Living Secrets

Chapter one: The Storm

Jack threw a pillow at his best friend, Gwen. She ducked, and looked at him sadly.

"Jack! Get a hold of yourself! I'm sorry ok?!" she yelled at him. He blinked and turned around.

"Why'd you have to tell her Gwen? Why?" he asked sadly, his back facing her. Gwen sighed. "Jack, look, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I just thought that she should know." Jack shook his head sadly. Gwen knew she should leave, but it was pouring rain outside, and she didn't want to risk getting herself hurt. But right now, she would have rather been anywhere else in the world but here.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Jack, aren't you going to get that?" Silence. Whoever was at the door knocked again. And again. And then the knocking became hard pounding. Someone was desperate to get in.

"Jack, Get it." Gwen said again. More silence. "Jack!" Gwen was yelling as the knocking got louder. A muffled voice was heard, and Gwen decided to help whoever was outside, in. She walked over to the door, glaring at Jack.

"Hello?" she called into the darkness. Suddenly, someone ran into the room and fell on the floor, panting. Gwen gasped. "Katie? Katie, are you OK?" she asked in a concerned tone. Katie took a deep breath and said: "Yeah I think."

"What happened?" Gwen asked, looking sadly at her semi-friend's wet body. Katie was drenched. Her red hair looked darker when it was wet, and she was dripping water from everywhere. She sighed.

"I... I was going back to the café and, I couldn't get there, because the storm... was so hard... and..." she sighed and closed her eyes. "I couldn't go anywhere else." she finished. Gwen looked at her friend. She had never seen the spunky, cheerful, sometimes sulky, Katie so weak like this. "Katie..." Gwen sighed. She didn't know what to say. Behind her, she could hear Jack walking over. He sat down next to Katie, and whispered something to her. She laughed, and, for the first time that night, Jack smiled. Had he already forgotten his anger toward his best friend, and fallen back in love with Katie? Gwen rolled her eyes.

Suddenly, Jack got up. "Well, I guess you'll have to stay until the storm lightens up." he said to Katie. She nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry for causing so much trouble." she said sadly. Jack shook his head. "No trouble at all." he said. "I'm glad you're here." Gwen rolled her eyes again. How could Jack be mad at her, when -

"Gwen, can you get a blanket? You know where they are." Jack said, jerking Gwen out of her thoughts. 'Why do I have to get it?!' Gwen thought to herself, but she walked over to the cabinet where Jack kept his blankets anyway.

Gwen got back and threw a big red fleece blanket at him. "Happy?" she asked. Jack ignored her and wrapped the blanket around Katie. She smiled up at him, and he smiled back. Then he picked her up and put her on the couch. "Hey! Where-" Gwen, started, but Jack ignored her and said to Katie, "You sure you don't wanna sleep on my bed?" Katie nodded and said "I really couldn't. I'm so sorry that-" Jack shook his head. "Don't be" he replied, putting a finger on Katie's lips. She smiled, and closed her eyes, falling asleep.

"I was gonna lend her a t-shirt or something, but..." Jack watched her with soft eyes. He smiled. Gwen rolled her eyes for the third time that night. "Somebody isn't mad anymore." she said walking over to his kitchen. "Well, I should be!" he snapped back. "Why?!" Gwen asked angrily. "She didn't even bring it up."

"She was sopping wet."

"Does that make a difference?"

"Yes."

"How?!"

"It just does!" Jack crossed his arms and leaned on the counter as Gwen filled the kettle with water. "You never should have told her, Gwen. I trusted you."

Gwen glared at the kettle, pretending it was Jack. "Jack, you know that you're glad she knows. If I hadn't told her you never would have. And then what?! Would you end up marrying someone who never knew? Is that what you want? Really, Jack is it?" Silence. Gwen smiled, knowing she had made her point clear. She looked at Jack. His face was in his hands. "Jack listen." Gwen started walking towards him, hoping she hadn't been too harsh. "No." he said. His voice was plain. There was no emotion in it at all. Now Gwen was concerned. Jack looked up. He looked tired, like he had had a long day. He sighed.

"Do you know why I came here Gwen?" he asked. Gwen nodded. "We both know." she replied. "Really?" he asked seriously. Gwen didn't say anything. She actually wasn't sure if she knew. "I came here to get away." Jack said. "To get away from all of it. I had been so sick of everyone taunting me... About that..." Jack closed his eyes. "Jack, no, don't." Gwen started. "Do you think she misses me?" he asked sadly.

"Jack once you start, you'll never finish."

"I miss her." Jack continued, ignoring his friend. "Jack." Gwen didn't want to have to go through some sob night hearing Jack cry about his...

The kettle screamed. So did Gwen. She turned around and turned off the stove quickly. Jack's eyes were wide. "Gwen!" he said angrily, turning around to see if the kettle had woken up Katie. She was still asleep, lying silently on the couch. Jack glared at his friend, and she smiled guiltily.

"Want some hot chocolate?"