Overprotective Much?

Chapter 20 Secrets Are Best Kept By One

I dropped the letter on the floor and covered my mouth to hide a scream. This is fake. This has to be fake.

I walked over to the objects sprinkled across the bed. There was nothing in the box except for the letter, and the blanket had a familiarity to it. I got closer and remember every memory with it all at once. Screams echoing in the basement, the blanket shoved in my mouth to quite my sobs, falling asleep with it in my arms, a sense of safety and terror all at once. It was my baby blanket. I couldn't move just stood there with my mouth wide open.

There was a pound on the door and in walked Peter.

"Watcha got there?" He questioned, leaning against the wall by my door.

"Get out!" I screamed, pushing him through the door. He rolled his eyes and closed the door behind him, I couldn't close a door on him by myself.

I slam my hand on the lock of the door and my wrist throbs, I pull my arm close to my chest and crouch against the door. I stare at the box for a moment before getting up and examining it some more.

I throw away the box and wrapping paper in the garbage bag hanging on the door knob of my closet door. The letter sits there, folded crookedly on the blanket. I grab the paper and shove it in a box I keep in the hidden drawer behind my desk, the one bit of privacy I have from my brothers. I kept things that were my mothers in the box, some things from friends and other miscellaneous objects that others would consider garbage, but to me,  they were treasures.

I walked over to the bed and sat down next to the blanket. As I looked closer I could see later after later of dry blood, years old. It was my blood.

"Laurel!" I heard my name being called from downstairs and shoved the blanket into the box with the letter and rushed downstairs, trying to act like nothing happened.

"Hey we're headed to get some breakfast you coming?" Ben asked while doing his hair in the mirror by the front door.

"Sure let me get ready,"

"Oh please we're going to get food not a fashion show," he shot back at me.

"Some people like to look good in public," I rolled my eyes and jogged to my room.

I put my hair half up half down, still half curled from Friday and picked an outfit, a simple black tee shirt I stole from Peter that fit like a dress on me and my jandals.

"I don't have time to question what you're wearing so let's go," Peter says while twirls his keys in his fingers and opens the front door for me.

"What a gentleman," i flash my wide fake smile at him ending in him sticking a foot out to trip me, I fumble a little bit regain my balance and attempt to shove him into the car door.

I check my phone and read a text from none other than Zane, good I had a distraction for what happened earlier.

Zane - hey you doing okay?

Me - yeah I'm fine now just a little shook up

Zane - that's great I'm headed to get some lunch with your brother so I'll see you tomorrow

Me - oh I'm sure you'll see me earlier than tomorrow ;)

A second later, we pulled up to a Wendy's, Zane standing by the front door with head phones in. I hopped out of the truck and walked up to him with a smile on. He looked up and flinched a little taking off his headphones. He smiled back and I noticed his small dimples, gosh his smile was perfect.

"What're you listening to?" I asked him, he showed me his Spotify account playing "Technicolor Beat" by Oh Wonder,"Oh my gosh I love them!"

"Really? Most people have no idea who they are,"

"I guess you could say I'm a music fanatic," he smiled at that and we walked in behind the boys.

I got a salad while everyone else got burgers. Usually I would've gotten a burger but I wanted to seem healthy in front of Zane, I don't know why but sitting next to him sent shivers down my spine.

When everyone finished, we decided to get some frozen yogurt because why the heck not, it was only 45 degrees outside after all.

A breeze of cold air struck me as we walked outside and I shivered.

"Do you want my jacket?" Zane gestured his army green jacket to me and I gladly threw it on. The inside was furry and warm, it even smelled like him.

"Aren't you cold?" I asked him as we got in the car, he had walked so Peter said he'd drive him home.

"I'm fine,"

"Thanks," I sat in the middle between Zane and Chad, no idea why Chad didn't sit in the front seat but I shot a look at him and he just smiled.

Halfway home, the sun began to set and I realized I had done really nothing all day. Peter's phone began to ring and he hooked it up to the car so the phone was on speaker.

"Hello?" He asked not bothering to check who it was that called him.

"Peter! Where the hell are you guys!" It was Theo in a panicked tone.

"Relax we just went to get some food we're coming home now,"

"Who's with you!" Theo was shouting more than he was asking.

"Chad, Zane and Laurel," My stomach churned and my knee bounced rapidly as I began to worry why Theo was acting so frantic.

"So Ben's not with you? Have you seen him at all today?" Theo had calmed down but I feel the tension in his voice.

"No why would he be here he's in Florida still, right?" Every inch of my body was shaking.

"His administrator called, he didn't show up to any of his surgery's today," my body stops shaking.

"Where the hell is he?" Peter shoots back worried.

"I don't know!" Theo screams I the phone leaving a ringing on my ears.

"I do," I say.

Hey guys I'm back! So so so sorry for the hold up my phone wasn't telling me I had any messages or anything and I thought no one was interested in the story anymore and I wasn't gonna continue. Then I read all your comments and guys that you so much I mean really I love each and everyone of you that reads this story it seriously means so much to me! Plus I just finished finals with almost all A's so I'm just gonna blame school :)

Also, all I'm gonna say is, there are gonna be a lot more "interesting" things coming ;)