Don't give up on me ✓

[41] Low Key

Rare as is true love, true friendship is rarer - Jean de la Fontaine

Chapter 41: Low Key

They say a good friend is rare to find in one's lifetime.  I know in the depth of my heart that Jesper is a true friend.  

Without friendship, what do I have?  

**

OK, I don't know if I'd done the right thing.  

Nate had me feeling so alive, so excited for every day, every minute with him. And I gave that up?

For peace of mind.

And friendship. 

Life is too short for drama. I repeated that to myself like it was my new mantra.

Now I had cut the strings that contained me. Now I was free to feel again. No more guilt, no more shame. 

I felt like I had behaved badly with this whole thing.  Mohan warned me.  Jesper was disappointed in me.  I had jeapordized my place at Maythorne Manor.

I hadn't considered the feelings and the repercussions of those around me. Instead, I'd dived in headfirst. Romance trampled over my logic.

I guess that's a part of growing up: consider the consequences. We were a family at the Manor, yes, but first and foremost we were a clan that had to fight and protect our people. 

I was learning that.

I was working towards something greater than myself.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I was happy for Jesper's successes. But I bailed on watching his football game because I wasn't exactly going to support someone who didn't want to be in the same room as me. The girls were sending me so many pictures that I felt like I was there anyway.

Earlier that day, they asked why I wasn't coming.

"It's far," I said, "I live out in Swell Valley so it's a long drive back late at night."

"Yeah, I always forget you live in the countryside," Cleo said, "But doesn't Jesper live in the same valley? Who knows, maybe if you come to the football game, he'll give you a ride back!"

Isla was making all kinds of eyes at me. Tell them, she mouthed.

"Funny you say that. I actually live with him."

The girls yelled out, "What?"

Yeah, I had told Isla that we were close, but I hadn't said how close.  And Sid should've guessed.  She came to pick me up from there a few weeks ago.

"But doesn't he live with..." Cleo started, and I could practically see the machine in her head ticking away.

I waited.

And click.  The puzzle fit.

"YOU LIVE WITH THE MAYTHORNES!"

"Maybe we could keep it more low key," I suggested hopefully.

Here I was, airing all my secrets out in the open. Feeling lighter by the day.

There was still one tiny tiny secret left, of course.  The part where I'm supernatural. But we can leave that for another time. Or never.

Never's good too.

"Low key," Isla repeated, putting her hand over Sid's phone.

She was already typing at 100 miles a minute, about to spread the news. Isla prevented her from hitting send.