Albert Miller has been my best friend as well as on and off again boyfriend for years. My parents see him as the shame put on our family. I don't know why they are so prejudice nor do I really care what they think. Alby was one of the most decent guys I know. 

Last year Alby's music and lacrosse careers both took off like crazy which forced us to break up, but there's no hard feelings between us. I try to make time to hang with him when he's home. He's been home a week now and JJ has kept me so busy that I haven't had a chance to see him. 

"Well look who it is." Alby said as I walked up the driveway. "I thought you forgot where I lived, girl." 

"Me? Forget this shack of a house? Never." I said with a grin. "Tell me, Albs, why are you still living here when you're rich now?"

Alby stood from the porch swing, a contagious grin plastered on his face. "Because I like my house, little miss mansion in the hills." He wrapped his arms around me and squeezed. 

I hugged back. "Little too tight. Can't breathe." 

"Sorry." He let me go. "I heard about Evan and Esme. I wanted to call, but I didn't know what to say." He kissed my cheek. "Plus I know how your parents feel about you having contact with me."

I shook my head. "It's okay I understand and I don't care about them." I sat on the swing then patted the spot next to me. "Listen, Alby, I came to ask you about someone."

He sat and turned to face me. "If it's about getting you in contact with Leonardo DiCaprio I already told you it's not possible." 

I rolled my eyes. "It's not about him for now."

"Okay then shoot."

"You remember JJ Brooks?" 

"Yeah, the brother of the kid who killed him. Sure I remember him." Alby nodded. "He's a weird kid. When I would pick you up, he was always sitting at that lakeish area watching us." 

My heart broke a little as he said those words. Was what Lizzy had wrote really the truth?

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, playing with the strings from the rips in my jeans. "I mean what if it wasn't safe?"

"That's why I started beating you there to make sure you were never alone." Alby told. "I didn't want you to freak or anything." 

I checked my phone to see six missed calls from JJ. "Alby?" 

"Yeah, L?" He gave me a puzzled look.

I slowly turned to face him. "I don't want to die." I said, a sob racking at my throat. 

Alby pulled me close to him. "Never. I would never let you die." He kissed the top of my head. "What's really wrong, baby?" 

"I did something bad, really bad." I confessed. "And now I don't know what do to." 

+++

JJ was waiting for me on the steps when I arrived home. "Where have you been, Elena, I've been worried sick about you." He said, a slight tone in his voice that I couldn't determine. 

"I'm sorry I ran out on you like that, but Kaylie had an emergency and needed me." I lied. "Something about a date with Lizzy and not knowing what to wear." I pecked his lips. "You know how girls are." 

JJ followed me into the house. "Of course, I just wish you had picked up the phone because I thought someone had taken you or something." He wrapped his arms around my waist. "Tell me, darling, did you ever figure out who sent the sheep's liver?"

Suddenly I regretted not taking Lizzy's advice about telling JJ about the liver. He didn't need to know that I had received the sheep's liver besides it didn't involve him really. 

"No I haven't." I said, shaking my head. "I don't want to talk about that right now, JJ, I want you to take me upstairs."

He picked me up. "Upstairs?"

"Yes please."