Salt

With the rain beating down on me like a thunderous storm nobody conjured, I stood on the edge of Lu's driveway, peering into the lounge window. He was sitting with his parents on the couch, likely watching their umpteenth viewing of Kill Bill. His mom and dad clutched each other's hands tightly but undemandingly. I couldn't prevent the smile that edged its way across my face, even if the acid was pouring into my sockets.

Taking a deep breath, I approached their front door, knocking only once before it swung open. My best friend's features immediately twisted into pure delight.

The coldness I was used to by now was dulled by the sheer warmth he radiated. The ice melted as soon as it was met with the sun.

Inviting me in, he didn't bother asking if I wanted to sit and watch the movie with them. He shouted back at his folks that he'd be upstairs if they needed him.

I exchanged typical quick greetings with the Kole's before I followed him. Lu's room was nice, and open and inviting, with peach-colored walls and lots of posters of a semi-naked Michael B. Jordan.

Allowing him to pull off my drenched coat, I sat at the edge of his bed, drinking everything in, as he wound an arm around my waist and held me to him. I gladly sunk in. Not just for the heat, either.

"Babe, is everything okay?"

Twisting a lock of my wet hair around his pale-white finger, I awaited on exploding.

Yet, no matter how much I stifled my queasy stomach, and blinked away the tears much to my shitty ability... it never happened. Which wasn't like me at all, if there was one person I'd cried fountains in front of without any fear of judgment or bias, it was always Lu.

So, this was a new development for sure.

I unloaded upon him all current events. Zoey's overdose, my parents' and Jesse's fight, the suspicion I had that maybe Jesse was lying to me and had been for a while. It was hard to believe, even out loud, but when I looked up at Lu's face, it was indecipherable.

"Is there anything I can do?"

Squeezing me harder so that my shoulder dug right into his underarm, he made a sharp intake of breath.

"I don't know. People are people and they're going to have problems, sometimes you just have to stand back while they fix them. Healing takes time, rushing won't do anyone any favors."

My brows furrowed. "I'm not pushing anybody. I just... I deserve answers, right?"

He pouted, but only for a second before he concealed it with a smile.

"Of course you do, but maybe you should be patient too? It's just a suggestion." He added when we could both see I was beginning to grimace.

I let it slide though, as he continued to hold me, brush his fingers through my now-totty hair and massaged my temples when I made sounds close to grunts. His touch was electric. Not in a way that was foreign, or sensual, but still intimate. I knew his touch, my body was constantly soothed by it and recognized it for what it provided.

I snuggled in closer, as I shut my eyes, concentrating solely on the rise and fall of his jagged chest. The beat of his heart thrummed through my ears like my favourite song, I had it memorized and loved it with every drum.

*

When I woke up, I was still wound tight in my best friend's embrace. His soft breath hit the back of my neck and my hairs were all standing on end.

Moonlight shone dully into the room, reflecting off the sheen of the posters and right into our faces. It was a wonder he hadn't woken up with me, I knew despite the fact we were facing the same way.

With the one arm I wasn't lying on, I reached inside my jacket pocket and flipped open my mobile. One missed call and a text from my mother, the latter which just asked if I would be home tonight.

Snaking a quick look back at Lu's peaceful resting figure, I typed back that I was staying here. The response was instant, asking only that I leave early in the morning to remember my clothes for work tomorrow.

Frankly, I didn't know if I was up for serving the same old stingy idiots. They either refused to tip or did, but never the full ten percent. I didn't know which was worse.

Exiting my messages, I returned to the home screen, welcomed to an image I once believed could never be altered. It was a photo we'd taken a year or so back. I'd felt safe in Jesse's embrace, Ambrose and Fletcher's arms were draped across each other's shoulders, Jett and Zoey were crouched with that don't-mess-with-me attitude and Lu had barely made it in the frame, since he set the timer at only a ridiculous three seconds, but you could easily make out the grin on his adorable face.

These six people were all my friends, one lucky enough I could call my sister, so every time I saw a photo of us smiling and having a good time, I understandably grew warm and fuzzy inside. For years, I'd treasured their friendship and I hoped they did the same.

So, why couldn't I shake the feeling that I barely knew them? Over this past month, I felt like I'd discovered more about them than I had ever before.

It wasn't right. It was wrong and calculated and I hated it. I hated all of this.

Either all six of these people were amazing friends who wanted nothing but the best for me... or none of them were. And the faces I looked at every day were just painted-on masks made to fool me.

At the end of the day, half of those masks would be taken off, while the other half were glued on tight, those lies certainly becoming their truths.

And I think those kind of dangerous thoughts were what scared me the most.