Pretend (65 page)

             
"You told Crystal
,
didn't you?" I asked as a feeling of hurt washed through me.

             
"No, she asked me but I didn't tell her-"

             
"You're a liar! I trusted you and you betrayed me. Just leave me alone!" I said before storming off in the direction of Murphy's front door.

             
"What's going on baby?" I heard Anthony ask as Jess' sobs filled the atmosphere. I didn't care that she was upset, she had betrayed me and right now I wasn't in a forgiving mood.
My breath was suddenly taken as I spotted Crystal sat on t
he hood
of a car
,
looking in the opposite direction to the house.

             
I took a deep breath and approached her cautiously. I had no idea what was about to happen but I knew that I couldn't lose my best friend, not like this.

             
"Crystal?" I half whispered as I came to a
standstill
beside the blue car that she was sat on.

             
She didn't answer but
instead she just sat staring into space. I could tell that she had been crying and I felt
heartbroken
that it was because of me. I
gently joined her on the hood
of the car and looked up at the stars in the sky.

             
We sat in silence for what felt like an eternity before she finally broke the silence.

             
"You're in love with him, aren't you?" She asked. I hadn't expected her to say this, I was waiting for her to start screaming and get mad and I was completely caught off guard.

             
"I...
Erm
...Yes," I said after trying to gather my words together.

             
"But...If I have to chose, then I chose you," I said as the tears tried to force themselves down my cheeks at the thought of losing Aiden. I didn't allow it and instead
I
took a deep breath before turning to face Crystal.

             
I watched as she took a deep breath and slowly turned her face towards me.

             
"April, I'm not asking you to chose," she said in a soft voice that I wasn't expecting.

             
"But you hate me, don't you?" I asked in a shaky voice.

             
"No, I'm just-"

             
"Mad," I filled in.

             
"No, hurt," she corrected.

             
"I'm so sorry, I tried to tell you so many times but I was so scared that you would hate me and then I had it all planned out to tell you tonight but Rachel, she just-"

             
"Did what she
always does...Tries to ruin liv
es," she said, cutting me off.

             
"Yeah," I whispered as I thought about how much my hand was still stinging from the slap that I
had given
her.

             
"So
,
what now?" I asked, not really sure if I wanted the answer.

             
"April, I'm not mad at you or Aiden. I don't expect Aiden to tell me anything because he's my brother and he's a guy and that's just how it is but you, I expected more-"

             
"I know-"

             
"Let me finish," she said, gently.

             
"Sorry."

             
"I expect more from you because you're more than just my best friend, you're my sister. We've been through so much together
and we've shared so much. I'm not mad about you and Aiden, I'm hurt that you didn't trust me enough to tell me," she said.

             
"I know but I didn't want to lose you and I just didn't know how to tell you-"

             
"But that's what I mean. You didn't trust me to be there for you even when you did something that you thought would make me angry. It's like you belittled our friendship so much that you thought that I'd give up on it so easily, what kind of a person do you think I am?" She asked as a look of hurt filled her face.

I hadn't even thought about it like that before.

             
"You're right and I wasn't thinking straight, I just got caught up and confused. I've had all this drama with Kyle, Mimi, Jake, Aiden and you were the last person that I wanted to cause any problems with because I need you," I said as I took a breath.

             
"I know but you should know me better. Of course it's weird thinking of my brother and my best friend in that way but at the same time it makes sense," she said as a look of shock filled my face.

             
"It does?" I asked before I could even think about what I was saying.

             
"Yes. April I have known Aiden my entire life, he may put on this 'bad boy', 'player' act but we both know that it's not true. There is no guy that I would trust more than Aiden, not even my own father and you, you're my best friend, I
’d
trust you with my life. I know you both like the back of my hand and all I've ever wanted was for you both to be happy. All I wanted was for you both to find people that would love you and protect you and never let you down, so how could I be mad when the two people that I love more than anything in world, love each other?"

             
As I listened to Crystal's words, which made perfect sense, I was stunned into silence. She was right, it was almost as clear as water but I hadn't ever thought that she would see it like that.

             
"You're right," I finally managed to get out.

             
"I know I am. I know Aiden and I know that he loves you
,
which means
that
he will never hurt you and I know that you love him, which means you will never hurt him. I trust you both April. You just need to start trusting me," she said as she looked me straight in the eyes.

             
"I do trust you."

             
"Then don't ever lie to me again," she said as a small smile escaped her lips.

             
"I won't," I said, returning the smile.

             
"Promise?"

             
"I promise," I replied before throwing my arms around her and holding her tight.

             
"I love you Crystal," I said as I closed my eyes and smiled.

             
"I love you too April."

             
After a few moments I released myself from the embrace and looked at Crystal.

             
"So how come you didn't say anything all of this time, if you already knew?" I asked.

             
"I was waiting, giving you the chance to tell
me. I had hoped that you would."

             
"I was going to, honestly," I said.

             
"I know
,
it has been hard keeping quiet all
of
this time. I did have fun teasing you though," she said as a smirk spread across her face, reminding me of Aiden.

             
"Teasing?" I asked in a confused tone.

             
"Yes teasing. I decided that since you didn't trust me I would play a few games with you, like when I started the whole mystery girl nonsense, you should have seen the fear in your eyes," she said as she chuckled to herself with a look of satisfaction spread across her face.

             
"You knew from then?" I asked in a shocked tone.

             
"Hell yes, I knew from then. I had my fun and you deserved it, the two of you," she said as she raised an eyebrow at me.

             
"I know, I know. So when did you first realise?" I asked.

             
"I had my suspicions from when I went looking for you guys that day that we all went to the park. There was just something about the look in both of your eyes that day that told a whole story and from then the signs just got stronger and eventually I knew that I was right," she said, sounding rather pleased with herself.

             
"Oh no!"
I suddenly shouted as a feeling of guilt rushed over me.

             
"What?" She asked, looking more than confused.

             
"I thought that Jess had told you," I said as my mind flashed back to how I had just treated her.

             
"No, I knew that she knew
but she didn't crack.
Neither her or
Anthony
said a word
even though I did try to break them both down. Stubborn little rats they were," she said with a wicked look on her face.

             
"You knew that they knew?" I asked.

             
"Of course!
None of you morons can lie to me without me knowing, I know you all too well," she said as we both burst out laughing.

             
"Poor Jess was practically
peeing
her pants under my
interrogation
but she didn't breath
e
a word and that jerk Anthony, let's just say I'm planning to make you all suffer for lying to me," she said with a
n
evil smirk on her face.

             
"I suppose
we deserve it," I said as I smiled to myself.

             
"You're damn right and you all better not pull a stunt like that a
gain otherwise I'll hurt you
," she said as we both started to laugh again.
It was nice to have my best friend back, no lie
s,
no
secrets just us being
us
.

             
"Thanks," I mumbled after our laughing had slowed down.

             
"What for?"
She asked as a look of confusion spread across her face.

             
"For everything.
Forgiving me, understanding and not making me chose," I said.

             
"I would never make you chose April, what ki
nd of friend would that make me?
Plus when you and Aiden have minis I get to be God Mother and Aunty, oh yeah!"

             
"Yeah, you're getting a little ahead of yourself there," I said as I raised my eyebrows in the air.

             
"Yeah, yeah we'll see. Oh and nice slap by the way," she said as she winked at me.

             
"Huh?"

             
"Rachel, I mean she literally fell to the floor. It was pretty damn funny," she said as she began laughing to herself.

             
"You saw that?" I asked as a feeling of confusion came over me.

             
"Yeah, me and the whole of
YouTube
!
It was awesome!"

             
"Oh
my gosh
, I can't believe
that
people filmed that. I didn't mean to go that far, she just made me so mad," I said as I thought back to the whole scene earlier.

             
"Yeah well she deserved it. Got a little taste of her own medicine b
ut this one didn't come with a
spoon full of sugar," she said as we both burst out laughing.

             
"Well I still feel bad," I said.

             
"You shouldn't!" She said as she pulled an annoyed face at me.

             
"Yeah but violence and all that, it's just not me. I don't want anyone to make me act like that again," I replied.

             
"Don't worry they won't, next time I'll be there to do it. Now let's go party," she said as she jumped off of the car and started to walk towards the house.

             
"
You
are a danger to society
you know," I said as a small
smile
filled my lips.

             
"Yes, yes I am," she replied with a smirk on her face.

             
"By the way who
s
e
car is this?" I asked as I slid
off of the hood of the car
and headed towards Murphy's house with her.