Can You Keep a Secret?

Chapter One

The Party

The room was filled with people, hundreds of people. The music was blasting so loud that I could barely even hear myself think. David, Jose, and Bryce were all sitting by the pool, listening to the music and watching all the pretty girls jump into the pool. "Hey, isn't that Jenny in the pool?" Bryce said.

Jenny giggled and splashed some of the other girls in the pool. "Go get her, tiger," David laughed, pushing Bryce towards the pool.

Eliza slipped off her cover up and jumped into the well-lit blue water. Bryce took off his shirt and dove into the pool, splashing a group of giggly girls. Jose hid his face, trying to hide a bright red blush. Jenny rolled her eyes and looked away as she saw Bryce jump into the water, and tried to block out the sound of the whistling girls. "Ugh, he thinks he's so good-looking," she grumbled.

Bryce swam over to Jenny, sneaking up behind her. Jenny fixed her swimsuit cautiously. Bryce splashed through the water and scared Jenny. She gasped and turned around screaming, "Bryce!"

Eliza noticed David sitting with David and waded through the water towards him. "Hey you," she said, smiling.

"Hi Liza, have you met Jose?" David replied, patting Jose on the shoulder and making him lift his head up.

"Hi Jose," she said, smiling and nodding at Jose. "What are you two doing?"

"Just having a few drinks, I don't think Jose's gonna be able to drive," David replied, smiling at the distant look on Jose's face.

Eliza laughed and said, "Well good luck. You two aren't going to swim?"

"Maybe later," Jose replied, laying his head on the table again.

Eliza looked worriedly at Jose and whispered, "Is he drunk? Or...depressed?"

"I don't know," David answered. "He's been acting strange lately."

"Huh," Eliza mumbled. Suddenly, they heard Jenny squeal and Jose's head popped up. "Ugh, what is Bryce doing?"

"I have no clue," David replied, rolling his eyes. "But you never know with him."

"Jenny looks pissed," Eliza chuckled.

David laughed and rolled his eyes. "I'll go calm him down," he said, then glancing at Jose said, "Watch him."

Eliza smiled and said, "Will do," she pushed herself out of the water and sat in David's chair. "Mind if I sit?"

"Yeah go ahead," Jose said, his voice muffled.

Eliza scoffed and watched David as he took off his shirt and dived into the water towards Bryce. "Just go, Bryce," Jenny grumbled.

David smacked Bryce on the head and said, "C'mon Bryce. Leave her alone."

Jenny didn't say anything and just swam away."Really David?" Bryce shouted, shoving David.

David smiled and said, "What? You were messing with her."

Bryce looked David right in the eye and said, "There is so much I could say about you."

Jenny climbed out of the pool and wrapped her towel around herself.

Eliza stood up and said, "Jose stay here." She walked towards Jenny.

"Um...hi," Jenny said.

"So you've got Bryce's attention," Eliza said, winking.

"Ugh don't remind me," she grumbled.

"Well, be careful. He gets crazy when he doesn't get what he wants," Eliza chuckled and walked away.

"Um, okay," Jenny answered, packing up her things and scurrying across the pool and leaving through the gate.

Jose lifted his head and started watching Bryce and David fight. David got out of the pool and walked over to Eliza. "Where's Kenna?" he asked her.

Eliza looked around and said, "I don't know. She was over at the bar..."

"Aren't you two the best of friends?" David asked as he turned around.

"Yup. The best. Ever since the sixth grade," Eliza replied.

"Huh," David said, looking over Eliza's shoulder. "Where..?"

Eliza turned around and looked at the pool, "What?"

"Bryce's gone," David answered. "And so is Jose."

"So is Jenny," Eliza said.

Suddenly, they heard screaming and ran towards the front yard of the house. "What happened?" David asked one of the girls standing in the yard.

Eliza grabbed a towel and wrapped herself up. Jose suddenly came running up with Jenny leaning up against him. "Help! Somebody call the police!"

Jenny started feeling weak. Eliza screamed, "Jenny!"

David called 911 and the female operator answered the phone. "911, what's your emergency?"

"I don't know. My friends just came running up to us, telling us to call the police. They look as though they were in a fight. Please, we need the police right away," David answered.

"Sir, police will be there in a few minutes," she replied and hung up.

"Okay. The police will be here in a few minutes," David said, turning back towards the group of friends.

Jenny sighed and Eliza asked David, "Will she be okay?"

David replied, "I don't even know what happened."

"Still, she looks sick," Eliza answered.

"I know. So does Jose, but he's drunk so I can't tell the difference."

Jose suddenly shouted, "Hey, I am not drunk."

Eliza was holding back a laugh, but she still said, "Sorry Jose, but you are."

Jose sighed and sat on the grassy yard and Jenny layed on the grass next to him. David sat down next to him and said, "I need you to tell me exactly what happened."

Jenny coughed and said, "I barely...I barely remember."

"What about you-?" David started to ask Jose, but then noticed the distant look in his eyes and decided that wouldn't be a great choice.

A cop car pulled in front of the house and ran over to David, Jenny, Jose, and Eliza. "How is she? What happened?"

"She's fine. She won't tell us what happened," David explained.

"I don't remember," Jenny said, sternly looking at David.

"At least she can talk. We'll take her to the hospital for a check up," the officer said, picking up Jenny. "Do any of you need a ride?"

"No. I have a car on the next street," David answered.

The officer nodded and got in the cruiser, driving to the hospital. "I hope she's okay," Jose said slowly.