Chapter Two - The Secret
I woke up early the next morning and went for a run, when I returned no one was up so I went into the kitchen and started to cook some breakfast. I was frying eggs when two arms reached around my waist.
"Good morning." Jane announced, kissing my neck. I turned slightly in her arms, forgetting I wasn't in my dorm kitchen anymore. A door banged closed and I jumped out of her grasp as Tibby entered the kitchen.
"Morning Bee." she muttered, her head fixed on the daily newspaper.
"Oh, Tibs, you scared me." I said, breathing deeply.
"Sorry. What are you cooking?"
"Eggs, you want?"
"Sure, that'd be great."
I avoided eye contact with Jane and continued to cook the eggs. But Tibby obviously didn't.
"Hi, Jane isn't it?"
"Yeah."
"I'm Tibby, one of Bee's room mates."
"Oh, hello. Bridge has told me so much about you."
"Strange that, she hasn't told me anything about you." Tibby stated.
"Really? Bridge and I have been seeing…"
"Eggs." I said loudly, placing a plate down on the table in front of Tibby. She said a quick thanks, before digging into her breakfast.
"So what were you saying?" Tibby asked. I interrupted again.
"Jane, a word, please."
Jane followed me into my room, where I closed the door and tried to speak in a hushed shout.
"What are you doing?"
"What do you mean?" she asked, looking confused.
"Tibs, doesn't know about us." I told her. She frowned.
"She doesn't? What about Lena and Carmen?"
"They don't either." I muttered.
"Oh, Bridge." she sighed. "I can understand you not being able to tell your father, but they're your friends. From what you've told me about them, they'd love you no matter what."
"I just…can't." I stumbled over the words. Her hand rested on my shoulder and I felt the urge to kiss her, I rested a hand on her arm and leant forwards. The door banged opened and I jumped backwards.
"Can't you knock?" I snapped, as Tibby stood in the doorway.
"What's got into your pants today?" she frowned. "Your eggs are burning."
"Oh." I sighed. I waited for Tibby to leave us alone again, but she stood in the doorway. I glanced at Jane in a 'don't tell anyone' way before going back to the kitchen to finish making breakfast.
Within the hour the five us were sitting around the kitchen eating toast, eggs and reading the newspaper. Jane glanced at me every so often, a look of disapproval in her eyes.
"Guys, I need to say something." I whispered. But my announcement came a little too late when Carmen and Lena announced they had to go see their respective families and quickly left the room to get changed. Tibby disappeared a few minutes later and Jane and I were left alone again.
"Can't you tell Tibby on her own?"
"No." I shook my head. "It wouldn't be fair to tell one and not the others."
"Secrets never end happily Bridge."
"I know they don't, but this is hardly a secret, it's a part of me that I'm not willing to share with my friends at the moment."
"In other words a secret."
"Jane." I groaned.
"I just don't want to see you hurt."
"Speaking of hurt, enough about me. How are you?" I asked, resting my hand on her thigh. She smiled weakly and I saw the pain in her eyes for the first time that day.
"It's difficult."
"You're going to get through this." I promised her, squeezing her leg comfortingly. She rested her head against my shoulder and I kissed her forehead.
"Is she okay?" Tibby mouthed across from the doorway. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, but Tibby thought nothing of the way we were sat.
"She will be." I whispered back to her. Tibby nodded and disappeared back into her bedroom.