She laughed. “I know that I would’ve felt the same way. I can’t believe he gave her a fuckin’ key to his office! He should’ve known the real reason why she wanted it — to catch him cheating on her, and she almost did!”
“I know! But what Brad and I have is something special so I really try not to look at it as him cheating on her — but he is. I feel bad about it, Ava, I really do. I never thought that I would be in this situation with any guy, much less Brad, and Lisa is already giving every indication that she’s not gonna let him go without a fight. I just don’t see them breaking up anytime soon; I think they’re gonna stay together for more years to come.”
She looked at me as she could see that I started to get depressed again. “So what are you gonna do? Break off the secret relationship with him?”
I sighed. “I really don’t want to because I believe that we have a true relationship going here even though it’s in secret. I think Brad is really testing me to see how long I’ll stay with him in secret since he’s with Lisa. I just have no real proof in knowing that he really means what he says when he says that he’s gonna end it with her. I wonder if I’m the only girl in this school that’s secretly seeing some guy here whether he has a girlfriend or not.”
“I know you’re not the only one — that’s why secrets were invented,” she assured me.
I nodded with a slight smile, and then ate some of my chicken Caesar salad. I looked over at Brad; we locked eyes. He smiled at me; I smiled back. Lisa was looking at her phone as she was obviously texting someone — probably Natalie or Marie — her pictures and/or videos of her feeding Brad his lunch like a happy-in-love couple. I knew that she wanted everyone to believe that there were no problems in their relationship and that she was gonna be with him for many more years to come, and if this was the case then I really needed to have a serious talk with Brad. My thoughts were interrupted by a phone call. I looked at my phone and noticed how it was the police department! I gasped! “Oh, my God!”
“What?” Ava asked.
“It’s the police! They have to be calling me about the results of the DNA found on the can!”
“Why are you letting it ring? Answer it!” she demanded.
I pressed the talk button. “Hello?” I said. I didn’t know why, but I was very nervous.
“Hello, Vanessa. This is Detective O’Neil calling in regards to your case that you talked to me about earlier,” he said.
“Yes, Detective O’Neil. Is this about the DNA results on the can and rose?” I asked in a nervous tone.
“Yes,” he replied.
I nodded to Ava to indicate that this was what he was calling me about.
“I’m calling you to let you know that we couldn’t run a test on the can or the rose that you gave to us,” he informed me.
I gasped! “What?!” I said as I tried to keep my voice down. “Why not?”
“Because the can was completely clean — there were no fingerprints, saliva, skin cells, fibers — nothing on the can that we could collect. Same thing for the rose. I think the person who threw that can at you wanted to seriously throw you off in thinking that you were gonna be able to collect their DNA. There was no evidence on the can that even indicated that there was even one sip taken out of it. We, as well as the DNA lab, concluded that they opened up the can and poured out the soda that was in it — obviously wearing gloves or had a napkin around it to keep their fingerprints from getting on it — and then threw it at you. And as for the rose? Well, they concluded that the person was obviously wearing gloves because after all, there were thorns on it. We’re sorry, Vanessa. We’ll keep your report on file with us and will let you know if we have any similar incidents reported like yours.”
I let out a deep sigh; I was truly shocked and disappointed. “Okay. Thanks for all of your help, Detective O’Neil.”
“You’re welcome, Vanessa. Have a nice day.”
“Thank you,” I replied. I hung up and put my phone on the table. I shook my head as I let out a deep sigh.
Ava continued to stare at me in great suspense. “Sooo . . . what happened? It’s obvious that you don’t know who did it?”
“No, I don’t know who did it. Whoever threw that can at me never even took a sip out of it nor did they even leave a fuckin’ fingerprint on it, so they didn’t have to test it because there was no DNA on it to test. Like O’Neil said, he thinks that they just threw that can at me to throw me off because they knew that their DNA wasn’t on it. Same thing for the rose — nothing was on it but the thorns. This fuckin’ sucks, Ava. Now I’ll never know who tried to run me over last night!”
“It’s gonna be okay, Vanessa. I think eventually that you’ll find out who did this to you. Maybe it will unfortunately happen to some other woman and she’ll report it just like you did. That person may have been very careful this time, but they’re not gonna be careful all the time if they keep this up, and that one time is the time that hopefully someone will be thinking like you and collect their DNA from something.”
“I can only hope so.” I let out a sigh as I looked at Brad. He was looking right at me and I could tell that he knew that something was wrong with me. I looked around for Lisa. “Where did Lisa go?”
“Oh, I saw her leave while you were talking on the phone — took her bag and everything,” she replied.
I nodded. I looked down at my phone and saw a text from Brad. What’s wrong? I let out another sigh and responded to the text. I’ll tell you later. I sent it and looked at him as he read it. I saw him texting me back; I got it seconds later. I won’t be in class 7th period because I have a real meeting with Winston. Wait for me in the parking lot after school today. I looked at him as he stared back at me. I nodded; he nodded back.
I waited in the parking lot after school as Brad told me to do. I looked around and noticed that Lisa’s car wasn’t in the parking lot so she was still gone as well as almost all the students. I didn’t text him during my last class of the day because I didn’t wanna bother him over what was nothing now when it came to what happened to me last night. I looked around as I stood by my car as I waited for him, and smiled when I saw him walking my way.
He approached me. “Hey,” he said with a smile.
“Hi,” I replied with a sigh. “So, where’s Lisa?”
“She had to leave early for a doctor’s appointment — and that’s why she was in our lunch period earlier. She actually didn’t have to be there for another hour, but decided to have lunch with me.”
“And I think she decided to do that because she probably knows that I was hiding under your desk, Brad.”
He chuckled. “I don’t think she knew that, Vanessa. She didn’t mention anything about second period during lunch and hasn’t mentioned it to me since. I had her excused for the rest of the day since she did have a doctor’s appointment.”
“Then how come you couldn’t have me come to your office when you knew she was gone for the day?”
“Because that was the only time that I was able to see you at since I was in a meeting after lunch all afternoon. Besides, we both know that we didn’t expect for her to show up.”
“Yeah, don’t remind me. But what I wanted to tell you is that I don’t know who the fuck tried to run me over last night because O’Neil told me that there was no DNA on the can that was thrown out of the car at me or on the rose.”
“You’re kidding, Vanessa!” he said in shock.
“Unfortunately, I’m not. Since I called my job after I left the police station and quit like my parents told me to do, I don’t have to worry about going back there. It just fuckin’ sucks that I’ll never know who tried to run me over or who put that rose in my car for the second time.”
“Yeah, that sucks. But you never know, maybe you will find out. That person who tried to do that had to of told someone. Usually, people like to brag about doing sick shit and think that who they tell it to won’t snitch on them. And about the rose? Well, you’ll probably catch them putting it in
your car.”
“Well, that would be great if I could find out eventually by catching the person because I really do wanna know, but for right now, I’m just gonna forget about it because I can’t dwell on it. But one thing that I can’t forget about is when you’re gonna talk to Lisa about ending your relationship with her.”
He gave me a serious look. He looked down at the ground, and then around the parking lot. He let out a sigh. “When the time is right, Vanessa.”
“And when will that time be?”
He sighed again. “I don’t know.”
I was very disappointed by his response. “Okay.”
“But what I do know, Vanessa, is that my feelings for you get stronger each day, and I hope you feel the same about me.”
“I do, Brad.”
He smiled. He looked closely around the parking lot, and then embraced me as he leaned down towards me . . . and started kissing me.
I felt like we kissed for a minute, and I couldn’t believe that we did this right out in the student parking lot here at school. But there were very few cars in it, and the few cars that were still here, no one was sitting in them. “Your kisses do something to me, Brad. I can feel them all over my body and it’s a damn good feeling. I don’t wanna be in this secret relationship with you forever; a few weeks already feels like a few years. Please talk to Lisa soon.”
He nodded as he stared down at me. He said nothing, but that sure as hell said a lot to me.
CHAPTER 14
It was a month later, and Brad and I were still in our secret relationship since he still hadn’t talked to Lisa about ending their relationship. I decided not to ask him anymore when was he gonna talk to her about it because it seemed like the more that I bugged him about it, the more he wasn’t gonna talk to her at all. But fortunately, Brad and I had no close calls with Lisa or John, and I had no other incidents of someone trying to run me down. I also had no secret texts or roses as well, and concluded that the person who was doing this finally got tired of being a stalking asshole and was probably harassing someone else.
It was Friday night, and Ava and I were sitting at a popular coffee shop for teens on the weekends as I waited for Brad since we agreed to meet here. He had an away game and told me that he would be here because Lisa was going out with Natalie. I was glad that this place had free Wi-Fi as well as great coffee and specialty drinks, as well as it just being a nice place to chill at on the weekends if you were the type that didn’t like clubs or parties.
“So he said he would meet you here tonight, huh?” Ava said.
“Yeah, he did. Remember, he has that away game so I know he’s gonna get here pretty late,” I replied, as I browsed a shoe site on my laptop.
“Do you know that this is the first time I believe in months that we haven’t been to Sparkle on a Friday night?”
“I know — feels weird, huh? I feel like I’m missing something by not being there tonight.”
“That’s what I felt, too, but I don’t think we are. Maybe we need a break from there; we don’t have to go there every Friday and Saturday night.”
“I agree,” I said as I looked around for Brad; he still hadn’t arrived.
Ava got up. “Want some more coffee?”
“Yeah, I’ll take another cup — I’m starting to get sleepy,” I said, and then handed her my cup.
Several minutes later, my eyes lit up when I saw Brad walk in with Marc, Ken, Zac . . . and John. I sighed as I was hoping that John wouldn’t show up here with them, but there was nothing that I could do or say. I watched them as they all found a table in the middle of the shop, and Ken and Zac immediately went over to the counter to get drinks. I could see girls staring at Brad as he sat down. He hadn’t seen me yet but it appeared that he was looking for me. John got up and it looked as if he was going to the bathroom, so I decided to quickly go over to their table since he wasn’t sitting there. “Brad’s here. I’m gonna go over there and talk to him,” I said to Ava.
Ava looked back since her back was facing them. “Okay. I’ll just stay here.”
I got up out of my seat and walked over to Brad as he sat at the table with Marc. “Hi, guys.”
“Hey, Vanessa. What’s up?” Brad replied with a smile.
“Hey, Vanessa,” Marc also replied with a smile.
“Where’s Ava?” Brad asked.
“She’s over there immersed in looking at a website,” I replied.
“A porn one?” Marc asked with a grin.
Brad laughed.
“I don’t think so, Marc,” I said with a grin.
Brad looked me up and down as he smiled.
“So, did you guys win?” I asked, trying to make small talk.
“No, we lost by six points,” Brad replied.
“Yeah, it fuckin’ sucked,” Marc said.
I grinned at Marc, and then looked at Brad. “Well, I’m gonna go back over to Ava. See you guys later.”
“See ya,” Brad said with a smile.
I walked back over to my table and sat down. I looked up and saw John walking back to the table; he sat back down as he stared at me. I quickly looked back at my screen and continued browsing the shoe site.
About twenty minutes later, Lisa walked in with Natalie. I was not expecting to see her here, and I didn’t think Brad was, either, because he would’ve told me if he was. She looked mad as she spotted Brad and marched over to him with Natalie closely behind her. I remained seated. “Ava, Lisa’s here with Natalie.”
Ava looked back and then moved her seat around to my side of the table to face them. “Lisa looks mad; I wonder why?”
“So do I.”
When Lisa got to Brad, she immediately began arguing with him. His whole table was quiet as she held up her phone, obviously showing him something on it. Her voice got louder as everyone in the shop got quiet. Brad looked at her phone but didn’t say anything. He then got up and grabbed her arm as they walked towards the door; she pushed him away from her.
“Let’s go!” Ava said to me.
We got up and went outside — as well as more than half of the people in the shop — to see what it was that they were arguing about. As we walked outside, we kept our distance as Brad and Lisa talked by his car. Natalie, Marc, John, Ken, and Zac also kept their distance.
“Brad, I have held my tongue for almost two months now about this. Do you think I’m fuckin’ stupid or something? You don’t think I know what’s going on between you and Vanessa?”
Everyone turned and looked at me as I looked away. I wanted to go back inside, but I wanted to hear what Brad had to say about us since it was no longer a secret that we’d been seeing each other in secret.
“Lisa, you know things haven’t been going good between us since late last year,” Brad replied as he gave her a serious look.
“That doesn’t mean you have the right to fuck around on me, now does it?! Dammit, Brad! I have put up with so much of your fuckin’ shit for years now and I’m sick of it! If Vanessa is who you have always wanted then you could’ve just told me instead of doing all of this behind my back!” Lisa shouted, as she held up her phone again to him.
Brad stared at her phone. “Who sent that to you?”
“Does it fuckin’ matter, Brad?!” Lisa angrily replied, as she still held her phone up to him.
I wanted to know so bad what she’d showed him, as well as everyone else. I watched as Marc got closer to get a better look at it, as did Ken and Zac, but John stayed where he was at as he stared very coldly at me. All three of them covered their mouths and took a few steps back as they lowered their heads. Judging by their reactions, I had a feeling that this was a picture or video of Brad being caught with someone else, and it very well could’ve been me.
Brad sighed as Lisa continued to give him a very icy glare. “Okay, so someone sent you a video of me kissing Vanessa — like you haven’t cheated on me, Lisa.”
I gasped along with everyone else. And once again, everyone was looking at me, especial
ly John. I honestly felt like a slut that had just been exposed; I wanted to disappear.
“Oh, and not only was I sent a video of you kissing her, I was sent this video, too!” Lisa said, and then showed him another video.
Brad looked at the video and let out a sigh. “That was just a dance, Lisa — we were just having fun — I let you dance with other guys.”
“No, Brad! This is different! Yeah, you may have let me dance with other guys, but there’s a difference between a friendly dance and a fuckin’ dick-teasing dance like what this is and you fuckin’ know it!”
Brad sighed as he shook his head as there was slight laughter from people. “Yeah, I know it.”
“And you also know that it’s no secret to anyone that you have always had a thing for Vanessa! I’m not stupid!”
“I didn’t say you were, Lisa,” he replied in a calm tone.
“I got you dancing with her at Sparkle, and fuckin’ kissing her in the school parking lot! What’s next, Brad? Am I gonna get one sent to me of you fucking her, too?!”
The crowd gasped as well as laughed!
Brad stared coldly down at her. “I want you to stop all of this fuckin’ nonsense, okay?”
“IT’S NOT NONSENSE!” Lisa yelled.
“Stop yelling!” Brad snapped back.
“So you’re fucking Vanessa?!” Lisa flat-out asked him.
The crowd gasped, and the ones who knew me looked right at me — especially John — and then back at Brad. John continued to stare at me with a very cold look that had me frozen stiff because it was obvious that he wanted to know as well.
Ava looked at me like maybe we should leave; I stood still because I wanted to hear what Brad had to say about us, especially now since our secret relationship was officially exposed and exposed in the worst way possible.
“ARE YOU FUCKING VANESSA, BRAD? YES OR NO? IT’S A SIMPLE FUCKIN’ QUESTION! ANSWER ME!!” Lisa yelled.
School, Sex and Secrets (School, Sex and Secrets #1) Page 14