Through the Dark (Sequel to Taking Chances)

Chapter Forty-Six: "Record"

Brielle
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For the sake of boredom, we decided to venture the land. Despite my anger and frustration with my family, I was quite impressed with the house and the intricate designs of the way this place was supposed to look. For a woman of many secrets, Charlotte was full of surprises.

Harry and Niall worked with hard determination, having had enough of not knowing what to do. And it wasn't until we decided it was safe to go outside that we discovered there was more to the Dock house than we knew. So we ventured down toward the lake and started exploring. To our luck, we found a small boat that was surely used to go out onto the lake, and a volleyball net that looked fairly new. Excitement radiated throughout us all, because finally there was something we could do.

Niall and Harry hurried to get the net up, struggling a bit, and Claire and I offered to help, but they initially refused. Proud men and their projects.

So as they worked, I took Claire inside and we got to making something for us all to eat. To our surprise, there was food stacked to the brim in the cabinets when we first checked, and the fridge was filled with delicious desserts and tons of beverages; some we hadn't even heard of.

Claire paused as she started on making pancakes, apparently Harry's favorite food. I enjoyed the lengths they went to to make each other happy. For a moment I thought back to last night, and I flushed beet red as I tried to erase the thought from my mind. The last thing I needed was to explain my sexual activities with Claire.

"I'm sorry," Claire said.

I frowned, surprised at her apology, yet confused about why it mattered at this point. What was she sorry for, exactly? A lot had happened since I told her about Judie's intentions. I didn't want pity, if that was what she was worried about.

"For being mad at you. You only wanted to protect my future with Harry and I realize I did the same once."

I shook my head. "Don't apologize, Claire. You didn't do anything wrong. You were right to be angry with me. I once told you that I'd rather you hurt me with the truth than protect me with a lie. It wasn't my place to keep that from you, and I deserved your anger. If anything, I'm the one who's sorry. I am. And I've said it a million times. I'll keep saying it."

"You don't need to." She turned to me and smiled, a soft, genuine kind of smile that I hadn't seen in a long time. It was the kind of smile she only gave Harry when he made her the happiest girl in the world, and she was giving it to me. It'd been awhile since I enjoyed a smile like that from her. "You're my best friend. Shit is going to happen and the best thing we can do is stick together. Being alone is always the worst way to go. That's why everyone dies in the scary movies, because they split up."

I laughed, the belly laugh that surges through your entire body and makes you feel better than you did before. Because Claire could do that to a person: make you feel like you did everything wrong and make you laugh like you'd never laughed before at the same time. She was the kind of girl you could easily fall in love with, as Harry had come to realize and I had learned from our time together in high school. It was one of the reasons why I was so afraid to lose her, why I felt worse every day for keeping the details from her when I was being the hypocrite.

Claire reached for me and enveloped me in a hug, the kind that made me remember how safe her arms made me, a different kind of safe than Niall could give. This one had been there longer than Niall, and that was never going to change.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered, because I felt I needed to. It made me feel better.

"Just don't keep anything from me like that again," she muttered against my shoulder. "Promise?"

"I'll even pinky swear," I whispered.

That earned a laugh, and after it hung in the air I could feel the tension lift from my shoulders. I closed my eyes to savor the moment of forgiveness that I so clearly did not deserve. If anything, Claire should not have forgiven me. But she did, for the only reason I could believe as I was her best friend and fighting would only make us easier to pick off. I would take it. I would always take it.

Having her angry at me the entire time was too much to handle after learning about Judie and Charlotte and my own parents. Anything else that was dysfunctional was unwelcome. Just as unwelcome as the thought of uncovering the rest of my family's secrets.

"Okay. Let's finish this food. I am starving!"

"Me, too," I exclaimed.

And we went back to work, saying not another word about apologies or lies or secrets. All that mattered was the food and the idea of playing a good game of volleyball.
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"No! No! Left, babe, left! Get it! Yes! YES! Woo!"

Niall hooted and laughed so loudly the birds in the trees flapped their wings and flew away. I laughed with him, enjoying his delight. Claire playfully pushed Harry aside and told him to get his act together or she'd leave him.

"I play football, not volleyball," Harry said in his defense.

"Learn to do it all, babe." She grinned.

We'd played four games already, having tied in the number of wins for each team. This game was our last, so of course it meant it had to be a bit more competitive. It was much more of a joy for me as well, because I had never seen Niall so at ease with himself. Every day was always so restless with him (not that I had always noticed considering the damn life I lived) and yet in the moment where he stood and grinned about scoring another point, I could see the joy in his ice-blue eyes and the pure content that was all over his face.

I felt better about everything. I felt better about the situation, about my family, about my newly nonexistent conflict with Claire and about the fact that my guilt over ruining Claire and Harry's wedding before it had even begun had become nearly insatiable. All that I felt good about, all that I cared about, was winning the volleyball game.

"Baby, your serve," Niall called to me, pulling me back toward the game. He tossed the ball at me and then smiled encouragingly.

"I'm gonna kick your ass, Brielle!" Claire yelled with a smirk I'd never seen her wear before.

"In your dreams!"

"Better get your girl, Niall," Harry grinned.

"Mine's only retaliating."

I served the ball. The laughter. The joy. The need to feel okay after everything... it was all I wanted. And for the record, that was all it took. I was okay with that.

I glanced at Niall, at Claire, at Harry, and I smiled.

We were okay.