Someday, Somewhere, Somehow

Prologue

 

Harley
     

      I could hear the sirens behind me as I sprinted to the open gate in front of me. 
     “I need help!” I yelled into my phone. I had somehow managed to dial my ex’s number between all the chaos and how much my hands were shaking. 
     “Where are you?” he asked, he sounded puzzled and groggy but that was nothing different, even though he should be up for school anyway. 
     “Andrew parkway in the junkyard, I messed up this time Pace…”my words started to scramble together as I desperately tried not to cry. 
     “Are you okay?” Pacey asked, by now I could tell he was getting worried, but if I started to explain any more over the phone I would defiantly start to cry. 
     “I’m alright, just come and get me please!” I could hear the sirens fading away which meant i was safe for now at least.    “I just wanna go home!”
     “I’m on my way, everything is going to be okay!” with that he hung up and I crouched behind an old refrigerator box. I pulled my legs up to my chest and started to cry, I couldn’t hold the tears back anymore. 

                                            *                    *                  *

Kairi
    
      “Have you seen or heard from Pacey since yesterday?” I asked Skyler as we boarded the bus.
     “Not since school ended yesterday…why did something happen?”She led us to our normal seats in the back of the bus and then turned her full attention to me. 
     “Not that I’m aware of he just hasn’t talked to me since last night when he texted good night to me, he usually says good morning to me too.”
     “I’m sure it’s nothing; don’t get too worked up about it.” She shrugged her shoulders “he is just being a typical guy, guys are weird.”
     “Do you think that maybe something bad happened, I mean last time he didn’t text me good morning he had been rushed to the hospital with Pneumonia at like three in the morning.”
     “Kairi,” Skyler turned and put a hand on my shoulder “Just relax, please, if it is nothing you are going to be very embarrassed you acted like this” she squeezed my shoulder lightly then let her hand fall back onto her lap    “And plus you don’t act like this when he is around other girls and you even know about it so why act like this if he doesn’t text you?”
     “Because if he’s with another girl and I know about it then it doesn’t matter because I trust him anyway and I know he is safe, considering I haven’t heard from him how am I supposed to know he is alright?”
     “Good point,” Skyler shrugged but I’m sure he’s fine. “Don’t worry okay!” I gave her the look like I’ll try and turned my attention to the window. I tried to take a deep breath as I watched the trees and houses pass by outside the window, my head was spinning. We had been dating each other for almost two years I knew something was wrong, I got that feeling inside my gut I thought to myself as I allowed my eyes to close I just hope he calls me later!
                                                   *                         *                     *    

Pacey

     It had taken me forever to find my car keys but once I made it to my car after tons of questions from my mother I drove straight to Ben’s house and pulled him along with me. We drove to Andrew’s parkway and Ben decided he would wait in the car to give me some alone time with Harley to see if I could figure out a little more about what is going on. 

     Despite all the time it took me to find my car keys it took my no time at all to find Harley she was crouched behind an old refrigerator box. Without talking I crouched down in front of her and placed my hands on her knees. She lifted her head to look at me and just looking at her tear stained face broke my heart. 
     “Your okay now I’m here!” and with that I grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet as I stood up too. She tried to smile but she was just so upset she gave up so I reached over and pulled her into a hug. Then I pulled away and brushed her strawberry blond hair out of her eyes so I could see her face.
     “Let’s go home… Bennett is in the car waiting for us!” With that I grabbed her hand and squeezed it lightly as we made our way to the car. 
                                                       *                   *                  *     

Skyler

     By the time we got to school Kairi wasn’t any better she had managed to calm down a little bit but when we entered the building and realized Bennett wasn’t there either then all hope was lost. She started on about how Bennett knew and she didn’t and well yah all hope and concentration was lost for her today.
     “Is she okay?” Conner asked me as he came up behind in the hallway. Kairi was fishing feverishly inside her locker, what she was looking for I couldn’t even being to tell you. 
     “To tell you the truth, I really don’t know.” I managed to say as I pulled the books I would need for my first three classes out of my locker and placed them into my backpack. “Pacey never texted her this morning and that’s rare I guess and Bennett isn’t here either so yah she’s a lost cause today I think!”
“Let me try,” Conner exclaimed lightly tapping Kairi on the shoulder and she turned around startled. “Sorry I didn’t mean to scare you, are you okay?” Kairi shrugged she looked like she was going to start to cry. Conner reached over and pulled her into a hug. “I’m sure everything is fine, I wouldn’t worry yourself too much we have a test in Bio lab today and I wouldn’t want my partner to fall apart.”
     “I’m okay,” Kairi said pulled away as she reached up to brush her hair behind her ears “thanks” she pulled her back pack off the floor and over her shoulders. “I just…” she began but cut herself off “never mind!”
     “No its okay, what’s up?” Conner said trying to get Kairi to continue as I got the rest of my books out of my locker, I could see them talking next to me, Conner is amazing when it comes to comforting people and getting people to tell him things. It’s creepy though sometimes I think he knows all of us better then we know ourselves. 
     “It’s just… I don’t know… I get the feeling that something is very wrong!” With that I walked over to where they were standing 
     “Just try and think of something else, he will probably call you tonight and explain everything.” I said starting to walk to class and they both turned and followed me. Kairi was playing with her phone when she came up next to me. “Who are you texting?”
     “Pacey, I’m just ganna send him a quick text.” I rolled my eyes
     “Well finish up because the bell is going to ring and when it does if a teacher sees your phone it’s gone.” And as if on cue the bell sounded and I turned and gave Kairi a look and she smiled at me
     “I’m done,” 
     “Yah sure,” I rolled my eyes a smiled spread across my face.

     “Oh shut up Skyler,” Kairi giggled pushing me into our first class with Conner right at my heels just smiling away; even though he is gay he still doesn’t get girls what so ever.

                                                             *                   *                  *     

 

Bennett

     When I saw them I climbed over the seats so she could sit in the front with Pacey, it broke me inside to see her so sad. This was the first time I’ve actually seen her in four years; she had grown a lot but despite that she still had that pin straight strawberry blond hair and those green eyes that gave away so much without her even having to talk. She was like a sister to me, well she is my sister but just through my mom, we don’t share the same dad, but she lived with our mom just like i did too. That is how Pacey met her though, we were best friends in elementary school and he use to come over all the time, Harley lived with us until she ran away then no one knew where she was. My mom and her dad sent out a search part but she was never found, we though she was dead, until this morning when Pacey sent me a message saying she was here!
     

     The ride home was a quite one though Pacey had the radio on but it was turned down low and i don’t think anyone was even listening. I could see the look on his face from where I was sitting he didn’t really know what he was suppose to be doing or saying sort of like how I felt. With one had though Pacey was holding tight to Harley’s hand, they had only let go enough time to get in the car, and put their seat belts on, the other hand though was gripped tight to the steering wheel so tight his knuckles were turning white. He was scared I could tell, we had no idea where Harley had been or what she was dragging us into, but either way we would both be here for her. She needed us the most right now.
     ”Alright,” I said when we pulled up to the house about fifteen minutes later, “Do you want me to run in and see if the cost is clear and then he we can all go up to my room and figure out what we are all going to do?”
     ”Sure,” Pacey shrugged putting the car in park on the side of the street and turning to look at Harley and me. “Just like come to the door and give me a nod, I don’t see your mom’s car so unless it’s in the garage we are in the clear anyway.” With that I got out of the car and ran into the house, there was no way I was letting those two stay in the car alone for that long, if they did I would have no idea what is going on because knowing Harley like I do she would spill everything to Pacey then be too upset to tell me. Pacey would then stand up for her and say she doesn’t have to because he hates to see her upset and I would be left in the dark just like old times. So, I did a quick sweep of the house and the garage “no car” I whisper to myself as I ran to the front door and waved and as if they were waiting for my signal they opened their doors like simultaneously and came into the house. 
     ”We have about three hours to come up with a plan?” Pacey said coming through the front door with Harley right at his kneels, surprisingly they were not holding hands anymore “We can either tell your mom, or not tell her and figure out something else.”
     ”Well what does Harley want to do?” I asked turning to her and closing the front door. Harley just shrugged, i hadn’t heard her say a word yet, but this is Harley she closes up when she gets scared or upset and won’t let people in. “Well Harley we need to figure something out….we need a plan,” I shrugged not wanting to make her cry but we needed answers “Do you want to tell mom or not?”
     ”I don’t know,” Harley cried it’s like the tears where just waiting in her eyes as they started to fall slowly down her face “I don’t know what I want to do, I just want to take everything back!” Pacey just looked at me as Harley leaned into him and he put his arms around her. What are we suppose to do? I mouthed to him I’ve got no ideahe mouthed back I’m as clueless as you!  “Oh shut up Skyler,” Kairi giggled pushing me into our first class with Conner right at my heels just smiling away; even though he is gay he still doesn’t get girls what so ever.
                                                       

 

 

Chapter 1

 

Pacey

    
      Later that night I called Kairi, it probably wasn’t the best timing, I mean Ben and I had not got a chance to get Harley to talk. We spent the last like six hours trying to find a place for her to stay until we could find a way to tell their mother she was back and on top of all that we still had yet to figure out how much trouble she is in despite the fact that she seemed to be running from the cops. But this was as good a chance as any, she was going to be pissed at me anyway because i didn’t tell her, mine as well get it over with!
     ”Hey,” I heard her say on the other line, she didn’t seem mad yet just worried which i guess is a good thing but i hoped it lasts through this conversation “What happened to you today?”
     ”Harley is back!” I began “We don’t know why or what is up but she called me early this morning before school and Ben and i went to get her!”
     ”Why?” Here we go my brain began to rush, if you didn’t know I dated Harley for a long long time before I dated Kairi and when she left we never really broke up this is a sore spot in Kairi’s and my relationship. I love Kairi so much more then Harley but I still care a lot about Harley, she’s like a sister to me! 
     ”She in trouble Kairi, a lot of trouble and she needs mine and Ben’s help!”
     ”Why didn’t you tell me? I can help,” it seemed like she was going to start to cry but was trying to hold it back. 
     ”It will only make things more complicated but I need to help her, alone!” This was so hard to do but it had to be done. I think she knew where the conversation was going because it didn’t take long before i heard the sniffled on the other line. “Do you want me to come over?”
     ”Yes please,” she managed to say “I love you!”
     ”I love you too Kairi and i always will, I’ll be right over okay let me just tell my mom I’m going out.”
     Slowly i pulled my car into her driveway and made my way to the door, she was going to make this as hard as possible for me but I knew this is what had to happen, I need my head clear to help Harley completely. I don’t want to break up with Kairi but Harley right now needs all my attention, Kairi will be alright I know her well she is stronger then she thinks she is! Once I rang the door bell it didn’t take long before Kairi opening the door and I saw her beautiful face. Her curly brown hair was pulled back in a pony tail and her eyes blue eyes were so glassy i could just tell this wouldn’t be easy to explain. Before I could even begin to talk though she threw her arms around me and laid her head on my shoulder dam I’m going to miss this, i love her hugs so much i wrapped my arms around her and pulled her closer to me laying my head on her head. I allowing the scent of her raspberry shampoo to flow into my body this might be the last time for a while. After a few minutes of silence i pulled her from me and led her over to the swing in front of her house, I sat down and then I pulled her down on top of me. 
       ”If you’re mad you can get mad okay? But you know why I have to do this right?” I tried sympathetically to make conversation and she nodded her head in return. “I need to help Harley and right now she needs my undivided attention.” I reached up to stroke her check and wipe away a stray tear.
     ”Do you like Harley again?” I let my hand fall into my lap; I knew she was going to ask this question.

     ”No, you know I would tell you something like that!” I reach up again to grab a stray strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “I love you so much Kairi.” I said as I let my hand fall back onto my lap again, this time though to grab onto hers. “Harley is like a sister to me though, and she needs my help.” Kairi just looked at me, she understood though I could see it in her eyes.
     ”I love you,” she whispered

     ”I love you too,” I whispered ”I just need a break okay, once i figure out what is going on with her we can go back to us okay?” It was really hard to do this she looked so broken and sad.
     ”Well do what you need to do to help Harley, I’ll always be around!” I watched a smile form on her lips and i couldn’t help but smile too. 
     ”There is your smile, now keep that okay that’s one thing i love about you!” and with that i leaned in to kiss her and she kissed me back as I wrapped my hands around her waist and she put her hands around my neck. “I don’t know how much trouble Harley is in but I’ll do my best to keep in touch okay, again I’m sorry.”    
     ”I know,” She said she still looked sad but at least she understood and that meant more to me than anything, i couldn’t deal with two girls that meant this much to me at the same time my head would spin. We watched as Kairi’s front porch light turned on and that was my queue that it was time for Kairi to come inside. It had managed to get pretty dark outside anyway so i should be getting ready to go home. As she stood up she grabbed my head and led me over to the door step. “Bye,” she said hugging me tight.                     
     ”Bye,” I whispered in her ear and turned my head to kiss her one last time. Are lips meet and i couldn’t help but feel that part of my life was slipping away but like I said I had to do this, for Harley’s sake!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 2

 

Skyler

 

     It felt like i had been sleeping for only a few hours when my alarm went off, i reached over with one hand struggling with the light to keep my eyes open. Finally managing to shut off the alarm i sat up and opened my eyes completely. Last night had been a long night i though as i looked over at Harley all spread out on cot my mom had set up in my room for her. She looked so peaceful while she was sleeping; it was a great change from how scared and frightened she looked last night though when Bennett and Pacey showed up on my doorstep trying to find a place for her to stay while they figured out what to do. 
     ”Hey Harley,” I called trying to see if she was awake or not. Sure enough she was and she opened her eyes and sat up too. “How did you sleep?”
     ”Okay,” she shrugged. She didn’t seem like the person to talk much, Bennett said she talks all the time but I had only heard like three words out of her since she arrive. She was probably scared though, I don’t know what type of trouble she is in but I was arrested once and I can tell you I was petrified so I can just imagine how scared she must be.
     ”Are you okay?” I asked as I watched her reached up to rub her head
     ”Yah, just a little headache, I’ll be alright,”
     ”Do you want some Tylenol,” I tried sympathetically, trying to make her feel as comfortable here as possible.
     ”Sure,” she shrugged again this time I think I saw the hint of a smile on her face which was nice to see.
     ”I’ll get you some cloths too, my mom always over buys stuff so I’ve got tons to cloths and stuff that I’ve never even worn.”
     ”Well thank you,” She said getting up off the bed and making her way to the bathroom door “If I took a quick shower do you have a towel I could borrow?”
     ”Yah, there are about five in the cabinet under the sink you can use whichever one you want…since it’s my bathroom they are all mine anyway so it doesn’t matter.” I smiled “oh and use whatever you want in there and for the shower just turn on the water and pull up the dial on the tub facet.”
     ”Thanks, I really appreciate it” She exclaimed as she disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door as I began searching through my closet trying to find something that would look really cute on Harley. In no time i came across this purple and blue flowered shirt and a pair of tan shorts with some frilly lace on the bottom of them. I laid those on her bed along with a cute pair of flip flops and a package of unopened under cloths my mom had given me to give to her last night. Then i slipped into a pair of clean cloths, brushed my hair and made my bed along with hers. Within about twenty minutes from when we got up we were both dressed, hair done, teeth brushed and headed downstairs for breakfast.
     ”Good Morning girls, I wasn’t sure what Harley liked” my mom said gesturing to the table “So i made a bunch of different thing” Harley looked at me and i shrugged that’s my mom for you i thought. We both pulled up a seat at the table and helped ourselves to the blueberry and strawberry pancakes, toast, scrambled eggs, sausages and hash browns that filled the middle of the table between us. “Do you two want anything to drink? Orange Juice, Apple Juice…. Coffee?” My mom asked making her way over to the table with her coffee mug in hand, she had probably already drunk at least one cup and was making her way through another.
     ”Orange juice is alright,” Harley spoke turning to look at me when she said it
     ”I’ll have the same,” I said as I watched my mom put her coffee cup down at the table and walk over to the counter where she poured us each a glass of orange juice.
     ”How did you sleep Harley?” She asked walking back over to the table with the cups and placing them in front of us. Then she pulled out a chair and sat down at the table with us beginning to help herself to some breakfast.
     ”Alright,” she shrugged again “Thank you for your hospitality”
     ”Oh your welcome honey, it’s always nice to have more people in the house.”
     ”Where is Conner?” I managed to ask before my mom asked any more questions to try and break the awkwardness of all this.
     ”He wasn’t feeling to great earlier this morning so dad took him to work with him,”
     ”Oh,” I said picking up my now empty plate and walking over to the sink. My dad is a stock broker, so I’ve got no idea what Conner was going to do there unless he was just going to lie on the couch in my dad’s office and sleep? I mean we aren’t five anymore, try eighteen; he could have stayed home alone? Oh well I’m not getting into it. ”Do i have to go to school then?” I changed the subject “Because what is Harley going to do?”
     ”I already called the school too and said you will be bring someone in with you, they said it’s alright she can just sit in on your classes.” My mom looked at Harley “Is that okay?” she said putting a comforting hand on Harley shoulder.
     ”Am yah, sure” Harley shrugged again as she got up and came over to where i was standing at the sink.
     ”Conner Benson?” Harley whispered to me and I nodded “How do you know Conner?” 
     I put my plate down in the dishwasher along with Harley’s “Mom we are going to school ok?” I stalled as I searched my brain for a way to explain this, i didn’t expect her to ask me any questions she had been so quite
     ”Ok,” my mom waved goodbye “Have a great day at school girls, I’ll see you when i get home from work later tonight.” With that we made our way to the living room i grabbed my backpack and opened the front door as Harley and i began our long walk down the street to the bus stop.
     ”So, about Conner and I…” I began “My mom got pregnant with me out of wedlock and when my dad figured out she was pregnant he left, I don’t know where he is, and I’ve never met him and I don’t care too?” I shrugged and turned to her to see if she was following me “But anyway, when I ten was my mom met Conner’s dad and well yeah they got married and have been together ever since. How do you know Conner?”
     ”Oh,” She looked surprised “Family friends.”

     “Funny, he’s never mentioned you before? A lot of talk went on after you ran away Conner just seemed to withdraw himself from it? I didn’t think…”

     “Yah, it’s a long story…just forget it I was just curious,” Harley cut me off
     ”Yeah you learn new things every day, that’s for sure.” I said sarcastically but i don’t think Harley caught it which I was kinda grateful for. With that though, we rounded the corner to the bus stop and I was surprised to see Kairi wasn’t there, a part of me wondered if it was because of Harley? I knew Pacey told me last night he was going to break up with her for right now so he could concentrate completely on Harley. I hadn’t heard from Kairi though since yesterday at school and Pacey left my house around 6ish last night and he said he was going to call her as soon as he got home, so he had to have talked to her around like 6:30-7 at least. I don’t know, all I do know is that this is getting very complicated! 

 

 

Chapter 3

 

Conner

      I spent the whole afternoon in my dad’s office lying on the coach. I think after lunch when my dad checked on me and noticed I didn’t have a fever he caught on but he didn’t say anything, he just went back to work and let me go back to sleep. I was glad he didn’t ask though I was so tired I hadn’t slept all night because I was too busy thinking what would happen if my parents figured out what Harley did and the fact that I was involved. 
     After about a few more hours my dad finally decided it was time to go home for dinner before my mom had a cow over him not being home for dinner again this week. We spent the whole ride home in silence though, despite the radio which I think was starting to make me sick it was so load, I think my dad is going deaf.  Once we reached home though we walked into my mom setting the table for dinner which eliminated the tension a little between my dad and I.
     ”How are you feeling?” she asked placing down the plates and the utensils
     ”Better,” I shrugged and looked up at my dad who gave me a look and turned to walk into his office “He had a tough day at work?” I said trying to change the subject
     ”I know,” my mom said “he called me at lunch to fill me in on how you where doing”
     ”Oh, ok” I said hoping he hadn’t told her i was never sick to begin with
     ”He said your fever broke so if you’re hungry food might be a good idea, considering you haven’t eaten since lunch yesterday?” My mom said solemnly as she turned her back on me and walked into the kitchen again.
     ”Sorry, i was busy last night,” I exclaimed as she came back out of the kitchen with cups “Where is Skyler and Harley anyway?”
     ”In the living room, they are watching TV and doing homework… “She paused to look at me “Your getting pail again… are you okay?”
     ”Yah I just got really lightheaded,” I could feel my palms starting to get really sweaty too and I was starting to get really cold. “I’m just ganna go into the living room and try to relax.” My mom nodded in my direction and turned to walk back into the kitchen.
     I couldn’t let my mom see me this nervous i thought to myself right now it could pass off as a sickness since I had actually managed to make myself sick this morning out of being so nervous but at some point they would find out. Why couldn’t Harley just go back home with Ben where she belongs I moaned to myself as i rounded the corner into the living room and without looking up at Skyler and Harley i plopped down into the recliner. 
    “You look horrible?” Sklyer commented 
    “Thanks, that’s comforting,” I glared at her “What are you watching anyway?”
    “I don’t know just whatever is on…oh,” she piped in “Have you met Harley?” Harley slowly lifted her eyes from the piece of paper she was feverishly writing on in her lap.
    “As a mater in fact yes,” Skyler looked at me, it gave me chills it was as if she was trying to see inside my mind it was creepy
    “But you’ve never met her?”
    “I have…just before i met you.” I threw in before she could ask why. Skyler hates when she is left out of the loop that I picked up on very fast when our parents got married the summer of our last year in middle school. The same time Harley ran away! I looked at Harley and our eyes met but she quickly broke the chain and casted her eyes back to the piece of paper she was writing on. I sighed and turned my eyes to the TV, why did she have to come here!
                                                        *               *               *

 

Harley

 

     Seeing Conner for the first time in like ten years is really awkward but if we are going to be living together till i could find out how to tell my mom what was going on then we need to learn to work this out. I just hope, with how bad he looked that he didn’t give anything away or we would both be in a tough place. He can only ploy this nervousness off as a sick card for so long before his parents catch on. 

    “Dinner is on,” There mom finally called from the dinning room and I watched Conner flinch at the thought of food. Sklyer jumped up beside me and waved me on with her.

    “I’ll be there in a sec i just want to finish this up,” I stalled trying to get some free time with Conner

    “Alright,” Sklyer shrugged “But, if you’re not out at the table in like fifteen minutes my mom might come get you.” I nodded in her direction as she turned and left the room.

    “What’s up?” I said as soon as Skyler disappeared ”Am I making you sick?” 
    “No,” he whispered not even turning to look at me “I am sick!”
    “Oh yah….” I said sarcastically “and I’m dying, I’m serious Conner? I’m worried about you?”
    “You’re worried about me, what about yourself?” Conner turned to me “We can’t play this off that we did nothing wrong Harley, we did do something wrong, ten years ago when this all started.”
    “I’m sorry,” I tried to apologize reaching for his hand but he quickly pulled it away and stood up backing away from me
    “Sorry means you won’t do it again, and sometimes i doubt that? This Thursday you messed up Harley, you went too far and I can’t sit around and watch anymore!” I could tell he was trying to keep his voice down but it seemed like it was becoming a struggle for him as I watched the anger and sadness grow in his eyes. But I couldn’t bring myself to do or say anything, my feet where glued to the floor and my head was spinning. “Thursday night you went too far and took me along with you, now we are both in trouble, and I don’t know how much longer I can refrain from telling someone! I’m not use to this! This isn’t me!” He turned and slammed his fist so hard into the wall a hole erupted and the sound echoed through the house. Conner just stood there stunned as he drew his clenched fist back and noticed the blood on his knuckles and the whole in the wall. His parents and Skyler came running in and just stood in the doorway without speaking they just kept looking from me to Conner to the wall like they were trying to put all the pieces together. Conner finally coming out of his daze turned and looked at me and then I watched his eyes scan over to where his parents and Skyler were.
     ”Why are you all looking at me?” He tried to control his anger but you could still hear it in his voice. Then when no one answered him he pushed past his mother in the doorway and ran up the stairs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 4

 

Bennett
    

     ”Why do you say that?” Kairi smiled jumping off the bed and staring at me. We had been lying on my bed in my room since school got out, talking and watching movies on my TV like we use to do when we were younger. This time wasn’t like when we were younger though, we where older now, thing where more complicated. I turned and looked at Kairi and rolled my eyes, she was so dramatic some times.
     ”I’m a guy,” I shrugged a smirk spreading across my face as I patted the bed next to me trying to get her to lay back down. “I know we think!”
      “You really think he likes her?”
      “Well in a way….” I hesitated “yes, but that isn’t to say he doesn’t like you” I added quickly “I mean he loves you I don’t think he loves Harley, he is just confused!”
     ”Confused huh?” Kairi said sitting back down on the bed and turned to me. I propped my head up on my elbow and looked at her because just by the look in her eyes i knew she wasn’t done talking just yet. “It’s just, i don’t know, guys are so weird….you’re so weird!”
     ”Hey,” I shouted hitting her playfully and watching a smile spread across her face again. “People are not meant to be figured out; sometimes i scratch my head myself…” I stopped to think about how to phrase what i want to say next. “Pace will come around, I promise,” I reached over to put a comforting hand on her leg. ”But for right now, let him experiment… it might be good for both of you!” 
     ”Yah, I guess so,” Kairi shrugged, “let’s go back to watching movies.”
     ”Good idea!” I said rolling over to hit the remote on the TV to begin playing the movie again when I felt my phone vibrate next to me.
     ”Who is it?” Kairi asked reaching over me to grab my cell and look at the contacts “It’s Conner?” She said confused
     ”Conner?” I shrugged taking the phone from her and answering it. “Hey, what’s up?” I rolled off the bed and walked toward the window I could feel Kairi’s curious eyes on my back. “Are you okay?” I asked when he was done telling his story about what just happened at his house. “Alright, we can meet you somewhere; i mean i have Kairi with me but…” I trailed off as he interrupted me. “Ok…bye.” 
    “We are going to get Conner!” I said to Kairi making my way over to the TV to shut it off. 
    “Everything alright?” She looked at me, confusion and fear written all over her face. 
    “He’s scared and confessed, just like i know you are with this whole situation… just put your shoes back on ok!” I exclaimed “All this drama we knew would happen sometime we just didn’t know it would hit this hard…Conner’s ran away from his house, i don’t know where he is but we are going to go find him and figure out what’s up!”
     ”Ok,” I said quickly slipping into my shoes and we both walked down the stairs to his living room
     ”Mom, I’m going out alright!” My mom lifted her eyes from her work desk and smiled at me 
     ”Alright, be home by 11” she said turning back to her work as me and Kairi walked toward the door “Oh Ben… if Kairi wants to sleep over she can it’s a Friday night” I turned and looked at Kairi
     ”It’s up to you,” I shrugged “We can sleep in the living room and watch movies like we always do,”
     ”Okay it beats going home?” I said “We can maybe invite Conner?”
     ”Oh that’s a good idea…. mom” 
     ”Yah,” she said getting up this time and walking over to the door with us 
     ”Could Conner sleep over too?”
     ”I don’t see why not, but you are sleeping in the living room, no rooms anymore you’re too big for that!” Kairi and I looked at each other and smiled 
     ”Ok thanks I’ll invite him.” With that we opened the door and walked out onto the porch 
     ”Here by 11 then, all of you!”
     ”Works for me,” I said turning around and waving to her then turning back to Kairi “Now lets go find Conner!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 5

 

Pacey

     “Pacey time for dinner,” my mom yelled from the door “You have been playing long enough!” She was referring to me playing basket ball; I’ve been outside since I got home from school. I just can’t seem to make a single basket, the only thing i keep thinking about is how much i hurt Kairi last night, but Harley needed me a lot and i had to be there for her this time. I can’t do to her what i did last time, she will never forgive me, she needed me back in eighth grade and I wasn’t there. My head started racing again.
     ”I’m not hungry!” I yelled back, my mom had probably closed the door already but i didn’t care, I tried again for another basket. This time it bounced off the rim and rebounded back at me, for the split seconds that i look away it hit me square in the face. “Dam it!” I screamed into the air picking up the basket ball and throwing it against the wall to the garage. This time the ball barley missed me and rolled to my feet, I kicked it away and crumbled into the driveway. “I can’t pick two girls,” i whispered to myself “Why can I just not hurt either one of them.” Kairi’s face that night and Harley’s face the night I found her at Andrew’s parkway they both looked so scared and confused but i knew deep down that I couldn’t help both of them. I had been there for Kairi for those two years we dated; now it was my chance to be there for Harley. For right now i think Kairi can take care of herself. I had just started to get myself together when i felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and there was Harley.
     ”I think I’m ready,” she whispered
                                                      *                          *                        *


Kairi
I sat in the passenger seat as we drove around Conner’s neighborhood trying to find him. It was Pacey’s neighborhood too so it brought back a lot of memories. There was the little playground at the end of the street where we use to take his little sister Jordan down to play. She is six now and well into first grade which still amazes me; she just grew up so fast! Then there was Tilton Cemetery, where we once spent the night in, at first it was amazing we laid in the grass together gazed up at the stars, it was amazing. That didn’t last long though by the time it was about twelve at night Pacey decided Ghost Stories would be best suited for the occasion, needless to say we ended up running home and spending the rest of the night in Pacey’s backyard. His mom must have known we would never last there; she never gave us a tent when we went to the cemetery just sleeping bags, however in the backyard she had already set up the tent. I was surprised though that she trusted us that much thought to be in a tent alone with each other. I mean we were two sixteen year olds, not saying we did anything, we just slept next to each other which was nice because I could feel his heart beat against mine back as I fell asleep. 
     ”He isn’t here!” Bennett said breaking into my thoughts “Do you know of anywhere he would go?” I turned to look at him. “Are you okay?” He asked turning to look at me and noticing the tear stains on my cheeks. 
     ”Yah, I’m fine” I said reaching up to brush the tears away “He might be in Sandy Park,” Bennett looked at me, he knew i wasn’t okay but he dismissed it and nodded taking his next right and heading in the direction of Sandy Park. I didn’t know for sure that that was where Conner would be but there was another memory, a special one that Conner shared with Pacey, Bennett and I that happened there. 
     It was a nice autumn day with a nice breeze and everything. Pacey, Bennett and I were walking to Sandy Park to go walk in the woods like we use to do on nice days like this. Pacey had said there was a new family moving in down the street, he heard they had a girl and a boy our age, so Pacey thought that maybe we could just check it out. So, instead of taking our first right off of his street we kept walking and sure enough at the house on the end there was a moving truck. A young boy taking stuff out of the van, Pacey ran over and greeted him and we talked for a little bit, then we learned that his name was Conner. We never met Skyler that day, I don’t exactly remember why, but we invited Conner to come with us so we could show him around the neighborhood. He nodded a smile spreading across his face, he asked his dad and off we went. Once at Sandy Park, Pacey and Bennett showed him the rope swing into the creek, and the old make shit tire swing some kids had designed way before any of us had even discovered it the first time when we were like eight. With Conner close by Pacey, Bennett and I decided to go deeper into the woods then we had ever gone before. We trudged through the leaves; i mean there was a path we had just never decided to go this far into the woods we usually just stayed at the creek. But, this time we decided to go farther. I’m pretty sure Conner had never done anything like this before the excitement on his face was like that of a little kid at Christmas. We rounded a bend and there in front of us was this huge tree house. And I mean huge, it had a slide and a rope ladder and a balcony. There were no houses around here which means someone had to have lugged all the stuff here and built it. It looked like it hadn’t been used in years. Being curious ten year olds at the time we quickly became attached to the place, we called it “KPBCF” also known as “Kairi’s, Pacey’s, Bennett’s and Conner’s Fort” we where ten that was all we could come up with.
     ”Your thinking about the club house aren’t you?” Bennett said again interrupting my thoughts “You heard the burned down a few months ago right? There was an article on it in the newspaper, i guess someone set a match to it, they still don’t know who.” I nodded. I had heard about it and I knew who did it too, but Bennett didn’t know so that wasn’t something i was about to talk to him about. “Well we are here if we want to get out and look around in the woods before it gets too dark outside.” Again I nodded to him and we took the flashlights he keeps in his car just in case, that was always Bennett, he is always prepared for everything.