Too Many Secrets

Chapter 22

I have been in my room for three days now and not a single person has come to check on me yet. I think it might be time to leave, not because I forgive them, but because I've missed too much school.

I go to the bathroom to get ready for the day and finally leave my room. I see Dylan and Ben sitting at the kitchen table eating some cereal and Cole standing looking in the fridge. I didn't make a sound but somehow they must sense my presence because they all stop what they were doing and looked at me.

"Um, hey Sky. What do you want for breakfast?" Cole asks, breaking the silence.

"It's fine, I'll just get something from school."

He opens his mouth to object but he wisely doesn't say a word. I sit at the table far away from Ben and Dylan and wait for them to finish.

"Come on Sky, I'm ready to go," Dylan says.

"I want to go with Ben today," I respond.

"Okay then, let's go," Ben says.

I walk out of the kitchen with Ben but I can't help but look back and see Dylan hurt. Great, now I feel bad.

We have a very uneventful car ride followed by a very uneventful day at school. Ben has some kind of sport today after school so I'm forced to go home with Dylan.

I meet him by his car and of course he is not there yet. After five minutes he appears, thankfully with no girl attached to him.

We get into the car silently and start our drive back home. After twenty minutes we still aren't home which is very odd. Normally it takes fifteen minutes but sometimes there is traffic, but it's never longer than twenty minutes.

"Dylan, where are we going?"

"You said you wanted answers."

"Wait, seriously?"

"Yes, Skylar."

"So where are you taking me right now?"

"I'm going to show you the family business."

"Which is?"

"It's where all of us work."

"You have a job?"

"We all do. We work here. Ben and I only work part time for obvious reasons, but Cole, Zach and Jake run this place."

"So what is it that you guys do?"

"I think I'll leave that up to Jake to explain."

After a couple more minutes we arrive at this giant building. It is completely white and it has zero signs on it. It looks like a modern warehouse, nothing too exciting.

"What you are about to see will never be spoken about to a single person beside me, Jake, Cole, and Ben. Okay?"

"Okay." Woah that seems a little suspicious but I always knew there was something off with them.

"Are you still sure you want these answers?"
I take a second to think about my answer. I've been fighting for this since the day that I stepped into that house, I can't back down now.

"Yes, I'm positive."

"Okay then, follow me."

We start to walk around the side of the building and then the back. I have yet to see a single door. Behind the building is all forest and a thin sidewalk, with only enough room for one person. Dylan stops walking so I stop after him. He puts his hand on one of the white panels and suddenly it opens like a door.

"After you," Dylan says to me. My mouth is hanging open, I can't believe that just happened. Coolest door ever. Dylan chuckles at my response.

I walk into the building and there is a long white hallway with doors a couple of feet apart. At the end of the hall there is a spiral staircase. Dylan gestures toward the stairs so I start to climb.

Once we get to the next floor it's a bunch of cubicles with people working. Dylan starts to lead the way again. We walk past the cubicle down another hallway and up another flight of stairs. This place is really giving me a workout.

When we get to the third floor I see a woman who looks like a secretary sitting at her desk.

"What can I do for-" she starts to talk but when she lifts her eyes from her computer she sees who she is talking to. "Oh, Mr. Williams. Good afternoon."

"Thank you Carla, you too. This is my sister, Skylar."

Her face is red as a tomato and a huge smile comes to her face.

"Oh my, Ms. Williams, it is a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Um, you too." I say, trying to be polite.

"Why did she say 'finally meet you'?" I whisper to Dylan as we walk around her desk.

"Everyone knows who you are around here. Get used to it."

"Why?"

"Because you are our sister."

I decide to not ask anymore questions for the time being. We continue to walk down another long hallway. Finally we see a door that says Jake Williams in big gold letters.

Dylan knocks on the door and we wait for Jake to answer.

"Come in," I hear a voice, that wasn't Jakes, say.

We open the door and I see Ben, Cole, Zach and Jake sitting on a big black couch. They all stare at me like I'm the weird one in this situation.

"Come sit, Sky," Jake says, pointing at a seat across from them. Secretly I'm a bit sad that I'm sitting alone, but I think they just want to give me space.

"I think we have a lot to talk about. Don't we?" Jake says.

"Can I start?" Cole asks. Jake nods. "First we want to say that everything we have kept from you has been for your safety. Everything that we tell you today is a privilege for you to know. We wanted to wait a little longer to tell you this, but these past few days have made it impossible for that."

For the first time ever Cole sounds like Jake, cold and scary. The thought gives me the chills. I don't need another Jake right now.

"We can only tell you so much. Ben and Dylan first found out about this when they were 16, so you have a head start. We don't want you at all wrapped up in any of this." Jake takes a breath.

"We know exactly how you feel right now, Sky, because that was us a couple of years ago," Ben adds.

"However, what happened a few nights ago cannot happen again," Dylan says interrupting. I feel my face lose color and I get the chills. Ben glares at Dylan because of his harsh tone.

Ben gets up and comes to sit right next to me. He puts his hand on my back and starts to rub in circles calming me.

"Do you still want this, Skylar?" Jake asks.

They are making this seem like they are the most awful people on the planet. How crazy can this secret be? I don't think anything they can tell me can scare me as much as this little prep talk of theirs.

I nod in response to Jake's question. "Yes," I say, immediately fixing my mistake of not answering verbally.

"Okay, Cole, Zach, Ben, Dylan, please leave us. I want to speak with Skylar alone." Jake announces.

They all start up simultaneously and walk out the door. I look at Jake and we are making direct eye contact.

It's finally time. This is what I have been waiting for. Answers.