Buried Secrets || Sam Golbach

13.

Once the crime scene was taped off and finished being processed the group waited for Jade to grab some clothes and her necessities.

Afterwards they went to Mariah's , because nobody wanted to stay at Jades for the time being.

Once they had arrived Jade was shown to her room that she'd be staying in she put her stuff down and headed downstairs. Once down there the group sat down in the living room.

They sat in an awkward silence waiting for someone to break it.

"Okay Jade, can you explain now? What do you mean, you know who did that to your house?" Mariah asked.

Jade took a deep breath unable to look up from the floor.

"Look what I'm about to tell you isn't gonna be easy for me to say or easy for you to hear but I need you to just hear me out please. Afterwards you can hate me or kick me out or whatever you decide" she said looking up at her friends who all nodded confused but wanted to hear what she had to say.

"My real name isn't Jade Park" she said and everyone's face became shocked.

"My real name is Calista Anders, and I was born and raised in Seattle Washington" she felt a lump form in her throat but she continued "10 years ago I met a boy named Justin at a party of a mutual friend, he was kind and smart and handsome as ever and I loved him almost instantly. We started dating a week later and were married only 2 years after that"

Sam stared at her the most confused now as she had never mentions being married.

"After being married it was almost as if he had flipped a switch, I suddenly wasn't allowed to have any friends because he convinced me that they were mistreating me or were trying to ruin our relationship. At that point I was a young woman who believed anything her husband was telling her, so I cut them out. I only had one real friend, Jessica, she was the only light in my life, but soon he saw her as a problem, so I limited contact. I only spoke to her when he was away, or when he sent me to the store. I was basically alone" she cleared her throat trying to prevent a breakdown. She looked at the saddened faces of her friends and continued on.

"After about 5 years, came the drinking. He would get drunk after work and he would come home angry, at first I couldn't understand why or what I had done wrong but after a while it had just become a routine. I wanted to get out but.. he was a top notch lawyer, he had friends in the police force and high up politicians that he was friendly with and he always threatened that if I tried to divorce him, he would make me disappear and nobody would know" Jade felt herself start to cry as she spoke of it.

Mariah walked over and sat beside her putting an arm around her shoulder.

"It went on for another few years before I got out. I had to dispose of everything I owned, my IDs my phone, wallet. I changed my hair colour. I changed my name and with Jessica's help I assumed the identity of Jade Park. I came all this way for a chance to start over and be free" Jade said shaking her head "I knew one day he might find me, drag me back to the city and watch me suffer under his hand again. Or worse, follow through on his threats, I just didn't think it would be so soon"

She looked up to see Sam. The look on his face was unreadable, he was confused, hurt and a little angry.

"Jesus Jade, why didn't you tell us?" Colby asked.

"I couldn't. I wanted to but the risk was so great, I couldn't let him find me. I didn't want anyone to get hurt because of me" she wiped the tears.

"Girl, you can trust us" Mariah said.

"I know, that's why I'm telling you now. It's just kinda hard to bring it up in a conversation" she said looking at the floor.

"You should've told us" Sam said looking over at her before walking out of the house.

"Sam!" Jade shouted.

"I'll get him" Colby said following the boy out "Sam! Sam come on!"

"No colby. She should've told us. She should've told me!" Sam shouted.

"Sam. This isn't about you. That girl in there is scared. Traumatized more like it. And you're running away because a secret she kept TO KEEP HER AND EVEEYONE ELSE SAFE hurt your feelings? Seriously?" Colby snapped.

"You don't see it, do you? We don't even know her? She's a complete stranger and we just let into our homes and our lives. I'm sorry but what the fuck man?" Sam said getting frustrated.

"Yeah and why is that a bad thing? I'm pretty sure everyone's lives got better when she got here, so what?" He said.

"I can't do this. I can't" Sam put his hands up and walked away.

Colby watched as he got in his car and drove off.  He took a deep breath before going back inside.

"He's gone, I'm sorry Jade" Colby said once he got back into the living room.

"It's okay, I should've told him. He's right" she said.

"Hey, why don't you go shower, and lay down? It's already really late" Mariah said.

"Yeah, thanks again for letting me stay here. I don't think I'd get much sleep at my place" she said to the couple.

"Anytime, you know we've got your back. Sam too, you just gotta give him some time" Colby smiled.

"Thanks" she smiled sadly before walking towards the stairs

The two watched as she made her way to the stairs and up towards her bathroom.

"What the hell just happened?" Colby said looking at Mariah.

"I don't even know, and just when I thought our lives were so boring" Mariah said face palming.

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Oh my gawwwwwwwd