OMG, thank you for the reviews of chapter 5; some made me laugh; some made me shed a tear. You guys are the reason I put so much into my stories. So thank you again. I don't own any rights to Hollywood Heights storyline or characters; this is the fantasy world I created.

Keeping Secrets Chapter 6

Goodbye

My dad grabs me by my sweatshirt and lowers his face until he's a few inches from me. "That's exactly how I felt when your friend took the love of my life from me. You deserve everything you're feeling. You deserve everything Loren does to you and more," he says with hurt and disappointment in his eyes. My dad lets go of my sweatshirt, step over me and walk out the door. I look at Nora, sitting on the couch crying.

"I guess you hate me too?" I ask getting to my feet preparing myself for what she has to say to me.

"I don't hate you Eddie. I'm disappointed, I'm angry, I'm hurt but I don't hate you" she says patting the cushion next to her, "I'm trying to understand why. Why would you keep your friendship with Chloe a secret for five years?" I walk over and sit next to her on the couch.

"I honestly don't know why. Now that I think about it I have no valid reason for keeping it a secret for so long." I lean back on the couch and close my eyes trying to come up with a reason for keeping that secret from my wife for so long. I feel mom get up. I'm too tired to open my eyes. A few minutes later I feel something cold on my eye. I open my other eye and see a first aid kit in her hands; she put an ice pack on my eye. "Thanks mom, I don't deserve this."

"Why did you kiss her Eddie?" she asks cleaning the cut on my cheek and in the corner of my mouth.

"Momentary lapse of judgment is the only reason I can come up with for kissing her. I don't love Chloe. To be honest with you mom, I haven't had those kinds of feelings for Chloe since Loren came into my life. I was engaged to Chloe when Loren came into my life."

"What are you going to do now?" she asks closing the first aid kit.

"Call Chloe and end our friendship, then wait for my wife to wake up and sit there while she uses me as her punching bag until she's ready to talk to me."

"I can't believe she did this to your face."

"She was hurt and angry. I betrayed her, I can believe it."

"Loren has never laid a hand on anyone. This is so unlike her."

"Mom, when I told you about my friendship with Chloe what was your initial reaction?" Mom chuckles, I smile, "Yeah, that's what I thought; you're the only one who didn't react with violence. Why didn't you?"

"I'm still angry. I'm still hurt. I'm still disappointed. I am trying to be the reasonable one right now."

"I think you'd feel a little better if you took a swing at me. I know I would so go ahead I won't stop you." I say closing my eyes. I feel a pair of lips on my cheek. "Thanks mom, I love you."

"I love you too Eddie. You dad loves you and so does Loren. It may take them a little while to remember that but they will."

"Do you think Loren will divorce me?"

"I can't answer that. But I will support whatever she decides to do."

Well now I know whose side she's on. Can't blame her though, "It's getting late; I guess I better go, I don't want to be here when pop gets back." I say getting to my feet.

"Give him some time to cool off then you two can sit down and talk," mom says walking me to the door. I open the door and step out.

"Eddie," mom calls out to me, "end your friendship with Chloe," she says. I nod my head and slowly walk back to the house. I sit on the patio and pull out my not so secret phone.

"Are you okay?" Chloe asks when she answers the phone.

"I've been better."

"I'm really sorry Eddie. I should have pulled away."

"I never should have been there in the first place." I hear Chloe catch her breath. "You didn't tell me you had a book deal. When did this happen?"

"Who told you about the book deal?"

"It doesn't matter, you should have told me."

"It's not what you think Eddie, I promise."

"Then why didn't you tell me about it?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise."

"What is the book about?"

"Eddie please trust me, it's nothing bad. I'm not trying to manipulate you or play games."

I take a deep breath and count to ten, "Loren knows all about our friendship. I told her about the kiss."

"What did you tell her?" Chloe asks I can hear the shock in her voice.

"I confirmed what she already knew." I say leaning back in the lounge chair closing my eyes. "She knew five years ago that I disappeared once a month. She knew five years ago about this phone. She read the letter I wrote to the parole committee, she even saw the reassuring smile I sent you at your parole hearing. She saw me leave your house tonight."

"What did she say?"

"She didn't say much and what she did say I choose not to repeat. Look Chloe, I'm really sorry for kissing you. I wasn't trying to lead you on. We were just friends. I don't think of you that way."

"You said were friends," Chloe says interrupting me.

"My friendship with you has hurt my wife and family. I love my wife more than my own life and I have to do all I can to repair my relationships with my wife and family. So we can't be friends anymore Chloe."

I can hear her softly crying over the phone and for the first time in five years I don't feel the need to comfort her. "I'm sorry Eddie; I've done nothing but hurt you since I came into your life. I never wanted you to hurt Loren or Max. I appreciate everything you've done for me; I didn't deserve your friendship after everything I've put you and your family through, but thank you for being there for me when I really needed someone. I hope you can work things out with Loren. If you need me to talk to her I will. Max scares me so I will write him a letter if you want me to."

"No, it's okay. I have to do this on my own but thanks for offering to help. Take care Chloe, I wish you the best."

"Thank you Eddie. I hope Loren and Max forgive you."

"Goodbye Chloe," I whisper.

"Goodbye Eddie," she cries. I end the call.

I get it now. I know why I kissed Chloe. I get up and walk over to the garbage can and toss the phone in. I walk into the house and go upstairs to wake up Loren. I slowly open the door and see the empty bed. I walk over to the bathroom and knock on the door before slowly opening it; no Loren. I quickly walk to the guest rooms searching for Loren. I search for her downstairs. I run back up the stairs taking them two at a time running back to our bedroom and to her closet, open the closet door. All of her clothes are there. "LOREN!" I call out. No reply. I run downstairs and open the front door, her car is still parked in the driveway. I run to the guest house and knock on the door, mom opens the door, "she's gone." I cry.

I know this chapter wasn't as exciting as the others but I had to transition so that the next chapter could be Loren's POV. ~jm~