MYLES POV

"Hi..." I didn't know what to say. Clearly, I meant a lot to this family. I never thought I could be in such a tough place as I'd never thought there was any roiling fear that could radiate from my core besides my concern for Cali leaving me, but after learning how Chloe lost her life, meeting her family came surprisingly agonizing. I know that pain can't be taken away from the host, and I know how it can destroy a person. This woman before me lost her daughter in the cruelest situation, and she had no idea of how.

"Is-it's nice to meet you." My words fumbled but the woman cut me off by pulling me into a hug, and just like that, I felt relieved.

My mouth was agape, I was raspingly breathing through it when I tilted my head in Cali's direction. She has an encouraging smile on her, as pretty as a picture face.

She's someone everyone would like to know. She's the sole definition of perfection. She's sweet and kind to everyone, just like the stars when it's dark and gloomy. And she's always caring for the ones that truly matter in her life.

When the woman pulled back, she was wiping tears from her eyes.
"Don't mind me, I don't usually get this emotional." She laughs, and I hearteningly smile back. "Anyways, enough of me. I heard around that you are in our town, so it isn't a rumor."

"I am staying at Cali's with her brother," I told the woman.

"That's nice. Brayden was here yesterday."

"Oh really?" Cali retorted.

"He ate up all the dessert in the fridge. He seems to like them. I must bake him more before he leaves this weekend, and of course, you too." She added the last part to me specifically.

The amiable woman invites us into her house and Cali rushes down towards an archway to check on the dog.

"You do know she likes you, right?"

I spun and faced the woman.

"I do." I retorted.

"And what do you tend to do in return?"

A small thoughtful laugh leaves my throat. "I love her."

"There are different kinds of love, my dear. Which one do you intend to give her? Don't tell me the brotherly kind. That girl sees you for a husband. Believe me, I know every little imagination of those girls." The middle-aged woman laughed.

Husband, huh?

To be honest, it is good to know that a lot of people wanted to protect Cali because she deserves it. Cali needed others' armor, given she had long ago lost herself to insecurities, not knowing she had this personality that stood out among the best there had been. Not knowing she was loved, prioritized, and admired by everyone around her. People were ready to swear their swords for her-for her comfort. All because she was worthy of everything and even more.

"I-" Thoughts had dazzled me. I forget my words.

"I want to hear you say you love her the sort you would keep her safe and fix her wounds. Tell me, it's a permanent thing. That you will provide her with happiness every day and every night and certainty that she has someone who cares about her by her side. That you're constant and will never vary."

That. Brianna just described my inexpressible emotions.

"Precisely that kind," I quietly muttered and she smiled warmly.

"They both love you. Chloe would have gone crazy having you here." She said and headed down the hall to the living room.

While I followed her, I offered my condolences.
"I am sorry for your loss."

"She was a good girl. She was just a close-up person. But she was very good and easygoing."

"Like Cali?" I asked, and she nodded.

"Just like Cali. That's why they made a great team."

Cali joined us after some minutes while Brianna was serving us some water, and most of the time they talked about painting the walls together and Cali's upcoming Ap test until a redheaded man appeared from an angle, in a black coverall, holding a turned-off flashlight.

He kisses Cali's hair and apologizes to me for his dirty hands when Brianna introduces him as Bruce, her husband. He is as polite as his wife, and even more, he turns out to be a fan of my team. Throughout the time Cali and his wife were conversing on the opposite couch, he gave me some helpful advice and told me what he was sure was the weakness of our Saturday's opposing team.

"I have something to tell you," Cali got everyone's attention when she was sitting next to me. I kept my eyes on her, long enough to see through her, and it immediately dawned on me what she was about to do.

However, it is the right thing to do, and I am glad she's doing it while I can provide her with my support. I kept rubbing her back, where no one could see, and she swallowed when Brianna and Bruce were attentively waiting for what she was about to spill.

Just one minute is what it took to see these good people shattered.

I've never seen a parent this hurt over their child. Then again, I've never seen a parent lose their child. But I know what it feels for a child to lose his parents. I do know that the pain doesn't go away, but we are forced by time to learn to live with it.

As Cali narrated the original story from new year's eve when Chloe passed, she cried-they all did. Each of her words came out pained. I hate that she has to repeat it after just doing it yesterday. I know how hard it is for her to memorize it. I still remember the look on her face at my condo when we started the conversation before Brayden interrupted it. Not once did this memory come easy on her.

There is some horror in our lives that we wish to lock up in a steel box and toss down to the middle of the ocean. This part is Cali's horror. It had been eating her alive, but I hope that after this, she will be able to live life, breathe, and move on from her past.

I hold her hand on my thighs and wrap one arm around her body with a little tight grip, hoping for a possibility where I can take away her pain.

CALISTA POV

On the walk to Brianna and Bruce's house, Myles had been quiet and all I thought about was his lips daring me to take off every piece of clothes I was wearing last night.

His cold finger traced down my slit. My legs squeezed together at how good it felt.

"You're wet. Is it because of me?" His lips had sensuously whispered very close to mine. He was propped up on his elbow, next to me, underneath the bed, observing every reaction I made with a sexy smug plastered on his gorgeous face.

I nodded and his lip curled up with satisfaction.

When we reached the front door of Chloe's parent's house, I was already blushing more than I could help. Myles waited in hiding because I wanted his appearance to be a surprise to this wonderful family. They had always loved him because of their daughter. Having him at their doorstep would mean a lot to them.

"Cali." Brianna smiled heartily.

She had always treated me like her daughter, even after the accident that a lot had blamed me for, including the police.

I could feel the heat of Myles's stare as I smiled back at the lonely woman, whom I always try to visit twice a week.

"I've been wanting to stop by and check on you, but Lulu had food poisoning." She apologized and I immediately remember the phone call we had about her dog. The poor thing had been in the veterinary hospital for a few days.

"Poor Lulu. How is she doing?"

"The doctor said she would be up on her feet in a couple of days."

It must be hard for all of them.

"I hope so. I am sorry about that. Maybe she ate something from the neighborhood last week when she got lost."

Brianna's face lit up, and she winsomely smiled.
"See, I love how we think the same way. I told Bruce it could be the reason and he blamed it on the brand of the food we changed for the dog last week."

I only smiled at the excited woman at the thought of being right. When I looked over at Myles, he was thoughtfully observing me, again. But not like last night. This time, he was full of admiration, he stared like I had enough charm that he could marvel at.

Butterflies in my stomach are now a regular thing. Myles was always assuring me of being outstanding everywhere we went. I held out my hand to him and he took it with no delay. My heart warms inside. I got him out of hiding then.

"I brought you, someone," I informed the woman, who became overwhelmed with astonishment.

"Is that..." She blinked her eyes, which were immediately flooded with tears. "Oh my God. Myles Cameron?" She asked me.

"Yes." I nodded at her and introduced them to each other. "Myles, this is Brianna, Chloe's mom."

He slightly paled up, swallowing before he said hi to the woman that means a lot to me. He was nervous, but it was okay. Chloe's family only admired him.

"Is-it's nice to meet you." He anxiously began, but Brianna interrupted by hugging him. It's possible she realized he was uneasy.

I saw it in his eyes when he looked over at me with an agape mouth, but gradually in the hug, he loosened up.

The hug might have helped both of them. By the time Brianna pulled out of the embrace, he was relieved too. She wiped off the tears and laughed nervously.
"Don't mind me, I don't usually get this emotional. Anyways, enough of me. I heard around that you are in our town, so it isn't a rumor."

"I am staying at Cali's with her brother," Myles answered.

"That's nice. Brayden was here yesterday."

"Oh really?" My brows raised.

My brother might have no friends of his age in this house, but he had formed a strong connection with Bruce and Brianna ever since Chloe and I were little, and he had to walk us back and forth to each other's houses.

"He ate up all the dessert in the fridge. He seems to like them. I must bake him more before he leaves this weekend and, of course, you too." Brianna laughed while we walked into the house.

I left Myles with her and stalked down the archway to check on Lulu.

The poor thing was in her bolster, whimpering a little with half-closed sleepy eyes. I petted her chest gently and she sighed. She was usually vigorous, it's sad she's having these tough days.

"You will be fine very soon. The doctors promised that." I smiled at her and spent a little more time caressing her until I remembered I'd left Myles alone with the people he had just met for the first time.

I returned to the living room where Brianna was serving Myles some water. She gave me a half-full glass cup too and we talked about the wall paintings that we've been planning on changing Brianna's walls into. Then she asked about my upcoming Ap Test, and about mom's garden and I told her we'd picked some grapes just recently. During our conversation, Bruce joined us. He was in his regular outfit.

He emptied his hands and kissed my hair before he was introduced to Myles.

And in no time, they bonded. They got into a basketball conversation, laughing and nodding and agreeing with each other. It was a good relief for me. I was eager to write this down for Chloe.

And so I did what I came here to do.

I settled next to Myles and called their attention.

Last night, it might have looked like an ordinary date but I've learned a lot from Myles, through those hours we spent together. There is no need to turn a situation into confidential information when it shouldn't be-when it could help both Chloe and me. After all, Scarlett doesn't deserve my silence. Chloe's parents should know how everything went that new year's eve. It's the only way I can be free of the burden. I can't keep holding it in. Myles was right, I was only hurting myself.

"I have something to tell you."

When I nervously looked at Myles, he nodded at me, silently promising to be there for me. He must have recognized what I was about to do.

I know I have to do this to move on. It has to be the right time to be strong and let this family know the truth about their daughter's death. I have to let go of my silence and talk. It will be their decision whatever they'll use this piece of information for. But they should know how Chloe tried. She really fought, but she lost along the way.

"Chloe deserved better. I am sorry I didn't tell you this sooner. She and I were victims of bullying. That night... The night it happened. We-we didn't drink willingly." I can feel the emotions strangling me but I have to keep going. "The boys from school forced us into their car from a drive-in movie to Scarlett's new year's eve party. And they wanted to... HURT us. Like really hurt us. They restrained us and made us eat dirt from the garden. When we choked, they forced a whole bottle of liquor to wash down the dirt on our throats." It was hard telling these people how their daughter lost their life, but they have the right to know.

Brianna and Bruce were silently weeping along with me. I could feel Myles's hand on my back, soothing me, he was holding my other hand on his thigh. "They wanted to break our arms or have Chloe for the boy's pleasure." My voice broke. I had to pause to breathe. "I chose to drive instead. But I swear I only wanted to protect her. I-I thought I could but I ended up... killing her. I'm-I am so... sorry." I cracked up, breaking into a gut-wrenching sob. Myles pulled me into his arms, and I cried even more than I did when I learned I would never see Chloe again.

Myles gave them a phone number of a lawyer. He said the man was the best there could ever be. He promised to take care of everything and when I felt helpless, he assured me of the evidence that could possibly be there from that night and somehow I was able to name the faces I recognized in the haunting scene.

It just hurts on the left side that Chloe wouldn't be here to see the world get better.