Undeniable Secret

Undeniable Secret

By Shannon Zinda

Copyright 2012 Shannon Zinda

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form. It cannot be used or reproduced electronically or mechanically, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems unless given written consent by the author except where permitted by law.

The characters and events in this book are fictitious and of the authors imagination. Any similarities to real persons living or dead are coincidental and not intended by the author.

Acknowledgements

I'd like to take some time to quickly thank those involved in my writing process. I'd like to first thank my Mom, Debi. Mom, without your encouragement and support over the years I would never have kept up my writing. Thank you so much for believing and loving what I wrote - no matter how horrible. I love you. Thanks to my Dad, Mark, for putting up with my babbling of excitement as I wrote the book. You are an awesome Dad. I love you. Thank you to my Husband, Conrad, for believing I could do it and for helping me in the process. Without your knowledge on the computer I don't know where I would be. Thanks to my Cousin, Tiana, and my best friend Melissa for your love and support. Maybe we can get our book wrote together! Thank you to my daughter and my god son for inspiring me daily. You two are truly amazing and without you both in my life I really don’t know where I would be. And thank you to the rest of my family and friends for your support and love. I hope you have enjoyed my work and hope to write a squeal to this one! So stay tuned! Love you all!

Chapter One

Ella

It’s always been this way. I’ve never known anything else. My mom only keeps me around for the child support and the benefits that she gets off of the state, not to mention, she’s absolutely out of her mind. She has bipolar disorder, or at least I think so. One minute she’s fine and the next she just snaps. Usually it’s towards my dad.

My dad; now at least he's stable. He and my step mom have been married for 14 years. They are both amazing parents. Why the court system can’t see that is beyond me. They won’t listen to me or my father. We both have tried a number of times and now my dad is in debt. I’m surprised my step mom doesn’t blame me. But she sees I’d be better off with them. I love her. She’s an amazing woman. Why couldn’t she be my mom?

All of this you’d figure would be number one on my mind. It’s not. He is. That’s right. I fell in love. I should be happy right? Jump up and down and shout it to everyone around me? I AM IN LOVE! Nope. I can’t. I have to keep it my own secret. You know why?

Damon’s my best friend.

Yep, that’s right. He’s my best friend. I’ve known him since he was born; I was a year old at the time. He’s one year younger than me but he doesn’t act like it and maybe that’s because he’s in my grade. We’re both going to be seniors next year. He skipped a whole grade and he’s a freaking genius. He’s gorgeous and he’s the only one I can turn to. That’s why, right there. He’s all I’ve got to spill my whole heart out to. He knows me inside and out. That is except for one secret. I love him. And not best friend forever love but the kind of love that I cannot get away from. The kind of love that makes me burn when he kisses my cheek. The love that makes me jealous when he’s with another girl. The love that when he says he wants to fix everything, I believe him.

And I remember the day that I finally admitted to myself that I was in love with him. I can’t stop thinking about that day.

A month earlier

He’s corrupted your mind Ella! My mom screams at me. Her round copper colored eyes, that would be very captivating if they weren't so full of hate, stare menacingly at me.

I roll my eyes as I continue folding my clothes, Shut it mom. Not everything is based on Dad. I just want to get away with my friends for the summer. That’s all

You’re going to come back. You hear me? She grabs my arm and spins me around. I'm a bit taller than her, getting my height from my father but that doesn't intimidate her.

I yank my arm out of her grasp, Don’t ever touch me again. I’m going to be 17. I’m not a little girl anymore. You can’t control me like you used to. I hate living here with you. Why don’t you just let me leave? I’ve only got one year until I’m gone anyway. I shoot daggers at her with my eyes. Only problem is my mother never steps down from a challenge. She moves her round short body closer to mine.

You’re just like him. Your father is doing this to you, do you realize that? He’s making you think I don’t need you, or that I don’t love you. Ella, I do. I need you here. Without you I won’t have anything to live on. Don’t you see that? She seethes in my face, her breath smelling of cigarettes and liquor.

So that’s why you need me then, I stepped up, straightening my slender frame, facing her challenge, Money… I meet her eyes and laugh, You’re pathetic. I thought you said you stopped smoking and drinking Mom, You reek. That’s when she hit me. I wasn't expecting it. I fall back onto the bed and she just stands there shaking her head with an evil smirk to her thin lips.

You tell anyone I hit you, I’ll make sure it looks like you’re the problem. She says straightening her glasses, The court already believes it. It won’t be hard. And your fathers too dense and broke to do anything about it, isn’t he? Walking to the door she opens it, steps out and looks back at me as I hold my hand to my cheek that I would figure will be black and blue by how hard she hit me. You’re staying in tonight. She says flipping her mousy short brown hair over her shoulder before shutting the door. Thankfully I look more like my dad.

She does this a lot; hit me. Sad thing is when I act up she doesn’t just take it out on me; she takes it out on my father too. I hear her in the next room calling him and yelling profanities about how he’s a horrible father and that’s why I’m the way I am.

I look around my room. It's pretty bare with a tall white dresser in one corner and a matching small desk in the other. My bed that has no headboard is smashed against the wall with the window dressed in blue and white sheets and a matching comforter. The walls are plain per my mothers request of not ruining them and there is a closet next to the door. There is ugly brown carpet throughout the room that makes me want to vomit whenever I look at it. Nothing in the room expresses who I am and is completely opposite from my room at my dad's house. I grab an overnight bag from my closet as my mom finishes her conversation and tells my sister she’s going out for the night. Before leaving she locks my door to my bedroom from the outside without any explanation. She sure is dense. We live on the bottom level of an apartment complex. I can get out.

I pull out my phone and dial my friend Lexis number.

Hey Lex, can you drive me to Damon’s house? I ask as I shove clothing into my bag.

Sure El, the witch is letting you see D?

I sigh, Not exactly, can you just come quick? I ask as I zip my bag.

Sure, on my way. Be there in 5. I end the conversation, slip my phone in my back pocket, and climb onto my bed. I push the window open and pop the screen out and place it in my closet, just in case she peeks in here tonight. It’ll be too dark and she’ll be too drunk to see if I’m in bed but she’d notice the screen to the window lying against my bed. I climb up and throw my bag out the window then climb out myself. Luckily I changed into jeans when I got home from dance class it makes it easier to climb things than a skirt does. I push my window closed and consider tying my long, wavy, dark blonde hair that falls down to mid back into a pony tail but decide against it figuring it’ll hide the mark on my cheek. I pull my long sleeve gray v-neck t shirt down and pull my bag over my shoulder as I make my way to the end of the block when Lexi pulls up in her blue 2012 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder convertible. Girls got it made.

Hey Lex, I say and throw my bag into the back seat making sure when I get in my hair conceals my cheek that is unfortunately facing her. At least it’s dark.

Hey. She says and pulls away as I shut the door. So what’s the plan? She asks. Lexi is very slim, tall and very blonde. She has high cheek bones and piercing blue eyes. She looks like your typical spoiled rich girl. Only she’s the sweetest, most caring friend you could ask for. I adjust in my seat and get comfortable after I buckle in.

Not sure. I say with a shrug and turn to look out the window.

You know Mrs. Rynold is going to ask why your there. She says.

That’s why I’ll make sure Marissa doesn’t see me. I turn to her and smirk.

You are one sneaky girl El, that’s why I love you. You know you could just stay with me. My parents won’t mind. She says with a sideways glance. I have never told her everything that happens in my life, and she’s never pushed the topic because she knows I won’t tell but it’s sweet that she tries to understand.

I smile, Nah, D and I have plans for tomorrow and I just wanted to get away for a while. You know, chill? My sister was annoying the hell out of me. I say with a shrug hoping she’ll drop it. Which, she does.

Okay, well call me if you and D need a ride to the lake tomorrow. She says as she pulls out front of Damon’s house. I nod and grab my bag from the back.

Thanks again for the ride Lex, love you. I open the door and climb out.

Love you too El. She says. I shut the door and she pulls away. I stand outside of the two story red brick house. It’s a three bedroom, two and a half bath older building with a richness that only holds true to older homes, just like my dads. It’s my home away from home. Well, my dad’s home. My mother’s is a prison, not a home.

Shaking away the thoughts of my evil mother I go to the back yard, being sure to stay in the shadows. It’s just turned 9pm and I know Marissa, Damon’s mom, will be awake yet. His dad’s probably sleeping since he usually works in the morning. I stay away from the patio, go right for the tree and start to climb with my back pack tightly secured to my back. When I get to his window I straddle the branch, scoot forward, and lightly tap. I see Damon sitting at his large dark wooden desk that has two large bookshelves flanking it on either side. His bed is to the side of the window against the wall, across from his desk and his closet in front of that. To the other side of the window is a love sac and his guitar on its stand. It’s a typical guy room with posters on the wall of cars and hot chicks in bathing suits but he also has a sweet side with framed photos of me and him from when we were kids and throughout our friendship. He also has photos of our other friends too. He turns around flipping his dark blonde shaggy hair out of his eyes as he looks over at me. His silver blue eyes read me like a book.

He walks over, lean muscles tightening as he opens the window. He’s only wearing his boxer briefs which don’t bother either of us. We’ve seen each other half naked before, it’s nothing new. Besides, we’re best friends.

Ella, what’d she do this time? He asks as he puts his hands around my waist and pulls me in. Once inside, I drop my backpack on the ground and slip my hands around his waist as he holds me tight. He lays his chin on my head as he strokes my back while gently playing with my hair.

I can’t take it much longer D. I just can’t. I say as the tears I’ve been holding in start to tumble out. Sighing he picks me up and puts me on the bed, never once pulling me away until I’m set down. His bed is plush with a comfortable black comforter that matches his sheets and his rug that lay over the hardwood floor. The wooden bed frame and headboard match the rich color of his desk. I know these were his mom’s doing but it still fits him so perfectly. He gets down on his knees, pushes my hair back behind my ears and looks at me. That’s when he sees it.

His eyes widen, She fucking hit you! He almost screams.

Shhhh! I put my hands on his shoulders and look to his door. He sighs and shakes his head.

They’re at your dads for the night….El, she fucking hit you. Why didn’t you call the cops? What did that bitch do to you? He says through gritted teeth. His hands are on my knees rubbing small circles. I stare at him with wide eyes, searching for answers. He shakes his head knowing I’m not going to say anything right now. That’s the way it works. My shock sets in and I don’t speak until I’m cried out.

He gets up and walks out of the room. I just sit there thinking I’ve finally pushed him