Relationship With My Best Friend

Chapter 53.

Song: Tears in the Rain by The Weeknd

Caleb's POV.

"I'll meet you down there, okay?"

"Okay."

This was a bad idea. I shouldn't have left Ensley to come talk to Ellie. I need to make sure my girl is safe down there with the pricks from our school and yet here I am, with Ellie in the same room I just fucked Ens in. It it weren't for the urgent text message from Ellie telling me that she had to tell me something, I wouldn't be here right now.

"What's up?" I inquire while Ellie fidgets with her fingers. I can tell she is nervous and this alone has me breathing a little harder. What is going on that is so bad that Ellie is wound up about it?

"I think people know," she says, green eyes wide and cheeks tinted red. I blanch. I know exactly what she is talking about and the first thing in my mind is Ensley.

"Who?" I ask, voice deep and strained. I need to go find Ens and tell her the truth before someone else does. I can only imagine her little heart if she finds out my past relations with on of her closest friends.

"I am not entirely sure how they found out," she swallows. "but I heard Chantelle talking about it with someone else. It was a guy, but I didn't see him and didn't recognize his voice."

"Fuck," I curse and pivot on my heel. Running a hand through my hair I try to think of the best way to go about this, a way that will be the least destructive. I feel like an absolute scumbag for not just telling Ensley myself, and the thought of her finding out from someone that isn't me sends me into a frenzy. Would she even believe them? "I need to go find her."

She nods frantically, our bodies facing each other now and away from the door. "Yeah, go. Do it before someone else does-"

"W-what the hell?" Are the first words I hear as the energy suddenly changes in the vicinity. My back tenses, recognizing the voice right away and the emotion behind it. Ellie and I stare wide eyed into each other before I finally have the balls to turn around and face my fear stricken girlfriend. I hardly notice the fucker standing behind her with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. "You two have been.."

My heart breaks as she struggles to get out the words, but I try my best to remain calm for her in hopes this would lead her to hear me out. Because she has to...hear me out that is.

"Ens, this isn't what it looks like at all," I console, taking a step in her direction to try and halt the processing of her despair. I can see the physical pain it brings her when I do, though, and this alone has me faltering. I suddenly feel like I am spiraling into a dark abyss.

My beautiful girl.

"Don't come any closer to me."

Fuck.

I swallow hard, trying to remain composed for her. She will see the truth in my solidarity, I know she will. Ensley is an empathetic person, she can sense the energy of those around her - always has - and that is what I am betting on right now. She will see past the veil that Jeremy fucking Hale threw over her eyes and she will believe me. She will want to listen to me.

I see her waging a war inside of her head, eyes darting back and forth from Ellie to me and then back. I see the gears turning and grinding as she tries to decipher what the truth is behind the madness.

"You two have slept together?" I blow out a breath. Double fuck.

I want to kill Jeremy.

"Just wait-" I put my hand up to cease any further accusations - even true ones - in order to give her the utmost truth.