What I Never Told You

Chapter 16

  "After you left, I looked through Xander's room and I found his phone. There's something on it that you may want to see," Everly said and nodded towards the vanity.

  She put the eyeshadow down that she just applied on me and exchanged it for lipstick. We were getting ready for winter formal in my bedroom.

 I swiped the phone off the vanity as soon as she finished dabbing the lipstick on.

  When I turned it on, a video of Xander playing a guitar and singing played. The lyrics sounded familiar but I couldn't figure out what song it was. I turned the volume up and closed my eyes.  His voice was like honey; I hadn't realized it until now but I missed it.

  "Aww, I love this," I said.

  She picked up the curling wand and pointed at the phone. "Rewind to the beginning of the video."

  I did. 

  Now he was sitting on his bed with his guitar hanging around his neck but he wasn't playing. Instead,  he was talking to the camera. "Ok take...I don't even know. Thirty-one? I've lost count. Take whatever number of our anniversary song."

  That's why the lyrics were familiar. They were the same ones written on the paper I found in his room. The song that he had written for our anniversary.

  "This is so wholesome," I said.

  "I totally forgot I saw that video a while ago. Actually, on the night of the incident. My parents insisted that I go home and get some sleep but there was no way I could fall asleep due to the circumstances. So, I went into his room and noticed his phone on his desk. I wanted to see if I could figure out where he was and piece together what exactly happened. I guess he forgot it when you guys went out. I scrolled through it and saw the video. But obviously, I didn't know who it was for. After you told me about you guys on Thursday, I put two and two together and went to go find his phone so I could show it to you." 

 I handed the phone back.

  "No, keep it. I'm sure he'd want you to have it. His notes are filled with songs about you."

  "Really?" I had no idea he wrote so many songs about me. 

  She finished curling one last strand of hair and checked her work in the vanity mirror. 

  "Can I see your dress now? I'm dying to see it," I said. 

  She slipped off her robe and revealed a v-cut sky blue dress that hit several inches above her knees. 

  "What the heck Ev! You look stunning!" I grabbed the gold necklace and earrings off the vanity and handed them to her. "You have to wear these."

  She took them and put them on. "Let me see yours now!" 

  I took off my robe that was protecting my dress from the makeup and showed her the satin red dress I bought when I went to the mall with Serena. I paired it with rose gold bracelets that climbed halfway up my forearm and a matching pair of long dangly earrings. 

  "You look drop-dead gorgeous. Asher isn't going to be able to take his eyes off you."

   My body tensed. 

  "Speaking of which, I didn't know you like Asher," she said as she leaned towards the mirror to apply mascara.  

  "I don't. I mean... I don't know. It feels a little too soon, you know? I guess I'll figure out what I want tonight." Now wasn't the time to tell her about Ryan. Was there even anything to tell? Depending on what happens tonight, I may not even have to tell her.