The Secret Keeper

“Eh mi gawd,” my best friend, Holly, whispered in my ear, “Bo Cromwell is staring at me!”

I rolled my eyes, but turned to where I knew Bo would be sitting. Sure enough, his gaze was locked on my companion.

“Hm,” I said, “I wonder what he’d want he’d want with you.”

Holly pouted. “You’re just jealous because he likes me, not you.”

I blinked at her. She was not serious. Bo – or, as I call him, Boris – Cromwell and I had been enemies since we were in diapers. He found every opportunity to make my life a living, breathing, HELL. And as far as I remember, I made his live miserable right back. Oh, how I loathed that annoying, rude, handsome boy.

“I am NOT jealous of you liking Bo Cromwell,” I spat, making sure Holly understood.

She just rolled her eyes back at me. “Sure, sure.”

As she said this, my ex-boyfriend, Evan, walked by our table. There was something… I don’t know, different about him. Instead of the charming, upbeat boy that I went out with, he was a sullen, zombie-like monster.

In fact, it had been happening to a lot of the kids of Witch Hazel High.

Yes, you read right: Witch Hazel High. Located in, you guessed it: Witch Hazel, Oregon. Anyway, a lot of the people lately have just completely… changed. Not for the better, either. It was almost like they were all hung-over, every moment of every day. And, as much as that might be true for some people, I was absolutely positive it couldn’t happen to someone like Evan.

There were several people, actually, that had changed recently. Evan, of course, was one, along with Holly’s boyfriend, Daniel. It was a little disturbing. We didn’t talk about it much, but I knew that it was tearing Holly apart inside. That was why she was so happy to see Bo (insert mental cringe here) looking at her. She needed some distraction.

“Eve!” she squealed, clutching on to my arm and digging her claws into it, “He’s coming over here!”

I gulped. Sure enough, Bo stood up from his spot and sauntered up to our table.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Bo was possibly the most handsome boy in the school. He had dark brown, almost black hair, and these olive green eyes that would make any girl swoon with one glance. His skin wasn’t the standard pale white that seemed to be the norm in our town, but rather a healthy-looking tan that was accomplished through being outdoors more often than not. He had one ear pierced, and a gold hoop glinted in the dim lighting in the cafeteria. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, making the barbed wire tattoo around his bicep even more noticeable. He is probably who most parents would be afraid their daughters would end up with. Frankly, I don’t blame them.

“Hello, Evangeline,” Bo snarled. I inwardly cringed. He knew I hated it when someone called me by my full name. “Hello, Holly.”

Holly raised her hand and wiggled her fingers slightly. “Hi, Bo,” she said, as if testing out how the name sounded from her lips.

I let out a small growl. “Hello, Boris.”

He grimaced for a split second, but then seemed to recover himself. I smirked.

He turned back to Holly, who was now leaning toward him and twirling a strand of her curly blonde hair around her finger. “So, Holly… I hear there’s a costume party at Luke's tonight. How would you like to be my date?”

I could practically hear her drooling on the spot. “Uh… um…. uh… Sure!”

I rolled my eyes. Holly had had a huge crush on Bo ever since I could remember. And, well, they were perfect for each other, in a way. They were both inhumanly beautiful. Holly had golden blonde, perpetually curly hair, bright navy blue eyes, high, perfect cheekbones, a small, ski-sloped nose, and always-glossed, full lips. She was every boy’s dream girl.

As for me, well, I was more ordinary than anything. With my pale, flawless complexion, plain, waist-length, brown, wavy hair, hazel eyes, and 5’4 stature, I was one girl that wouldn’t stand out too much in a crowd. But, since my best friend was supermodel gorgeous, it didn’t really matter what I looked like.

“Good,” Bo confirmed with a slow, smoldering wink in Holly’s direction. He turned to leave when he pause, as if he’d forgotten something. “Oh, and Eve?”

I scowled. “Yes?”

He smirked wickedly. “You have something on your shirt.”

I looked down just in time for him to take my pudding cup from my lunch tray and dump it down my lime green, V-neck t-shirt. I gasped.

“What. The. F*uck?!” I screeched, so loudly that I’m sure most of the cafeteria heard me.

Holly’s jaw dropped. “Oh, Eve…”

Bo’s ever-present smirk grew. “You may need to learn how to eat properly, Evangeline.”

With that, he retreated back to his table.

-[-]-

“I HATE HIM!” I roared, while trying to get the stain out of my shirt. Not to self: chocolate doesn’t come out with generic hand soap.

Holly sighed. “I know, I know, Eve. But you have to admit, he is HOT.”

I glared daggers at her, and went back to blotting.

As frustrated as I was with her, I was eternally grateful to Holly. She had leant me her extra jacket that she always had in her locker. I had to admit, she was always ready for this type of thing.

I grunted and threw the wad of paper towels in the trash can. “It’s no use!” I said, flinging my hands in the air.

Holly came over and hugged me. “I’m sorry, Eve. I know you hate Bo, but I just… please be happy for me.” She gave me the most pathetic puppy-dog look I’d ever seen.

I smiled. “I am. I am happy for you, Holls.”

She gave me a squeeze, and stepped back. As she did, she squinted at something. Then, her eyes widened. “Eve,” she breathed, “What the hell is that?”

I looked at her, confused. What was she talking about?

I followed her gaze, which was locked on my collar bone. Oh, no.

“I-It’s nothing,” I stammered, backing out of the bathroom. “I gotta go, Holly. See you later!”

I rushed out of the bathroom without another word.

As I came to an empty hallway, I leaned against the wall of lockers, and sank down to the floor. As I did, I brought my hand up to trace the thing that had caught Holly’s attention.

My skull-shaped birthmark.