One Last Time (COMPLETED)

Keep Your Enemies Closer

Chandler and Tanner paused the intense game of Madden they'd been playing seconds prior to our return. The entire ride back had somehow managed to be even more tense than the trip there. Parker kept his eyes trained ahead, lips pursed, and head occasionally shaking from one side to the other as if he were at war with his own mind. I'd decided to just not speak to him, it'd be best for both of us. I did better burying my emotions and ignoring them; if he hadn't been the murderer than we surely had more important things to worry about.

Tanner picked up on the tense air between us and looked to me. "What happened? Did you guys find something?"

Parker slapped the photo against his best friend's chest so hard Tanner stumbled back a few steps before he disappeared down the dark hallway. Chandler raised a brow, then shrugged a shoulder and went back to his game. Tanner, dropping his gaze to the photo, opened his mouth to speak but quickly slammed it shut again when he read the back of the photo. After a few minutes of silence, he whispered, "What the hell is this?"

"You know as well as I do." I said with a shrug. "Though, I'm starting to think it's a lot more than you're telling me. I just learned a lot of shit about Parker. I wouldn't be surprised if you've been lying too."

"Excuse me?"

Too exhausted to argue, I crossed my arms, "You've told me everything you know?"

"Of course, Mia. I—"

"Did you know Parker knew about the twins?"

The quick aversion of his eyes was answer enough. I dropped my arms to my sides and started toward the hall, but he intercepted me halfway. "Mia, come on, that's not fair. I didn't lie. I just didn't say anything and—"

"And I'm sure there's more than this you're keeping from me," I cut him off again, shaking his hand off. "when you decide you want to tell me, you know where I'm at."

**

Dear Mia,

We went to the mall today with the boys to look at dresses for Prom. You and Tan were having a blast, it was cute. Kept denying that it meant anything either, but sis, he's totally, without a doubt in love with you. I'm glad. I'm glad you have them if. . . if something does happen to me. I know Tan won't let anything happen to you. And Park. . . Park acts like he doesn't care, but he does. A lot.

Love you,

M. F

Seeing that the next passage was all capital letters I shut the diary and set it on the dresser behind me, not having the energy tonight to have another realization slap me in the face like a ton of bricks. I was uncomfortable in this dumb chair, and though Tanner and Parker had promised a mattress would be delivered a couple days ago, it was yet to get here. I'd been spending the time the kids slept in the next room, leaving the door open a crack and taking the baby monitor with me. Tanner had slept soundly next to me, with the exception of getting up here and there to go tend to the kids when he saw how tired I was.

But I refused to step foot outside of this room right now. The recording and photo had both gotten under my skin and I was so anxious that anytime I dozed off I jumped up from the old chair and nearly hit the ground. I had no idea who to trust anymore, not after what happened tonight. What else was Park hiding? Was Tanner hiding some massive secret too? Chandler?

"You keep depriving yourself of sleep and worrying you're going to kill yourself, Mia." Tanner's voice filled the quiet room. I immediately looked to the kids to my left, but they hadn't budged. "The kids need you. Which means you need to take care of yourself."