My breath hitched when the owner finally stopped in front of me. He towered over me with his built body that was just under six feet. He clearly worked out on a daily bases. He still had that same spark in his eyes I could recognize anywhere and the friendly, inviting smile to match.

My stomach started settling a bit seeing his familiar smile. "Zeke," I finally breathed out. "It's been a while."

"Almost three years," He supplied, causing me to avert my eyes in guilt. "How have you been?"

I looked at him again and told him, "I've been busy with work and different stuff. What about you, Mr. Chef and bar owner?"

Zeke gave a nervous chuckle rubbing the back of his neck. His smile turned nervous. "I guess it goes without saying I've been super busy."

I nodded, "clearly." I could feel my body relaxing.

His eyes widened like he remembered something he'd long forgotten, "I almost forgot; Troy told us you were planning to drop out of school. Were you ever able to drop back in?"

I had to giggle a little at Zeke's question. "Yes, I was able to, as you put it, drop back in. I took some online courses after transferring to SFU and officially graduated last year. Now I work at Fantasy Event Planning."

"That's great," Zeke praised with excitement in his voice. "Sounds like it all worked out in the end."

"That's not too far from the truth, I guess," I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and continued. "Looks like everything worked out for you too."

Zeke glanced back at the bar. "I never thought of owning a bar, that's for sure. But things did work out."

"Life's funny that way," I commented. "No matter how bad things get, it always works out. It may not be how you imagine, but it works."

Zeke chuckled with a smile large enough to show his teeth. "Jason said almost the same thing when he suggested we open a bar."

My spirit dropped at the mention of Jason's name. I should've known that, eventually, someone else from our old gang would be mentioned. "You still talk to everyone else," I wasn't sure if I was asking or stating the fact.

Zeke nodded, shoving his hands in his pocket. "I talked to everyone. Obviously, I talk to Jason more since we're business partners, but we all still talk to each other."

Regret and guilt resurfaced in me, knowing I was the only one who had left. I know I had my reasons, but it didn't help with the guilt I felt on occasion.

"So, I take it Jason is doing pretty good," I nodding towards the bar.

Zeke smiled, "Both Jason and Kelsi are doing really well. Depending on Kelsi's work schedule as a composer, they're planning on having a fall wedding at the end of this October or the beginning of November."

That news didn't surprise me. Kelsi had always liked Jason and had been disappointed when Ryan asked her to prom instead of Jason. When Jason finally confessed his feelings and asked her out, Kelsi was over the moon with excitement. They've been inseparable since. Everyone knew they were meant for each other when they saw them together.

"Are they still two peas in a pod?" I asked.

"They're more like you and Troy were," Zeke replied.

That didn't sound too good. Troy and I didn't have the best ending. If Kelsi and Jason were like us, would they last? Or would they meet the same fate?

I frowned at the thought of Jason and Kelsi ending up like Troy and me. "That sounds bad."

Zeke realized his mistake and tried to correct himself. "I meant the better part of your relationship with Troy, not the breakup. Your communication and the love you two shared..."

He continued to ramble about the good parts of my relationship with Troy until I stopped him. Since Troy and I broke up, I had started burying many feelings and eventually started forgetting. I remember really generic stuff like being happy and safe, but the why had started fading long ago. Tonight Zeke had unknowingly reminded me and gave me more to consider about my relationship with Trey. Or what was left of it.

"I get it, Zeke," I assured him with a broad smile of gratitude. "It sounds like both Jason and Kelsi are doing better than I'd hoped in their work and personal lives. I only hope that everyone else is doing just as well."

"They are," Zeke assured me, "Chad and Taylor are still going strong. If anything, they're stronger than ever. And Ryan, his career as a choreographer has really taken off."

I was happy that most of my old friends were doing well. But there was one enemy turned friend I was afraid to ask about—the queen bee of East High.

Sharpay Evans.

Sharpay is Ryan's twin and Zeke's crush in high school. I know that Sharpay and Zeke continued to get closer when we were in college. Sharpay even once told me that she really liked how she could always talk to Zeke about anything. The last time I spoke to her was about a week before I ghosted everyone, and she told me she might have feelings for Zeke. I hadn't talked to her since, so I never knew if she acted upon her emotions or where they stood now.

I shoved my hands in my pocket, mentally preparing myself for the worst. "Am I gonna want to know about Sharpay?"

Zeke's eyes brightened with a spark as his grin widened to show his teeth. Lifting his chef's coat a bit, he revealed a pink chain decked out in sparkles with a ring attached. I knew immediately what that meant, and I grinned the biggest grin I had that night, feeling happy for my friends.

"Congrats," I wrapped him in a hug without thinking.

I pulled away from him and apologized as I straightened myself. I knew in my heart not everyone was doing so well, and it was my fault. Feelings of guilt and sadness hit my square in the chest again. "And Troy….." I prompted Zeke, knowing the answer.

Zeke dropped his head, and the only sound between us was the passing cars and pedestrians. The longer he was silent, the worse I felt. "He misses you…..we all miss you."

I shut my eyes to keep my emotions in check as my throat and chest tighten. Zeke didn't need to tell me more; I knew Troy hadn't been himself. What Zeke told me had only confirmed what I already knew.

I opened my eyes, knowing I had regained control of my emotions. Zeke had a look of sadness and hurt on his face. I turned away, avoiding his gaze, and noticed that Teagan was on the phone in the car. Figuring I had made her wait long enough, I decided to call it a night.

"Zeke, it was great seeing you again," I started to say, "but I should be going. Plus, I've kept you from your staff long enough."

He barely nodded and turned back to the bar again, "yeah, you're probably right. As usual." He agreed, handing me his phone. "But can I have your number so we don't lose contact again?"

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. This was what I was afraid of. My glance darted from Zeke to Teagan and then back again.

If I didn't give my number to Zeke, I would hurt him more than I already have. I sighed, knowing I didn't have much choice. If I hurt him again, I'd only add more guilt to my already impressive roster.

I took his phone, and my fingers hovered over the number pad. Memories of all the times I lost my friends growing up flash in my mind. Giving in to my fear, I gave Zeke his phone back without my number and apologized in a whisper. "Sorry, Zeke."

The hurt was evident on his face, and I was hit with another round of guilt. He smiled through the hurt he was feeling. "I should get back to work; if you ever need something, my number hasn't changed, and you know where to find me. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are the nights I stay late to close up, and Jason leaves early. Plus, I won't tell anyone about tonight."

I officially felt like the worst friend on the planet watching Zeke leave. I chewed on my lip, debating again whether I could risk it. Zeke did pretty much promise to keep seeing me a secret. Didn't he?

Praying I wouldn't regret my decision later, I gave in to my guilt and called Zeke from my cell. Zeke's face contorted into a confused look at the unknown number. "Zeke," I waved my phone.

He grinned a million-watt smile, and I approached him. He pulled me into a hug. "Thanks, Gabby."

I swallowed my fear, knowing there was no turning back. "I'm not ready to see everyone now, but maybe this could be a start….and our secret," I added the last part as an afterthought.

Zeke teased me, pretending to consider for a moment. I let out a relieved breath when he agreed. Zeke's phone went off with Troy's name flashing across the screen, and I took it as my cue to leave. He waved back with a nod when I motioned to him that I was going.

I watched him talk on the phone as I gripped the car door. I suddenly wasn't feeling so great. My stomach felt like I'd just dropped fifty feet, and my chest tightened.

What have I done? Was it the best idea? Did I just repeat a mistake I've made a dozen times before? Was Zeke telling Troy that he was talking to me? Shaking the thoughts from my mind and quickly got in the car.

My attention was out the window, with a million questions racing through my mind as Teagan drove. She finally broke the silence between us as we merged onto the highway.

"Want to talk about it?" She asked, keeping her eyes on the road.

I fiddled with my charm bracelet before picking my head up. "That was Zeke, an old friend from East High."

Teagan and I talked about Zeke the entire way home. The more we talked, the more I was reminded of why I had ghosted my friends two years earlier. The only thing that calmed my mind was knowing that Zeke had agreed to keep tonight a secret. But even that wasn't too much help.

As we pulled up to the apartment, Teagan reminded me to be careful around Zeke if I didn't want him to know about my past. I took Teagan's warning to heart and thanked her for a fun night before she left, declining my offer to continue hanging out at my place. She insisted I needed a quiet night to myself with nothing to do before I snapped with anxiety or fatigue.

I walked into my dark apartment, ready to drop. I tossed my jacket and bag onto the couch as I shut the door behind me. Flipping on the light switch, I looked around the room of packed boxes. Everything was packed; I just had to decide where these boxes went and start moving them. I only had a week left, including today, and that's only because the landlord agreed to give me an extra week after finding out her daughter was returning a week later than she anticipated.

Groaning, I flopped onto the couch, feeling the night's events catching up with me. Every aspect of my life seemed to be at a crossroads. I felt like my mind had been on overdrive lately, trying to figure out one choice after another. Before I can even wrap my head around one thing, something else is thrown at me.

On top of that, no matter what I did, no one saw me as more than an incompetent assistant who couldn't do anything. Every decision I make feels wrong, making me question even the most minor decision I've been making. I felt like I was at my breaking point and wasn't sure I could take much more.

My hand automatically went to my stomach when I laid my head back and closed my eyes. My eyes fluttered open when my phone went off with a text from Zeke.

Zeke: U home

A smile escaped me, seeing Zeke's message as I typed a reply.

Me: Yup, Thnks ask/tonight

I set my phone aside and glanced around the empty apartment. I had been so busy lately that the move hadn't set in. Now that everything was packed and we were about to start moving boxes, it was beginning to sink in. A feeling of warmth and happiness filled me as I thought of all my memories in the apartment.

The feelings of nostalgia faded with another text from Zeke.

Zeke: Course, OK meet catch up

I stared at the message for a good minute, feeling uneasy. I might have given Zeke my number, but I still wasn't totally convinced that it wasn't a bad idea. Back and forth, I went between yes and no until I finally snapped and threw my head back in frustration.

"What am I going to do?" I muttered to myself.

I sighed and sat up straight again. I typed out a response declining the invitation, but something tugged at me, causing me to stop. My thumb hovered over the send button as I reread the message.

I deleted the previous message and typed another one. I bit my lip, reluctant to hit send. As guilty as I felt, a more logical part of me was saying this had a bad idea written all over it, and I wasn't sure which side was winning.

Who was I kidding? If the logical side of me was winning, Zeke couldn't be texting me now. Pushing all bad thoughts aside best I could, I hit the send button.

Me: When

I got up and headed for my bedroom. After the night I had, I needed a hot shower to relax and hopefully destress. I was digging in a packed box marked: Gabriella's clothes when my phone went off again.

Zeke: Tomorrow morning Wildcat Bar grab breakfast

I blew out a breath and hung my head. I prayed I wasn't making another mistake as I texted him back.

Me: Schedule check let you know

I texted my family on our group text next, asking for a babysitter.

Me: Guys anyone able babysit tmw morning

After sending the text, I tossed my phone on the bed and hopped in the shower. The second the hot water hit me, I felt my muscles relax as the hot water ran down my body. I let out a tired sigh and let the hot water soak me. Part of me wished that all my problems were this easy to solve.

Twenty minutes later, I was getting dressed when I saw a picture of Trey and me. Trey and I had the photo taken shortly after we started going steady. I recalled the day the photo was taken as feelings of sadness and hurt crept into me. I couldn't be sure if I were hurting because I loved him or if there was another reason.

I wiped away the tears rolling down my cheeks and sniffed. Putting the photo away, I checked my phone for any messages.

Maya: We'll keep Melody w/us

I smiled, knowing my family had my back. I may be a single parent, but help is always a phone call away. So, I never felt like a single parent.

I texted thanks back to Maya and texted Zeke, letting him know tomorrow morning was fine. With all business out of the way, I pulled out my iPad. I pulled up the latest book I was listening to and slowly drifted off.

A man, I couldn't make out, had Melody in his arms. Next to them, I had another little one in my arms. Whoever we were with, we were all happy, laughing without a care in the world.

Could it be Trey? It wasn't like I had many other men to choose from.

"Honey, wait," I called after him.

I groaned and stretched out, feeling the warm morning sun on my face. Opening my eyes, I took in the peaceful morning. Reaching for my phone, I saw a message sent ten minutes earlier, and the time that read 8:30.

Later than I've ever slept in the last two years.

The first year after Melody was born, I'd be lucky to get a couple of hours of non-broken sleep. It got better after Melody turned one, but Melody is a morning person. So she didn't ever really sleep in, which is something she got from Troy.

Laying there, I placed my hand over my stomach, enjoying every second of this peaceful morning. I knew it wouldn't be long before I started getting hit with morning sickness, so now was the time to enjoy.

I read Zeke's message that was now sent fifteen minutes ago.

Zeke: Morning still on

I debated changing my mind for a moment.

Me: Yup

Zeke: 9 OK

Me: 9:15

I willed myself to get up, leaving my phone where it was. I had just enough time to fresh-up with a shower if I hurried. Grabbing some clothes from one of the packed boxes, I hopped in the shower. Zeke had returned my text by the time I came out of the shower dressed.

Zeke: C U then

I finished freshening up and grabbed a quick breakfast on the go, along with my meds. I texted Zeke again before as I was heading out the door. The entire drive to the bar felt longer than twenty minutes, with my nerves raddling and my mind racing. When I finally pulled up to the bar, it was just past 9:15. My hands were shaking, and I felt like I couldn't move. I sat there staring at the place with every fiber in me telling me to run.

If I ran now, I was sure it wouldn't be the same as two years ago. Two years ago, when I left, I hoped I would be back one day, and things could be the same between my friends. But was I ready to see them again? I didn't feel ready. Would things still turn out OK if I saw them again before I was ready? I couldn't be sure. The only thing I could be sure of was that I would lose my friends if I didn't try.

Gathering every ounce of courage, I pushed all the negative thoughts from my mind the best I could and headed towards the bar. I gripped the door handle, took a huge breath, and headed inside.

"Gabby, hi," Zeke greeted, setting down the chair in his hands. He hugged me, and I felt myself slightly, letting my guard down. "Did you get a chance to eat? I made muffins and banana bread."

I nodded my head. "Yeah, I had a quick breakfast. But I can't say no to your cooking."

He chuckled as we both took a seat at the bar. We ate in silence for a moment before either of us said anything. "So, how long have you and Sharpay been married?" I asked, taking a sip of the hot chocolate he placed in front of me.

"We just celebrated our first anniversary in March." He answered, dragging out his phone.

He pulled up some photos and showed them to me. As he showed me each one, he talked about them. There was a twinkle in his eyes as he talked-especially if he mentioned Sharpay.

"Wow, Sharpay has come far from the school musicals she used to do," I noted, seeing another photo of Zeke with her backstage at a theater show she stared in.

I knew there was envy in my voice because part of me did envy her. Sharpay had always been so confident about who she was and where she was going. She always knew what she wanted and never doubted that she might not reach her goals. She only doubted herself when it came to her and Zeke. Even then, it was only for a brief moment, and clearly, she had found her confidence again.

The confidence she had was not something many people had. I knew I certainly didn't have that kind of confidence. Heaven knows I've never had too much faith in myself. Maybe if I did, things could be different for me.

"So, have you always known you wanted to be an event planner?" Zeke asked.

I nodded, picking at the muffin in my hand, debating how to explain it. "Memories are a big deal in my family."

"And now you get to help others create their memories." Zeke pointed out with excitement in his voice.

I winced, scrunching my nose. "Well, I don't actually plan events."

Zeke tilted his head and raised his brow in confusion. "You don't plan events at an event planning company?"

I shook my head and dug into the banana bread before explaining. "I take care of odds and ends. The confirming and checking venue options, that kind of thing. These are phenomenal." I praised his skills. "You've come far from the amazing pastries you made in high school."

Zeke smiled wide enough to show his teeth, "Thanks, culinary school really helped bring out my passion for cooking."

"Not to mention your clear talent for it," I added, reaching for another muffin.

Zeke blushed, dropping the gaze he had on me. "Well, I'm not complaining. After all, my passion did help me score major points with Sharpay."

"No surprise there," I picked the chocolates off the muffin. "My Poppi always said that the best way to anyone's heart is the stomach-especially your loved ones."

We both laughed, and I could feel myself relaxing since I stepped into the bar. This is the most relaxed I've been since I ran into Zeke again. It gave me hope that my friends wouldn't ever see me differently.

"So what about you?" Zeke asked, "did you keep up with your love of the theater?"

A soft chuckle escaped me at the thought. If only I had the time. "The closest I've come to the theater since high school is attending a show."

Zeke's smile dropped a bit. "That's too bad because you and Troy were excellent." My spirit dropped as I felt a dull ache in my chest. I smiled through the resurfacing guilt and picked my head up. "What about you and basketball? You still play?"

He nodded, "Jason and I play all the time. When Chad and Troy are in town, we play two on two. We even started coaching C.J. whenever we babysit for Taylor."

I blinked, feeling like I must have heard him wrong. "Taylor has a kid?"

Zeke nodded and added, "Chad and Taylor." He showed me a picture of Chad and Taylor with C.J., "He just turned two about a month ago. At least once a week, we watch him for Taylor to give her a little break."

An awe escaped me seeing a mini Chad straight down to Chad's crazy fro. Zeke gave me his photo to flip through a couple more pictures. The more I saw how much I missed, the sadder I felt.

I paused, noticing that Chad and Taylor wore rings in one photo. I felt like someone punched me in the gut and knocked the wind out of me. Taylor was one of my best friends when I attended East High. We had said that if we ever got married, we would be each other's bridesmaids. Taylor must have been hurt when I disappeared. Guilt and sadness hit me hard in the chest. I buried the feelings and continued to flip through the photos.

I thought of how much my family missed my dad and my brother. "Taylor and C.J. must really miss Chad when he's in L.A."

"They do," Zeke confirmed, taking a sip of his hot chocolate. "C.J. doesn't quite understand why Chad must be so far away. They make it work, though. Chad and Taylor talk daily, and Taylor sends him plenty of photos and videos."

I smiled, seeing a selfie of Chad and Troy together. Chad had his arm around Troy, and both were beaming into the camera. Their friendship spoke volumes in the picture, and my mind wandered to the next generation of Danforth and Bolton. If Melody and C.J. met, would they be friends? Would Melody and C.J. be as close as their dads are if they were friends?

Zeke waved a hand in front of me, "you seemed really far away; everything OK?"

I gave him back his phone. "Yeah, I was thinking of how close Chad and Troy are. So, what made you decide to open Wildcat Bar."

Zeke chuckled, "now that's a story. In our junior year of college, we started really talking about where we were headed after college. Neither Jason nor I wanted to be in the NBA. I knew I wanted to be a chef, but Jason had no clue. The first thing he tried was theater."

My jaw dropped, "you're kidding. Jason played himself in our senior play and had enormous trouble."

"Exactly, that's why when Ryan and Sharpay took him on, they had no idea what they were getting themselves into." Zeke agreed, "it didn't take long for Ryan to feel like he took on mission impossible and Sharpay to come dangerously close to decking him."

I snickered at the thought of Sharpay ready to deck Jason. That wasn't anything new. I've seen it a handful of times back in high school. "What else did Jason try?"

Zeke sighed, "Cooking," He answered simply. "Which turned hazardous when he started a kitchen fire."

I didn't even try to suppress my giggles. Jason is one of my best friends, but he could be a bit clueless. "I can't imagine Jason being a chef."

Zeke giggled, too, "He isn't. If someone needs help, and Jason knows about it, he'll do everything humanly possible to help them. At heart, Jason is selfless."

I nodded, taking in what Zeke said. "So, Jason suggested opening Wildcat Bar to help other people?"

I wasn't quite seeing how that fit.

"So that people of all ages will have a safe place to gather and enjoy." Zeke corrected. "Jason suggested opening this place, hoping it could be a place for customers to find a listening ear even if there is no solution to their trouble."

I raised a brow, "you serve alcohol, though. How is that safe for all ages? Underage drinking is illegal."

Zeke shook his head. "Anyone on this side of the bar has to show ID. No one under 21 gets in this side of the Bar, and no alcohol is allowed on the other side."

"And that's all Jason wants to do, manage a place for people to come in with their problems if they choose?" I asked, "sounds really simple."

"That's Jason," Zeke stated, "when we were eight, we attended basketball camp for the entire summer. Jason made a bunch of new friends there and attempted to keep in touch with every single one of them. Unfortunately, most of them never wrote back when he wrote them. It devastated him, and it took a full year before he finally accepted that most of his friends from the camp were no longer his friends. Jason is a simple person who puts others first and values friendship."

My heart went out to Jason as I was hit with guilt and sadness. I knew all too well what it was like to lose a friend. Growing up, I've lost more friends than I ever care to admit. Most people I thought were my friends left when they found out about my past-boyfriends included. My family tells me it's cause they were never really my friends, but it still hurt. The friends who were still around started treating me differently, and we grew apart. It's why I've grown to prefer not to let people know too much about my history.

So, when I knew I could no longer hide my past from my friends from East High, I didn't dare to tell them the truth. My fear of a repeated history won me over, and I fled. I had hoped I could come back one day and things could be the same between us. I hadn't thought of how I'd hurt my friends or how I would probably be doing what was done to me.

"I didn't only hurt Troy when I left, did I," I whispered, knowing the answer.

"Jason didn't take it as hard as Troy," Zeke answered, "but he still took it personally and was hurt."

I shut my eyes, needing a moment to regain my emotions. "I'm sorry," I whispered when I knew I had my feelings under better control.

Zeke sat up straighter and placed a comforting hand on my arm. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad, Gabby. I just want you to know you mean a lot to us. You're our friend, and we miss you."

I knew I owed him some sort of explanation about what happened.

"I miss you guys too. I've thought about you guys and how different things would be if I hadn't left." I cleared my throat, trying to buy more time to figure out how to explain, "I uuhhhh…..I wanted to stay…..I just…."

Zeke stopped me, seeing my struggle. "Gabby, you don't have to."

Seeing the reassuring smile on Zeke's face, I knew he meant it. He wasn't angry, and he didn't need an explanation. I eased up again, knowing the best way to explain to him. "you guys are some of my best friends, so how you all see me means a lot. I would never want things between any of us to change or for any of you to see me any differently. The last thing I wanted was to hurt anyone, but I did."

Zeke placed a fresh cup of hot chocolate in front of me. "Was that something that happened to you a lot, your friends seeing you differently, or things changing?"

I absentmindedly stirred the whipped cream with my straw for a moment before finally nodding. "More times than I care to count or admit."

"I see," Zeke thought for a moment, "well, when you're ready to talk about why you will. Until then, know you have friends who are willing to listen. Starting with Troy and me."

He pulled me into a hug that I happily returned. "Thank you."

"So, can you help me with something as a friend?" Zeke asked when we pulled apart.

"I'll have to hear it first."

We sat down again, and Zeke started to explain. "Sharpay's birthday is June first, and I want to throw her a surprise party to celebrate. Only it's not as easy as I thought, and I'm up to my neck in confusion on how to go about planning the party. I'm not even sure where to start."

I knew where this was going. He wanted me to help plan Sharpay's party. I understood why, knowing Sharpay, he couldn't just ask any planners. It has to be someone who knew Sharpay.

"I want to help Zeke, but I'm not the one who decides which planner gets which clients. That's my boss's territory." I continued to remind him, "plus, I don't plan the events; remember, I take care of odds and ends."

"Maybe your boss could make an exception," Zeke tried, "you're the perfect planner, and I would help you. I need someone to guide me so I'd know what I'm doing."

I blew out a raspberry, "I'll talk to my boss and get back to you ASAP."

"Zeke?" Jason's voice boomed from the back. "Man, where are you?"

My eyes bugged out, and I scrambled to gather my belongings. Racing towards the door, I could hear them coming closer. Kelsi's voice called out, warning us that she was coming out the front. Zeke pointed towards the bathroom, and I made a mad dash.

"There you are; why didn't you answer," I heard Kelsi greet before noticing the bathroom door swinging shut, "did Sharpay come by to help you?"

I peeked out, "Nope, I was cleaning the girl's washroom." Zeke quickly answered.

"Didn't you clean it last night before closing up," Jason stated, coming out to the front.

"I must have forgotten," Zeke chuckled, "that must have been why it was spotless when I went in to check."

Jason turned towards the bathroom, and I inched back inside, praying he didn't see me. "OK, I'm sure I saw someone."

He didn't wait for Zeke to answer and started for the bathroom. I frantically searched for a hiding place. "Wait," I heard Zeke call out to Jason, "Yeah, it was Sharpay, she came by, and one thing led to another. She didn't want you to know."

My hand flew to my mouth in disbelief at what I was hearing. Zeke was really going to extremes. I held my breath, waiting to hear if Jason had bought what Zeke had told him.

"Oookkk." Jason replied, "that's too much info on your love life. Let's just forget we saw her and start checking the supplies in the kitchen."

I peeked out, seeing them leave. Zeke texted me an all-clear when they were in the kitchen. I let out a relieved breath and dashed out to my car.

The jingling of the doorbell caught their attention again. Jason and Kelsi came rushing out with Zeke as I got in my car. I sat in the car watching them, debating if I should come clean. I gripped the door handle, ready to step, but stopped. Memories of how many friends I've lost over the years froze me. My friends from East High are part of the very few who saw the real me. It's too important, and I couldn't bare to risk it. Giving up on the idea, I started the car and drove off.