What I Never Told You

Chapter 7

I was picking at my salad and listening to my friends talking about the upcoming dance. "Have you guys found dates for winter formal?" Serena asked.
"No" my friends and I responded.
"Each of us should go with the guys, as friends" Kate suggested.
"Yeah and make it a group thing. We should do that for the winter carnival before the dance too. Have you guys bought your dresses yet?" I asked.
"Yeah, mine's strapless and lavender" Serena said, showing us a picture on her phone.
"That's stunning. Mine is an a-line emerald green dress" Kate responded.
"I haven't gotten mine yet. Ev and I are planning on going next week" I said.
"Oh my gosh, I saw that black feathered dress that Ev was wearing on your story. She should totally get it" Serena chuckled.
Everly dropped her lunch onto the table and took her seat next to me. "So what are we talking about?" she asked.
"Your feather dress" I laughed.
"I LOVED that dress. So chic, right?"
"Yeah so chic that if you wore it to the dance everybody would spend the night staring at you. Don't worry, we'll find gorgeous dresses when we go shopping next week that'll knock them dead."

Just then, Ryder walked up to our table. "What do you want?" I asked coldly.
"I just wanted to apologize about what happened on Sunday." His eyes met Everly's. "And I wanted to talk about what happened..."
I glanced at Everly. She sat there shifting uncomfortably in her seat with her eyes looking around the cafeteria.
Her eyes landed on a target. She grabbed his arm and pulled him down onto the seat beside her.
"What happened was a mistake" she said to Ryder as Nick slid his arm around her.
Were they together now?
I looked over at Ryder. He looked heartbroken.
"Well...umm...I just wanted to say that I'm sorry and I'll see you around, I guess." he said to Everly before walking away.
She twirled a piece of hair around her finger and began flirting with Nick.
She looked over her shoulder and stopped once Ryder was gone.
"What happened on Sunday?" Nick asked.
"Nothing. Just something that I regret."
He checked the time on his phone and got up. "See you Saturday."
Once he was out of earshot, I faced her and said "Where? When? Why? How?"
"He asked me out after the movies. We're going out to dinner this Saturday."
"I can't believe you didn't tell me any of this! And I can't believe him. He asked you out right after our double date? And you said yes?!"
"I swear, I was going to tell you. I only agreed because I wanted to show Ryder that what happened on Sunday meant nothing to me. I'm sorry. I can cancel if you want."
"No, it's fine."
"So, will you help me get ready before my date?"
"I don't like your reasons for going out with him. And I don't like him either. He's kind of a little pushy and handsy. Like at the movies, he kept trying to make a move on me. I don't think it's a good idea. Plus, I like you and Ryder together."
"Well, I'm going out with him regardless of what you say. And no, Ryder and I can't be together."
"Fine, I guess I'll help you get ready. But the second that anything goes wrong, you better call me! And trust me, something will go wrong."
She squeezed me. "Thank you."

                            ~~

Everly was sitting on the chair in front of her vanity. I had finished applying peach eyeshadow on her. I handed her a golden tube, and she swiped on some mascara. After sliding on some nude lipstick, she moved over to the closet.
I was lying on her bed and helping her pick out an outfit. She pulled out a frilly yellow turtleneck. "Eww, no. What were you thinking when you bought this?" I asked.
"I was thinking, hey I know Bella would hate this so I have to get it." she shot back.
"The one time I didn't go shopping with you and you bought this monstrosity."
She pulled out a few more tops. "No, nope, no way" I said as I pointed to each. We finally settled on a silk green halter top and a pair of dark jeans.
"You look great." I told her.
"Thanks. So what are you going to do tonight?"
"Just chill here. Maybe hang out with your parents. It's been a while since I've hung out with Mr. and Mrs. Baker."
"I think they're going out tonight. Nick just texted me that he's here."
"Remember to call me if anything happens!"
I tossed her hoop earrings to her and she ran out.

I decided to crash on the couch and watch a movie. I was munching on popcorn and watching my favorite movie, Midnight Sun. It was around 12:30 a.m. when my phone rang and Everly's picture flashed across the screen. I picked up immediately. "What's wrong?"
She was sobbing. "Can...you...come get me?"
"Of course. Text me the address."
I crawled out of my cozy blanket and hurried out the door, not bothering to fix my messy ponytail or changing out of my sweatpants.
I began driving towards where Everly described she was. She didn't have an address because she was in the middle of nowhere on the side of a road. The speedometer reading of my car increased until it hit 85 mph, which shaved 10 minutes off my time of arrival. When I reached the general vicinity, I slowed down and looked around for Everly. I drove a little further and spotted her sitting in the dirt with her face buried in her knees. I pulled over and rolled down the window. "Ev!"
She climbed into the car and let the tears flow. Mascara streamed down her face. I reached over to give her a hug and console her.
Once she calmed down a bit, I began driving. As I continued down the familiar road, news headlines began flashing through my mind. "October 3rd: Teen boy killed in San Francisco", "Car crash claims the life of 19 year old", "Police are still looking for the driver".
I had to tell her. The guilt was gnawing at me. I didn't know how much longer I could keep it from her. "So what the heck happened tonight?"
"We were on our way to dinner when Nick stopped the car here. He tried to make out with me and I kept pushing him away. He got angry and told me to get out."
"I'm so sorry, but I told you that he was bad news. Are you ok?"
"Yeah. I know. I guess I was just so focused on proving to Ryder that our kiss was a one-time occurrence and that we will never be together."
"Why though?"
"Because we just can't!"
"Why? Just spit it out! I know you've been keeping something from me! Tell me!"
"Because he's the one who killed my brother!"
"What?"
"On the night of the accident, I saw Ryder running away from the car. He was the one driving the car and left my brother for dead!"
I couldn't let him take the fall. "It wasn't him! It was me! I'm responsible for Xander's death! I'm so sorry!" I burst into tears.
"What?! But I saw Ryder that night. "
"Xander and I were going home together that night. I was driving, and I guess I had a little too much champagne. I was kind of drunk and trying to take a video on my phone of the two of us, which caused me to take my eyes off the road for a little too long. When I glanced back at the road, I saw a fawn in the middle of the lane. I veered off the road and crashed into that fence." I pointed at the damaged fence up ahead.
I nudged toward my phone in the center console. "Pull up Snapchat and go to October 2018. The video's there."
She clicked on the video. My smiling face filled the screen. "Hey Xander, look here. Aww, so cute. Today marks a special date: two years! Can't believe it! Wait, do you see that? What's that on the road? AHHH!" The video cut dead.
"I can't believe it! All of this time, I thought it was Ryder who was in the car with him and responsible for my brother's death. That's why I said we could never be together and why I felt guilty whenever I enjoyed hanging out with him. But it was you."
"I can't believe that you've been keeping a secret from me-- the reason you've hated Ryder!"
"Me?! You're the one who was keeping the bigger secret! Don't act so self-righteous!"
"I've been torn up, not telling you. I've felt guilty and I miss him every day."
"Wait, back it up. You said you guys were heading home. What were you guys doing?"
I took a deep breath. "We had gone out to dinner for our 2 year anniversary."
"2 year anniversary? You guys were dating? For 2 freaking years? I can't believe that you were dating my brother! And that you didn't tell me! You left him, scratched and wounded, in the car after the crash."
"That's not what happened! Can you just listen to me?"
"Pull over!"
"What?"
"Pull over!" she repeated.
I stopped the car. She got out and slammed the door. "Don't call, text, or come over. I never want to talk to you again!" She walked into the darkness.
"Where are you going?" I yelled.
"Anywhere that you aren't!"