Secrets We Keep

• three •

Suddenly i pulled my sleeve down over my hand and avoided her gaze, inhaling deeply and shrugging off her worried/nervous look.

"What was that Cari?" She asked quietly. Taking my arm and guiding me to her own personal training hangar, where a few of the new flyboys where inspecting the jets the they would train in.

"Its nothing Jun you probably just saw a trick of the light-" I hurriedly said, trying to calm myself down as well as he raging form towards the boys.

"Clear out- now." Juniper told the boys, who where admiring her blue and gold custom jet, hooking a thumb behind her to the open hangar door.

I groaned to myself and trudged behind her in my heavy boots across the concrete floor to her office at the back of the garage. An echo followed us as the boys left and we went farther into the vast space, finally coming to a brown door with the name Lieutenant Jane Torrin embellished on the front in gold on the frosted window.

She held the door open for me but i stayed out, trying to look calm and bored. "Jun im fine it was just-"

"No." She told me, and i walked through the door, and Jun closed it and locked it behind me. Then once inside she sat down and more caringly, she said. "You're going to tell me how long this has been going on, the glitches."

I sighed and flopped into a chair. "Really, its nothing-"

"First time would've been-" she pondered. I barely heard her her voice was so low. "Before you mother died-"

"How do you know that?" I asked, leaning forward, hearing my heartbeat in my ears. How did she know? How COULD she know? I haven't even told Kylie about the glitch and my room and my necklace, and ever since mom died i tell her everything.

Juniper looked up sharply, as if she didn't know i heard her, a slight twinge of fear in her stern but friendly eyes. "Nothing. I was wondering if it was before Clarissa-"

I stood, suddenly on my feet near the door. "No, i heard you Jun, you said it was before my mom died."

She stood too, hands out like i was dangerous. "Cari-"

"What. Do you. Know Jun."

"Carinne its nothing-"

"What did my mom tell you before she died?!" I yelled, hot tears streaming down my face. Everyone knew never ever to mention my mom around me, and i liked it that way. Saying "Mom" stung.

Juniper regained her composure after my outburst and looked stern, like the Lieutenant she was, the high commanding officer she was so good at being.

"Cari I would tell you if she told me something. I know how much she meant to you I wouldn't do that to you."

I glared at her, holding back the tears that had been begging to fall for years. "Yea well i still think you know something."

Walking to the door she called after me.
"Cari-!" She called like a mother or an annoyed older sister, like i had done something wrong.

I left the hangar, past the blue and gold jet, and out on the sunshine of the afternoon sun. Taking a deep breath, i pushed the tears back down. Even thinking of my Mothers name or even her old shoes hurt me.

Feelings snuffed out, i spotted a group of boys who looked lost wandering around the hangars acting like they knew where they where going.

I laughed when I spotted Tyler pointing all around at buildings and people walking past, talking to the boys behind him. The last time Tyler was here was the start of Freshman year, nearly five and a half years ago.

A lot had changed.

Grinning i started over to the lost group, brushing off the feeling that i was being watched.