Secrets [Chapter 6]

Chapter 1 ~ Brianna

I remember lying there, in the rubbish of the car. I remember looking down at his limp body, strewn across my lap, and just thinking why me, why him. I couldn't believe what was happening. One second we were singing along with the radio, the next, my best friend was dead on my lap. Why did it have to be us in that car crash?
"Brianna."
Why did he have to jump in front of that glass shard heading for me?
"Brianna!"
Why did he have to DIE?
"BRIANNA!"
"What!"
"What in gods' name are you thinking about child? You're going to be late on your first day of High School."
My mom. Wowser she can butt in at the worst moments. "Oh yeah, about that, I'm not going. I don't feel well."
She put her hand to my forehead. "You don't feel warm."
"It's not that kind of feeling bad mom." I swear she doesn't get me.
"Well then you can go to school. You can deal with your drama with your friends at SCHOOL." She can be so insensitive at times, it irks me!
"The death of my best friend is not 'drama' mom. I also don't have any friends at school because you made me MOVE, remember?"
"That's what you were thinking about Bree? Honey that was over a year ago you need to get over it." Did I mention my mom and dad are practically twins? They're both insensitive, they both butt in, and they both DRIVE ME BONKERS. "Ugh, you don't get it! Neither of you do!"
"It's not that big of a deal, dear." Now they speak at the same time. I swear they can read each others' minds. "Of course, not to you. My best friends died for me, it's a big deal!"And with that, I stomped off into the unknown world of a new school. And as far away from my parents as possible.

Chapter 2 ~ Brianna

I shuffled into school and made my way to my locker. Crud monkeys, what was that combination again? Oh yeah. "23-2-30"
"Pretty easy combination combination you got there."
I jumped and spun around, a boy, about the same age as me I guessed, was standing t the locker across the aisle from mine.
"Sorry to scare you, I'm Gage." He held his hand out to shake.
"Bree." I retorted and turned back around, wihout shaking his hand.
"You new here?"
"Yes." I grabbed my math book and my work book.
"Who do you have for math?"
Does this guy ever give up? I looked at my schedule anyway. "Mr. Garrison." I replied weakly.
"Awesome, we can walk together."
I rolled my eyes, slammed my locker shut, and turned around. I put on a smile, but only because I had no idea how to get aroun this school. Gage lead me to Mr. Garrisons' room and took a seat in the back. I chose a set in the front, away from him. I saw a couple of girls huddled in a group, whispering, and glancing over at me. They weren't too far away, so I listened arefully to hear what they were saying.
"Is that her?"
"It can't be."
"No, no it is, that's the girl that Cole guy died for."
I got up and pretended I had to sharpen my pencil, since the sharpener was just behind them. I stopped when I reached them. "If you're wondering if I'm the girl 'that Cole guy' died saving, I am. And by the way, his name is Cole Ellingboe. Cole Daniel Ellingboe."
I pushed past hem and sharpened my pencil to a point. They stared at me as I passed them again on my way back to my seat.
...
After class, Gage caught up with me again. He's like a puppy, you can't shake him!
"You really told them off!" He gave me a smirk. You know, one of those goofy, that was so cool, I'm proud of you, smirks. Cole used to give me that same exact smirk... I smiled at that. "Gage, I think we could possibly be very good friends."
He gave me another one of those smirks.

Chapter 3 ~ Gage

I walked home with Bree that day. Little did we know, we lived across the street from one another. Well I knew of course, but she didn't. There was a lot that Brianna Flood didn;t know about me..
I waved goodbye to her, and shouted across the street "See you tomorrow?"
"You bet!" she called back, and went inside.
I stepped inside my own house. When I closed the door, I yanked the wig off my head and shook out my real hair. "God I hate this thing." I grumbled and ran up to my room, taking the stairs two at a time. I threw the wig on my nightstand and grabbed my laptop. I plopped to the ground, opened the screen and just sat there for a while. My desktop was just a picture, but a picture of me and...excuse me...him and Bree. I shook it off and opened an IM from Troy. 'Did she buy it?'
'Like she was at a 70% off shoe sale.' I typed back.
'Awesome, can I come over?'
'No, the 'rents will be home soon.'
As if on que, I heard the garage open.
'Speak of the devil.'
I shut the screen and set the laptop on my bed. I headed for the stairs, taking my time this time around. I met my mom at the door.
"Hi honey," she had groceries in her hands, "Could ou help me out and go get the rest?"
I went out to her car, grabbed the rest of the bags, and shut the trunk. When I re-entered she asked, "So how was your first day back to school, Cole?"

Chapter 4 ~ Gage

I went back to my room and grabbed my laptop off my bed. Troy hadn't replied since my last message, so I closed IM. I pulled up a game and sat there on my bedroom flor playing. After a while I got bored, so I went downstairs to the living room. Wile I was watching TV the doorbell rang. M mom checked who it was through the window and shouted back "It's Bree!"
I ran up the steps calling back "Keep her busy!"
My mom had dyed her hair since Bree last saw her, so she wouldn't recognize her. I heard Bree ask "Is Gage still home?" just as I entered my room to get the wig. I carefully finished covering my real hair s my mom called up "Gage!"
"Yeah mom?" I shouted down to her.
"A girl is here, says her name is Bree!"
I walked down the stairs again, what was that, four? Five times today?
"hey Bree, what'cha need?"
"I forgot to ask, what's your last name? So I can add you on FaceBook." she asked.
"I don't have a FaceBook." I answered simply.
"Well, we should make you one. Where's your computer?" she looked around expectantly.
"Broken." I commented blandly. A lie of course, but I didn't want her to see my desktop! "Can we do it at your place?"
"Sure!" Her answer was almost too quick.
"I'm headed to Brees'!" I called to my mom as I left my house.. No response, that meant okay!
...
When I entered her room, it was almost too familiar. The one chalkboard wall with a variety of colors and sayings everywhere. The black chalkboard stars of all sizes on the other three white walls. Even the pink bedding, paintings and accesories. Music was playing in the background just as I remembered. This time it was Candyman by Christina Aguilera. She pulled up FaceBook on her laptop and turned to me.
"So what's your last name?"

Chapter 5 ~ Brianna
I typed as Gage answered the questions that were needed to start.
First Name: Gage
Last Name: Larson
He read the questions over my shoulder, and I could feel his warm moist breath. It made my skin crawl. I curled my toes, digging them deep into my black shag rug on the hard wood floor. I hated not having my own space.
...
Did I mention I am claustraphoebic? I didn't? Oh silly me, I started telling you my story without telling you who I am first! My name is Brianna Rose Flood, born to Jerry and Kimberly Flood on June 13th. Zodiac sign, Gemini, born the year of the rat, 1996. I am fourteen, four foot nine, and a freshman in high school. Medical conditions include claustraphoebia, asthma, and ADHD. Now that you know who I am, back to the main point.
...
"Can you please BACK AWAY?!" I hissed.
"Oh, sorry, I forgot."
At that time I didn't comprehend that he said 'I forgot' instead of 'I didn't know'. I'd never told him that I needed my own space, but now I know that he'd already known. I got bored of typing, so I changed the song, and started to sing. Gage did too.