Betray - Part 14.

https://www.wattpad.com/user/chelsealeighstories

Lake

I am woken suddenly, a loud bang echoing throughout the still, quiet house, shooting up in bed, I drag my covers up further trying to disappear beneath them.

This can't be happening. Why our house, why on the one morning I get the house to myself.

Adrenaline swamps my system, placing my hands over my chest trying to reassure myself this is just a bad dream. I think my heart is going to explode, my eyes are wide with panic, this is not how I wanted to be awakened this morning or any other morning.

My mind starts running through all the scenarios that are about to occur, my body wants to either run fast for the safety of the busy suburban street or to the bathroom where I can lock myself in and hide, but instead I stay where I am.

What the fuck is going on.

I lay there not daring to move, I have no idea how to feel or act, no one else should be home except me.

Thinking, trying my best to remember, I swear my aunt said she wouldn't be home this early.

Then realization slams into me, the only scenario that makes sense, we are being robbed.

Holy shit, of course, the one time I'm home alone, they decide to rob us!

Shit, I need my phone.

Frantically feeling around in my bed for my phone, it's nowhere to be found. Of course the one time I really need it, it's missing.

My eyes shoot to my closed bedroom door. I hear footsteps hurrying towards where I am, closer and closer with every second and still no phone in sight.

Let's face it, there is only one thing I can do now especially without my phone, pray no one kills me and they just leave my room alone.

Still frantically searching for my phone, trying my best not to make any noise, the only sound I hear is their footsteps and my heavy panicked breathing.

My hand grazes over something cold on my left-hand side near my thigh, I found it! The second my hand grabs for my phone my bedroom door flies open crashing into my wall with so much strength I scream out in panic, no other reaction seemed justified.

I stop screaming the instant I see a panicked Aspen bursting through the doors, tears streaking her tired face. Her hair is a complete mess like she just woke up and ran straight here, I have no doubt that's precisely what she's done.

Covering my mouth with my hand, I stare at her with a startled expression, panic, and anger seeping through me, whatever is wrong it must be bad for her to run over here in a frenzy.

I sit up, "Aspen, what's wrong?" I shriek out, holding my arms out for her to fall into.

She doesn't hesitate, she rushes to my bed throwing herself into my arms and under my warm, safe comforter.

She cries out something that I can't understand through her mumbled words; she lay wrapped in my arms her body trembling with her cries. I draw her tighter sensing her need for comfort, stroking her hair I wait for her breathing to even out before I say anything.

Whatever is going on, I can't help if she is a grumbling panicked mess.

A minute later, her breathing starts to slow, and she isn't crying anymore.

I slowly unwrap my body from hers, and I lay down beside her, still playing with her hair, knowing she needs the soothing right now.

I whisper to her, "Aspen, look at me," she does, and I regret asking for her to meet my stare, the sadness in her eyes pains my heart, I've never seen her look like this.

My usual bubbly, loveable, annoyingly happy best friend is gone, replacing her with this empty shell of Aspen.

She groans, "I kissed Ryan last night," she states, no emotion showing on her face, but that still doesn't explain anything.

"I don't understand, I thought you wanted to kiss him?" I ask, confused now about her tears.

"Well, I actually remember you mentioning a handful of times you wanted to hump and dump him." I remind her, but I doubt she needs the reminder, her brows furrow with shame.

Shit, I didn't mean to make her feel worse. I watch her waiting for her to say something, anything.

Tell me how heartless I am for the stupid reminder or curse me out for being a horrible friend, but instead, she closes her eyes the furrow in her brows passing.

"I did, but then I got this message this morning," she shoves her phone into my lap without reasoning why and she buries her face again in my pillow letting out a muffled groan.

I unlock her phone, reading her recent messages.

"Thanks for last night, but I think we should be friends. It was fun though if you ever want to do it again, I'm down. - Ryan."

I'll kill him, whatever he did to hurt Aspen is worth being barred away for life.

Lock me up and throw away the key, Ryan is a dead man, but still, this doesn't explain to me all the tears.

Something else, much more significant, must be going on here.

"So, he just wants to be friends?" I ask, needing her help explaining what else has happened.

She looks over at me, "yeah that isn't the issue, that was just the start of the shit morning I've had," she starts, pulling herself up until she is sitting on my bed facing me, her legs crossed pulling them into her chest, bracing for the blow she's about to deal.

"I went online this morning, and someone anonymously sent me screenshots of a conversation between Ryan and some of the guys from the High School Football team."

Okay, yep there it is, I know where this is going now.

I grit my teeth; my fists starting to curl and tighten waiting to hear what I know she's about to say.

Aspen must sense my emotion because her body goes stiff, staring at me like she wants to run away and hide, I need to calm myself down for her sake.

Taking a deep breath, I watch her as she understands what I'm doing, she sighs.

"I was a bet, a fucking bet, but the worst part is he lied and said I fucked him so he could win $100."

The tears returned, pooling in her eyes, but the scowl covering her face let me know how she felt about this, she was pissed and rightly so.

I am fucking livid, but I need to support Aspen right now and not let my emotions rule.

My mouth draws into a straight line, trying my best to contain my anger so I can comfort my best friend, she needs me, and I'll be there for her, no matter what.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I mutter out through my pursed lips, trying to hold in the scream I want to unleash on Ryan and his entire existence.

I draw in a deep breath, closing my eyes; the last thing Aspen needs right now is my rage encouraging her to go for blood and upsetting her anymore.

I need to say something a little more rational to help her, the right way, "you need to block him and all of those guys, forget about them. You are worth so much more than $100, so the jokes on him."

My sensible advice wins, the slightest giggle falls from her, and a tiny glimmer of a smile starting to form on her red blotchy, but still beautiful face.

"Right? I would've expected at least a higher price to be with me, $100, seriously?! That's the real insult."

Now we are both laughing, the dismal mood permeating my bedroom uplifting slightly.

This is the best way to deal with this situation, let the pathetic immature boys have their bets, we are better than that, Aspen is better than that.

We lay back down, staring up at my ceiling welcoming the silence washing over us.

I feel around for her hand between us, encasing her tiny, shivering hand inside mine.

This is what genuine friendship is, I'll do everything in my power to hold onto this forever, hold onto Aspen's friendship eternally.

"Wait, did you break something in my house?" I question, almost forgetting the crash that woke me up, "and another thing, how did you get in my house?" I laugh out loud; to think I thought I was about to die in a horrible home invasion, but it was just Hurricane Aspen making landfall.

Aspen chuckles, "yeah sorry, that crash was just me breaking in through your window downstairs." she admits, a huge smile on her face, not an ounce of guilt clouding her.

I can't help but smile back in shock, this girl is crazy.

"You broke into my house? How did you even do that?" I ask, amazed Aspen had that skill, also a little upset I never knew about it.

"Well it's not hard, Grey taught me how to open windows if I was ever locked out when I was younger, so I just used a skill I never thought I needed and to my surprise, it worked."

Aspen shrugs, to her this seemed logical, I guess to others it might as well, but I can't say that was something I was ever taught when I was younger. My sister and I were never alone long enough for the need I guess, Aspen turns her head to face me.

"But then I got inside, and discovered that your front door was unlocked, you should be more careful and lock your doors Lake. You never know what creeps could come crawling through your windows waking you up for comfort and a shoulder to cry on," Aspen retorts sarcastically, at least my happy friend was making an appearance again.

"I must've forgotten when I got home last night, well this morning," I mumble into the air, trying to think back to last night, but I don't remember locking the front door, shit I better not tell Karen about that.

Aunt Karen tends to overreact, if she found this out, I will never be allowed to stay home all alone until the age of thirty.

Let's just keep this between us.