Secrets & Lies {On Hold}

~*Five*~

I dedicate this chapter to AksharaaErate, my loving friend and great support... Enjoy!

"Courtney, we're here!" Scarlet announces as she turns off the ignition of her car and leans into the seat, looking ahead at the pitch darkness illuminated by her car headlights. She puts that off as well.

"Yeah, I noticed." Courtney says as her fingers tighten around her white clutch breathing in Scarlet's citrus air freshener in the process. The air freshener mixed with the cold air conditioner in Scarlet's car made Courtney's skin feel so chilly and her lungs, slightly inflated.

"So Court, before you get out of the car, let's have a little chat, shall we?" Scarlet says, her red lips that was even more red this night due to the coat of lipstick moved upward in a slightly mischievous smile.

"Sure. What about?" Courtney asks, a bit confused.

"What did you four lovely girls decide yesterday?" Scarlet begins, her eyes darting to Courtney.

"Oh that." Courtney says, as if anticipating a different question.

"Yes, that." Scarlet borders on as she recalls "I had to go remember? Right in the middle of all that chaos, I got paged."

"Well, we decided that we are going to the woods this night to search for the bracelet. By we, I mean Paige and I." Courtney explains wondering how things would turn out, dreading it in the process as she feels bile rise up in her throat. She closes her eyes to wave all negative thoughts from her head away.

"That is one crazy plan!" Scarlet's grey eyes widen as she debates in her head whether to argue with whatever logic the other girls have put into this plan but she just decides to let it be instead, it wasn't worth the fight "Tell me how it goes and also, know that if you need any help, I'll be here."

"Thank you Scar." Courtney lets out a small smile feeling the sincerity in her best friend's gesture.

"What about that anonymous person in the papers?" Scarlet hampers on

"You were there remember?" Courtney reminds Scarlet.

"Oh right!" Scarlet shakes her head "It must have slipped my mind." She looks at Courtney again, a confused look crossing her contoured face as she asks the question that has been tugging at the back of her head all evening "By the way Court, how come you're coming to this event with me and not Justin?"

"Because Justin left the country." Courtney says simply, her voice void of any emotion.

"When and why?" Scarlet exclaims, confused. Justin always went with Courtney, always at her side, like a guard dog hovering over her. Scarlet thought. She never liked Justin but well Courtney didn't have to know that. If he made Courtney happy then Scarlet wouldn't interfere especially after all that drama with Lucas...
"Yesterday. He said that it was business related." Courtney continues, her voidless tone never wavering. Scarlet couldn't tell if Courtney didn't like talking about Justin or if she just didn't like talking about Justin with her.

"I see." Scarlet says rather suspiciously but decides to let it go "Let's go then." Scarlet says opening the door of her car.

"Sure."

Scarlet and Courtney get out of Scarlet's red Audi. The air is chilly tonight. It just felt like one of those weird nights that fills you with some weird sense of dread laced with an uncomfortable sense of excitement. A night that plays with your emotions due to anticipation. An anticipation that just can't be explained.

Scarlet looks over at the Bradleys' huge parking lot that stretched quite a length. Most of the cars weren't even here yet but the night was already dark, the parking lot illuminated only by the street light. It felt, lonely sort of and although Scarlet liked parties, she didn't like this one for reasons she didn't understand yet which is funny because she hasn't even entered into the party yet.