, but I...I didn't want to face him yet. It made me feel sick--the thought of facing him right now.

"We were. He's just a dickhead." I grumbled.

I'm sure I would've seen a glare if I had been looking at my mother. "Skylar, you are not using that word again."

As if. Alexander was the biggest dickhead I knew.

"So," I cleared my throat. "Is this a good time to ask you guys about that locker?" It was a polite way of asking. I didn't really want to jump on them again like that day. I didn't want to see Dad or Mom in a hospital again.

There was silence for the next few seconds. I was about to carefully take back my words when Dad spoke up,

"I guess so." And when he sat down beside me--Mom too on a chair facing me--I was left surprised for a bit too long. This was actually the first time they both were giving me their whole attention. They weren't shutting me out.

It felt so fucking absurd.

"Well," I started, glancing at both of them. From the corner of my eye, I saw Chicken running inside the kitchen, seeming a bit too excited for some reason. "Caden and I opened that locker. And I found a wooden box inside." I told them, which they probably already knew.

"Caden?" Mom raised a brow.

I nodded very slowly.

"And you trusted him with this locker?" Dad asked, looking as doubtful as Mom.

I sighed then, because I really didn't know what to say to that. Did I even know what that meant? Trusting someone. I'd trusted Alex and look how that ended.

"I think so." I shrugged. "He's saved my life a lot of times." It felt a bit funny talking about Caden with my parents. My parents and I barely ever had a conversation for more than a few minutes.

Mom's expression fell into a frown. "What's going on between you two? Are you two dating?"

Oh, how I wish we were.

"What if we are?" I asked her, trying to sound just as casual. "That shouldn't matter."

I'm sure she was wondering how in the absolute hell did her daughter end up with a guy--a guy like Caden. But oh well, she didn't know who Caden was anyway.

"The point is, why is that wooden box locked?" I asked them.

Mom looked at Dad and Dad looked back at her and I was aware of the look they passed each other. I guess this was what it really felt like to be the third wheel.

"Someone gave it to us," Dad spoke up first, and my ears perked up at that.

"To keep it safe," Mom added.

"What is inside it?"

Mom shook her head. "We don't know. Other than it being of great value."

"How much?" I asked them. What could be inside a box so small that was so fucking precious?

"Lives have been sworn over it, Skylar. And some people..." Dad stopped unsurely, and my eyes widened at him, hoping that he'd keep on speaking. "Some people are still looking for whatever's inside it."

I wanted to ask him what he meant by some people, but I think all three of us knew who he was talking about. The same people who'd broken in here. Did Mom and Dad know about Blake? Judging from the great connection they had with the Matthews, they probably didn't.

Which was a bit messed up.

I remembered Blake mentioning the word death on that rooftop we once had a conversation on. I felt a little queasy all of a sudden. "Who gave it to you?"

Mom glanced at Dad and I had to stop myself from frowning at the small, sad look that she passed me. It was a bit strange to see her like that.

"Some dear friends."

I didn't press more on it. I didn't want to. "What if I get it opened? Would you guys let me do that?"

She gave out a sigh and stood up. "Of course, not. Keeping it safe means keeping it hidden, Sky. Whatever's inside it will attract all kinds of trouble towards you."

"When you say it like that..." I trailed off, thinking. "What if it's got secret spells hidden in it?"

Dad laughed and Mom gave me a look.

"I'm kidding, geez, no need to look like you think of murdering me, Mom."

"I do not think of murdering you, Skylar." Mom sounded baffled.

I huffed a laugh and walked over towards Chicken. She had apparently been paw-wrestling with one of her chew toys.

"I meant what I said, Sky," Mom added in. "Just try to stay away from all of this."

"I tried that, Mom. It didn't work. How am I supposed to stay away when I'm unwillingly involved in this mess?" I asked her. "Do you know there are real gangs out there looking for that thing?"

She narrowed her eyes at me and I realized that I probably should've kept that last part to myself.

"How do you know about any of that?" It was Dad who asked me that. I suddenly felt like a deer caught in headlights.

I kept silent.

"Does Caden have anything to do with this?" He asked.

Fuck, I thought. I dodged their stares and picked up my school bag, heading for the stairs.

"I am sweaty and I need a shower." Was all I said before disappearing upstairs.

•••••

Back at school the very next day, things remained the same. I didn't see Alex in any of my classes or in the school hallways. Neither did I come across Caden even once. I hadn't seen him since that night--a night that already felt so unreal that I refused to ponder over it any further. It irritated me slightly, but I pushed it away just as quick.

On the other hand, breakfast with my parents was just as irritating and a whole lot uncomfortable with that tense air all around. It felt like the dining table alone would combust into ashes in a matter of seconds. Perhaps bringing the whole gang topic had really been like throwing a bomb. My parents knew more about it than they were letting on.

"Ms Anderson, you won't mind touring Mr Price here around the school, would you?" Mr Nicholas asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I looked up from my almost empty notebook--save for some random flower doodles--and saw the new guy, Brody, giving me a polite smile. I knew perfectly well what this was. This was Mr Nicholas's way of giving me a punishment since I hadn't really been paying much attention through class.

Showing a new student around our high school was the least favourite chore of any sane person studying here. Our school was a small labyrinth of its own, with so many hallways and blocks that the whole journey always turned out to be a slow walking marathon. A very tiring one.

"Sure," I smiled, aware of the stares I was getting.

It wasn't like I had anything else to do anyway. This seemed like a distraction too. Once the bell rang, I got up and collected my books, passing Brody a small smile. And when he smiled back, I'm sure I saw a few girls swooning behind him. With those auburn curls and that smoking hot jawline, I'm pretty sure nobody could've resisted swooning over him. With me, however, the case was different.

Because once you have eyes for a certain someone, you just couldn't see the appeal in anyone else.

"So," I started, facing him and watching as everybody left the classroom. "Where to first, Brody?"

Thankfully, this was a reason valid enough to ditch my PE class. Coach wasn't really going to be giving me a lecture over it.

Both Brody and I left the classroom and started walking across the hallway.

"The cafeteria?" He jerked his head towards one opened doorway.

I nodded then. "That is the cafeteria."

Time flew by quickly as we walked from one spot to another. It wasn't quite that boring, though. Not when we started talking about things and one conversation led to another. Brody was a nice guy and totally not like one of Alex's jock friends--even if he totally had the build for it. By the time we neared the cafeteria once again, lunchbreak was halfway down. It really had been a long walk.

Both Brody and I decided to finish up the tour quick and stopped near the library after a while.

"Wow, that was long." I breathed out. "Need to workout more."

He chuckled but looked nowhere as exhausted as me. I guess Coach was right about me sometimes. My scrawny limbs needed a bit of workout once in a while.

"I thought your professor was being nice to you when he told you to give me a tour." He spoke up with the same dazzling smile he passed me at the start of the class. I realized then why all those girls were swooning over him. He was pretty cute.

"Oh, no." I laughed. "Mr Nicholas does not have a single kind bone in that old body of his."

Brody seemed like he was holding back another laugh when I added in, "Don't tell him I said that."

"I don't snitch," He promised.

I smiled. "Lunch break's about to end in a bit. You can sit with me and my friend if you want."

"Sure."

I knew how lonely it could get when you were new in a high school. Especially in a small town like ours. For me, Alex had been there and everything had been so easy. The smile slowly fell from my lips when I thought about Alex.

Things felt so different now.

As I straightened up from my leaning position, I somehow managed to lose my footing and slipped. Thankfully, Brody was just in reach to grab me by the waist before I could've fallen flat on the ground.

"Careful."

I tried regaining my composure but he was still holding onto me.

"Um...thanks. I-I'll see you in the cafeteria." I spoke up, slightly cringing at the way I sounded. "Gotta use the restroom."

He nodded, passed me another smile, before walking off towards the direction I had pointed off to. I exhaled out a tiny breath and started walking towards the restroom, making sure to tread my way carefully and not slip again.

Brody was a nice guy, as far as I could tell. But I hoped I hadn't given him any wrong ideas. Of course, he was extremely charming. But I had enough problems regarding charming boys.

Out of nowhere, before I could've reached the restroom, I felt a hand circling around my wrist—a grip that took me by surprise, before pulling me inside the janitor's room.

I heard the door shut behind my back way before I got the chance to react.

I braced myself to scream.

_______

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Crystal 🌿