The Badboy's Secret

X Of Secrets and Sickness (Part 1)

Hi guys! I'm so excited this book has now got to 6K reads! YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING AND I LOVE YOU ALL. Also, thank you for commenting if you have. Even just a meaningless comment makes me really happy because it means you're into the story and enjoying it! I've been super busy and I know its hell annoying when writers don't update often so I'm super duper sorry about that! Please forgive me :) Anyhow, I've got an update for you but I've only had a little time on it so unfortunately this is an unfinished chapter. Buuuttt, I thought I'd give you something to read while I write the rest out. So, this is part 1 of a chapter and there will be a part 2. It is UNEDITED unfortunately but I promise I'll go back and edit some chapters soon. Thanks so much guys and see you next time XOXO

P.S If you forgot what's going on I recommend you go back and read the end of the last Chapter. Basically after the party, Archie is in Lexa's room and they were talking and a whole lot other happened and Archie asked her an important question we all want to know. So sit back and enjoy. [photo is Archie]

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I remember when I was really little, my dad used to take me to the park every night with my best friend Carly. Carly. We'd been friends since we were basically born. Opposites in every way but somehow closer than anyone I've ever known. We used to play for hours there, forgetting everything we knew and making up everything as we went. My dad just watched us on the bench, grinning at us attempting to make a hiding place for fairies or climbing the old trees next to the fishpond. And he'd bring along a story to read to us every night just before we left. The sun would just be setting behind the back fence and the chilly breeze would begin to sneak into our jumpers. He brought a different book every time and would read it to us giggling little girls. I remember the way there weren't bags under his eyes then. I remember the way his grin lit up the whole park. I remember how life-like his green eyes looked and how deep brown his hair was and how much he loved to watch us play. I remember when the sun would finally go down beyond the horizon and the sky would just be a tickled pink swirl over our heads and Carly and I would lay on the ground and stare up at the stars forming beyond the clouds. And then when the sky was beginning to turn from pink to grey he would shut the book and say, "The boys'll be getting home from footy practice, princesses. What do you say we fly back home?" And we would giggle and jump the whole way home. I remember how he patted me on the head and tried to braid our hair like our mums. I remember how he would jump along with us and ask us what we thought of the book for that night. I remember when he would tickle us if we said it wasn't good. And then I remember also when we moved houses into an apartment. I remember begging my dad to come to the park and read a story to us. I remember him yelling at me because he was on the phone. I remember him reluctantly agreeing to come along only to bring his phone and laptop along to do work. I remember the day I came home only to see his office door to be shut. It was never shut. I remember in Grade 5, returning home from school at dinner time only to find that "dad isn't coming home for dinner tonight, he's busy at work" and the same event being repeated 1000 more times every night. It calmed down a little by the time I got high school. He took me shopping some weekends and came home for dinner every second night. But not just before. Not then.

I look into Archie's pleading eyes next to me. It isn't just the badboy who has a secret. I can see he doesn't want to force it. I look beyond him and out of the window.

"Lexa they say bad things and I just want to know if its true," he interrupts. I don't reply. I knew they would. News spreads quickly, especially in this small town. But I don't know how to speak. How to utter the words to a boy I barely know. I can see him still waiting for a reply, baiting his breath and probably preparing for the worst.

"What do they say?" I finally ask cautiously. Archie pauses for a moment and I can see him thinking. His green eyes look more blue in the dark and I can see them swirling with thoughts.