life had seem better than I expected, days ago I was happy, not entirely but a part of me felt healed, but now I don't know, I kept stealing glances at Zayden as we sat in his living room, it's like he doesn't want me here but he wants me here too, he's looking around his apartment, like something was moving around and only he could see it.
"Zayden?" I called, but his mind was far away from the present, I touched him, and he blinked a couple of times before turning to me with a smile.
"What is it?" I asked, also looking around his dorm.
"What are you looking at?" I asked, and he shook his head. He suddenly took my book and pen and scribbled on it fast, he can't talk, and he passed it to me.
"Don't react, but we are being watched, I know by who, I just can't tell you, to keep you safe" I looked at him, and my heartbeat was crazy.
"What's going on?" I whispered. He looked at me, and his eyes held fear, for once I saw raw fear in his eyes, and I frowned.
"Should we report?" I whispered, and he bit his lip, shaking his head slightly.
"Why am I involved?" I asked, and he looked away. He took the book and scribbled.
"The fire" I blinked at it multiple times before turning to face him.
"The fire? Does someone want revenge?" I asked, and he nodded.
"What do we do?" I asked him hopelessly, fear settling in the pit of my stomach. Do we break up? Do I leave and hide?
"I want to leave all these behind and run away, the name croix, I don't want it anymore " he said, and I felt sad, heavy hearted, and teary.
"I am sorry" I apologised. He shook his head.
"Don't apologise " he whispered.
"I feel burdened when you do" he mumbled before looking around.
"They could kill me as well" he suddenly said, making me sit up fast.
"Kill?" I asked, shocked.
"What do you mean kill?, they?" I knelt in front of him.
"Zayden, what is really going on?" I asked, and he swallowed, I bit my lip. He really looked scared.
"Let's go together, far away from here" he suddenly begged desperately and I shook my head, my parent, even though they're not much they are still my parent and I don't have enough to run away.
"Zayden" I whispered before cupping his face.
"What are you not telling me? It makes no sense that you will be killed for something I did or my brother did" I reasoned, his face morphed into something of pain and sob, he grip his hair and I moved back a bit at his sudden reaction.
"Help me" he cried lowly, I reached to touch him gently, and he looked up at me.
"You can't read it here because they'll know, read it alone" he whispered then got up, he went to the kitchen while I waited, he came back with a container covered and handed it to me.
"I don't care how long it will take you, but help me" he said, and I nod, what ever he meant, he just looked vulnerable.
In my dorm room, a lone, I locked the toilet door and sat down, opening the container, the paper looks familiar, Kairo's journal, I tossed the container to the side and read the most heart breaking hunting words I have ever read.
Everything was a lie, every word he ever said was a lie, I find myself in front of what I should call home, the heavy pages of Kairo's confession and kayden's explanation weighed down my pocket like the paper was made of lead, I didn't know where to go, who to call or in any right mind to do anything but come back to where I should have thought of.
Empty as always, I sat down on my bed shaking, memories running through my head, Kairo's final days, how shaken he was, how out of it he was, how scared he was, I sniffed and looked around, the thought of him being killed to hide a truth never crossed my mind, the thought of him knowing or witnessing what he shouldn't have never entered my imagination and the thought Zayden knowing all that was a denial in my path, for I suspected something wasn't right.
"Aria?" I looked up at dad's voice, he stared at me, we aren't big on emotional support here, but even he knew something was terribly wrong.
"Why didn't you call that you'll be coming?" He asked and I stood up, I pulled out the papers and took out zayden's, I handed it to him, with a frown he read it, probably more than once because it took forever for him to look up at me.
"What is this?" He asked, and I bit my lip hard.
"You can't tell?" I asked, his face hardened.
"I will ask you one last time. What is this, and where did you get this from?" He asked, threatened, but the fear I have was way more than his raised hands against me.
"Kairo " my voice broke.
"He didn't set the fire, he didn't take his own life" I sobbed, it was thought to be a suicide, overdosed on drugs, the thought of how they did it haven't settled in yet.
"Do you have anything to back this up?" He asked, I wanted to give Zaydens confession, to hand it in but I can't, Kairo's words and death would be for nothing, doesn't mean I forgive him for lying to me.
I shook my head, and dad tossed the paper at me.
"Come to your senses and get back to school, do not speak of this, ever again" he snapped before walking away, my legs failed to hold me up and I sat there crying for what felt like hours.
There was 1 more person to reach, and it was like he was waiting for me.
Jude stood in front of me with his head down. He looked guilty the moment i showed the pages to him.
"Did you know?" I asked. He didn't look up, which made me know he did.
"Why? Why didn't you say anything?" I asked.
"I was scared, I couldn't go against croix and kairo was never going to say the truth, just that he didn't start the fire, they won't start an investigation except he give out a name and he wasn't going to rat out Zayden, I…
"You left him, you let them kill him…
"What could I have possible done? I was a kid too" he cut me off.
"I am sorry I kept quiet all this while but I had to tell you the moment I saw you with Zayden, he doesn't mean well ok, I know I did bad but Zayden isn't with you for your own good" he warned and I nod, I don't know what to believe anymore.