Fast Burn (Burned Duet 1)

Elodie: Yeah, I’m good.

A breath whooshed out of me as Asher’s words from last night echoed in my head. Leo was my only friend, and although my instinct was to keep what happened from him, I was sick of hiding. Sick of putting on a front so people didn’t question my life. I still had secrets, but maybe this was one thing I could be honest about. Maybe, just maybe, I could show someone a part of me I’d always been taught to keep aside.

I lifted into a sitting position and bit down on my bottom lip, immediately regretting it because the cut reopened. Blood trailed down to my chin, and I wiped it off, not caring if it smeared over my face.

Elodie: Actually, no, I’m not. I don’t know how to say it…

My heart pounded in my chest as I watched the three dots appear to signal he was writing back. What would he say to that? It wasn’t like I’d given much away, but damn, I’d never been open like this, and I was scared it was going to smack me in the face. Should I have kept it a secret? Should I carry on like I always had and keep it locked up inside?

Leo: We’re friends. You remember that, right? :)

I blew out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. Leo was my friend. He was the smartest person I knew, but more than that, he felt like a little brother. Someone who I wanted to protect, but fuck, I was overthinking everything. Swaying back and forth with my decision. I either had to bite the bullet and spit it all out or make up an excuse to cover why I wasn’t at school and why I wouldn’t be for the rest of the week. I shot off a quick message to give me a little more time to figure out how to say what I needed to.

Elodie: Ha, ha.

Elodie: Okay, so don’t freak out…

Leo: Usually, when you tell someone not to freak out, that’s exactly what they do.

I snorted at his reply and clenched my shaking hands. I needed to get myself under control. I needed to just come out with it. I was going to do this. I was going to tell him what Knox had done, and then it would all be over. My only friend would know, and I’d be firmly out of whatever fucked-up-ness Knox had created.

Elodie: I know, I know. Okay, so…OMG. Right, okay…

Leo: Spit it out, Elodie.

Elodie: Me and Knox had a disagreement last night when I went to get my car.

There, I said it. The start of it anyway.

Leo: …

I cringed, knowing I was going to have to actually write the words. I could compartmentalize it when it had happened to me, and maybe that was one of the reasons why I’d never told anyone when he’d hurt me. Because once I’d said it out loud, it was so much more real.

My pulse raced as I wrote the message, and I stared at it for entirely too long, debating whether to send it or not. That one message could change everything. It could change the way Leo looked at me. It could change our friendship. It could end things as I knew them. I was being overdramatic, part of me knew it, but it was a big step, a step I’d never taken. Asher’s voice in my head pushed me forward. He hadn’t sugarcoated anything last night. He hadn’t insisted I go to the police or see a doctor. He’d let me make the decisions. He’d let me have the control.

And this was also in my control.

Elodie: He …well, he hit me.

Leo: What?! What do you mean he hit you?

Elodie: It’s nothing too bad. And besides, your uncle was there and helped.

I was in a panic, trying to diffuse something I wasn’t even sure was there.

Leo: My uncle was there?! Holy shit, Elodie. What the fuck?

Damn. I didn’t think I’d ever heard Leo curse.

Elodie: You shouldn’t really be cursing, Leo.

Leo: You’re not my mother! Anyway, back to you…

I snorted, and my shoulders relaxed. I was so tense I could feel it in my entire body. I had a feeling Leo wanted to ask questions, and I didn’t think I could answer them. Not right now, anyway. My body was tired, but my brain was exhausted.

Elodie: I really don’t want to talk about it.

Leo: You think I’m going to let you say something like that and then not worry? No way, Jose.