Lies, Trust, and Betrayal
“Zoey and Avery!”
“Hannah and Noah!”
Mr. Jacobs kept reading down the list of names for the big Science project. The biggest grade of the year or you’re gonna be sitting here the whole summer with me. He would say ten times a day, every day since he first started talking about this stupid little project. I could smell the expo marker that he kept writing on the board with.
“Eli and..” blah blah blah drifting off trying to drown out his annoying voice until I felt a light tap on my shoulder and turned around just for my eyes to be locked with bright green gorgeous eyes. The eyes of the most popular guy in school, quarterback of the football team, Aden Smith.
“Ye…ye…yes.” … Oh my god, I must look like an idiot. She can feel the heat rushing to my face and even when she bite hard down on my tongue, I can’t keep myself from shaking. Aden’s going to think I’m a complete freak after this. Aden just shook his head and looked down at me.
“Hey Skylar!” I just smile brightly at him.
“Soo..about this project, maybe you could come over tonight and we can work on it?”
“Sur… sure sounds good.”
“Ok.” He wrote down his number on my hand and told me the directions to his house. I noticed it wasn’t that far from where I live. I could walk, I could use the exercise anyway.
“Thank god.” I muttered to myself as the bell rang. I ran for the exit. I must’ve looked like a big red tomato. I took two long deep breaths. Keep calm Skylar, you can’t keep embarrassing yourself like this, Aden’s going to think you’re a bigger idiot than you already are. I half walked, and sped walked to my locker and got my social studies homework and things I needed for Mr. Jacobs project, thankful it was the end of the day.
-------------------------------*------------------------------------------*------------------------------------

Pacing back and forth on Aden’s doorstep, mentally beating myself up for how I acted earlier today at school. I extended my arm out to ring the silver doorbell, swearing to myself that i would not mess up this opportunity with the gorgeous Aden Smith. He opened the door and I got that nervous feeling and butterflies in my stomach.

“Hey Skylar!”

I waved to him awkwardly, not trusting my mouth because it has a mind of its own and it would make things worse than they are. Walking in his beautiful caramel colored house we came upon a white door that led stairs to the basement.
“Follow Me.” I did as she was told. The basement was fairly large and had a big table with some of the stuff we needed.
“Here,” He said taking my bag and settling it on the back of an arm chair. This time around, believe it or not I was normal around him and he didn’t seem weirded out by me. When we were done, the stars replaced the sun and he walked me to the door.
“So, come by again tomorrow after school?”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
“Yeah, we got a lot done actually!”
“I know, anything to keep me out of his class.” Aden chuckled a little and ran a shaky hand over his dirty blonde hair.
“I know that’s right but you better get walking its dark out, I can walk you if you’d like?
“No. No I’m fine” lying straight through my teeth I’d kill anything for Aden to walk home with me.
“You sure?”
I nodded and said.
“I’m fine.”
“Alright but text me when you get home.” and he leaned in and gave me a goodnight hug and kiss on the forehead goodbye. I happily walked off his front porch thinking I’m the luckiest girl on this earth. The Aden Smith just hugged me and kissed me goodnight. But my thoughts were rudely interrupted by a loud bang followed by a loud yell. I could tell the yell was a male. What should I do? Should I go see? Should I go help? So many things were going through my head. I picked up my pace, when I heard another yell followed by another big bang, becoming terrified. I was now running when I heard another male voice say “You deserve this!” and I didn’t stop till I got to my house. Opening my front door, I wanted to wrap my arms around my house and give it a big hug. I tried to calm down. My heart was jumping out of my chest. Maybe I was imagining it. Maybe someone was playing around with their friends. I have nothing to worry about.

I locked all the windows and doors in my house and went upstairs to take a shower thinking it would calm me down.
------------------------------------*------------------------------------*----------------------------------------------*----

The next morning while eating my bowl of frosted flakes, my mom was watching the news. A male body was found. Is that what I heard? My heart was pounded. It had to be.

It had to be the longest day of school ever! I tried to brush off the murder I had heard last night like it never happened. I feel god awful guilty walking around school. I just wanted this day to be normal. I just wanted to work on my Science project with Aden tonight, things went so good yesterday.
-----------------------------------*--------------------------------------------*---------------------------------

Today I drove to Aden’s house fearful of my surroundings.
I got out of my deep blue Honda car and walked up to his door step. I rang the doorbell and I could hear feet the feet of someone jogging to the door.

“Hey Ade...” I cut myself short. It wasn’t Aden who was standing there. It was a blonde blue eyed boy I knew him as Aden’s best friend, Austin Williams. We had never spoken to each other even though we’ve been going to the same school since grade school. He opened the door and I waved to him.

“Hey Skylar! I’m Aden’s friend, he drove to the store…said he had to get something for his mom. But he told me to let you in.” His voice sounded too familiar.

“Oh okay. Fine with me.” I followed behind him and into the kitchen.

“Yeah, he told me that you could help yourself to the fridge if you want. The cups and stuff are in that cabinet.” He pointed to one of the many drawers and I nodded and got a cup and poured me some water from the faucet. While drinking the water it hit me! The voice! Austin! The day before! I almost chocked on my water I was so shocked. I looked like a deer in headlights.

“Are you okay Skylar?” he said

“…Um no.. no.” I cleared my throat.

“Can you just tell Aden to txt me later to reschedule, uh… uhm something just popped up.” She sped staggered to the front door and ran down the driveway to the sidewalk. I could hear Austin say something but I couldn’t make out his words. Should I tell Aden? If I did tell Aden how would I do it? Did Aden know Austin did it?
----------------------------------------*----------------------------*----------------------------------------*

Oh my god. I have to tell him. He has to know.

“Hey Aden.” She said quietly

“Hey Skylar. What happened last night?”

I have to tell him. I just have to.

“So… you know the kid that got killed.”

“Yeah everyone is talking about it. It’s so sad isn’t it.”

I just looked at him. “Yeah so you know the night I left your house…I heard screaming and I think it was the guy that got killed.”

“Oh god Skylar! Did you get hurt? Are you gonna tell the police?” He hugged me and held me close. I put my arm on his shoulder and pushed him away lightly.

“No..No…I’m fine, there’s something else.” He looked at me with great concern.

“I think the killer is…Austin.” He took a step back and looked at me like I had 3 heads.
“You don’t know anything about him. How could you dare say something like that?!”
I opened my mouth to say something but he cut me off.
“Don’t ever talk to me again unless it has something to do with this project. I was actually falling for you.” He shook his head in disgust.
The bell rang and Aden storms out of the classroom like he was a bull who saw red. I saw him walk up to Austin, he was telling him what I had just said. I could just see Austin laughing and shaking his head at me.
---------------------------------*-----------------------------------------*----------------------------------------
Later that night while trying to do my homework, but I wasn’t getting much done because of all the crying I was doing. I heard things being thrown at my window. I was scared to see who it was. But I sucked it up and opened my curtain. It was Aden. Covered in blood in bruises and limping.
“Oh my god! What happened to you!” I ran down the stairs to and through my front door.
“You were right, Austin did it! He tried to hurt me tonight too! I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you! Just help me!” He chocked out between breaths, coughs and spits of blood. I help him inside the house little step by little step. I cleaned up the blood, iced his bruises and gave him one of my dad’s old shirts. We called the police.
------------------------*--------------------------------------------*----------------------------------------------
It had been 3 months later since everybody forgot about Austin. It was long and hard for Aden to get over it, but he finally can through. Austin was sentenced to life, Aden had asked me out and I of course said yes, and we ended up getting a 92% on Mr. Jacobs project.

Word Count: 1,666