HIP #3: Forgetting The Old Us

Chapter 24

After telling Eros about everything that Arthur and I were back then, it was a relief but at the same time was making me nervous because now, someone else aside from me knows my relationship before but I haven't told him any secrets I've had so I don't know if I can trust him. And the fact that he told me a lot about Britney's secrets makes me think he would do the same to mine.

I just hope he won't.

"Umm, can we go for a walk?" I asked him as I broke the peace longing in this room for an hour now. I don't know if Kobie is now waiting for me, but I know that we've been in this room for so long. I wish no one is thinking we're doing something wrong in here. Or else, that would be an issue on the whole campus or might even get into other schools.

He nodded, then we both stood up and left the room. He turned the lights off and closed the door, then we walked down the staircase. I was surprised to see that the sofa set my friends were sitting on earlier is now empty. I bet they're now drunk or might go home already.

We exited from the front door as the strong wind blew us away, making my hair flip. The farther we go, the lower the music becomes. I wrapped my arms around myself when the wind passed by. "Here," he immediately took off the red jean jacket he was wearing and wrapped it around me while I took my hands off myself. "Thanks," I reacted and we kept walking.

The music has now vanished from our ears. At least it's not that loud like the other parties. "Why did you want to go out here?" He asked.

"Just wanted some fresh air,"

"Oh, I see."

I gulped. The coldness is not as chilly as it was earlier because of the thick jacket he gave me.

"Umm, Eros..." I called.

"Yeah?" He responded.

"Please promise you won't tell anyone about what I told you earlier."

He chuckled. "For the hundredth time, I promise I won't." He smiled nicely.

"What if you get drunk and accidentally tell people about it? What if you end up telling Britney?" Here I am overthinking everything again.

"I won't. I promise! I won't drink tonight," he calmly stated.

"That's not what I mean! In other parties what if-" he cut my words off.

"What if you trust me?" That silenced me.

I took my deep breath and just nodded. I can't do anything else better than trusting him about this thing. I told him in the first place so I should take the consequence and that takes believing that he can keep it a secret. Soon, I'll be ready to tell people about that one big mistake I did in my life.

He inserted his hands in his pocket and rose his shoulders. I bet he feels the coldness now that his white plain shirt is the only thing he's wearing. Yet, it looks good on him

"Well, umm... Shane," he called making me look at him with wide eyes.

"What?" His jacket is so much bigger than me but it makes me feel so comfortable so I'm not paying attention to the size.

"When can we go out?" I can see the awkwardness in his voice.

"We're already outside, right?" I got what he wanted to say. I just wanted to play hard to get. But didn't want to look like I was such a slow girl.

"No, I mean... like... like the two of us. You know, umm... ah... something like the two of us eating or at a park. Whatever. I mean, a certain public place." One word, one filler. The way he stumbled showed how nervous he was. But in all the years I've been with him as my best friend's brother. I mean stepbrother, I've never seen him this speechless.

"You mean a date?" I got straight to the point.

"Ah, yeah... No... Yeah... No... Yeah... No... Yeah... No, yeah... yeah but not exactly." No, and yeah at the same time? I wanted to laugh about how he spoke like that but I didn't want to be rude to him. I saw his effort trying not to stumble but he still did.

Earlier, when I told him about my secret, he didn't stumble or be speechless or nervous. He was all calmed down and very chill. But right now, he speaks like this is our first time encountering each other.

"Okay," one word to end his nervousness.

"Okay? You mean we can go?"

"Yeah,"

"Really?"

"You got it!"

"When?"

"Maybe on the weekends. By Saturday, I guess?"

"Sure,"

Before I can even open my mouth to tell him that I'm available at night, I bent my head to the left and found a girl running as fast as he could, approaching us. When she got closer, I began recognizing her brunet hair and her outfit. It's Charlie.

"Hey! What's with the run? Are you okay?" I suspected cops came. But I know her, she won't run because of cops since she's not underage anymore for drinking.

"Britney! It's Britney!" She tried to catch her breath while speaking.

"Calm down! What happened to my sister?" The shy boy earlier is now panicking.

"She's drunk! Britney's so drunk right now! I can't stop her. She accidentally punched Nate and didn't even say anything about it! She's fighting with Olivia right now! She's throwing... throwing hate words and they're hurting each other!!!" I felt the urge from her to have me there.

I looked up at Eros who already looked worried. We now have the same thing in our minds.

Immediately, we both ran as fast as we can with Charlie behind us. "Where are they?" I screamed.

"Behind the house!"

"Where the heck is Tristan? He's responsible for this!" Eros' mad voice creaked into us with the lines on his forehead and cheeks turned to red with sweat falling from his face.

"I don't know!!! How am I supposed to know things about him? Probably making out with some girls!"

When Britney gets drunk before, she usually doesn't fight with people. I don't know what happened to her now that she's doing something unusual.