Chapter 124

**Megan**

"What? But how is that possible?" Julie asks.

"Isn't he supposed to be under guard 24.7?" Melanie asks me.

Logan has just told them what my grandfather has told me. When he had finished the room was silent, Melanie had moved over and sat next to me holding my hand. It literally felt like we had gotten the news that someone has died, all their eyes were on me trying to gauge my emotions.

The truth is I'm not too sure how I feel. My mind has gone numb. I feel like I'm going insane or that this is just a nightmare and that any moment now I'm going to wake up to see a sleeping Logan next to me. Trying to pinch myself awake isn't working, I keep nipping the inner part of my arm, testing myself to see but no such luck. I'm still sat here, in this room with tension so thick I feel like I can't breath.

"That is what I have been told," Logan says. He's sat on the couch opposite me which is just torturous. I want nothing more than to move onto his lap and let him hold me, I don't feel safe otherwise. But I know he's only sat away from me because he himself wants to hold me just as much and most likely whisper safe and secure words in my ear that everyone else tells me but only he can mean.

Glancing over at Logan I see him looking at me while rubbing at his hands. He looks away from me as soon as our eyes meet. Hearing the words out loud just seem unreal like it's a cruel trick.

"They'll find him," Melanie says while reassuringly squeezing my hand. I shake my head a little and look down at my lap. It's taking everything in me not to cry again. "They will, they have to," she states.

"He couldn't have gone far," Yasmin states. I stand up and wipe my eyes.

"I need some air," I mutter and walk out of the room and make my way out the back of the mansion.

Dark grey clouds cover the sky making it seem too dark for the time of day it is. Rain pelts down onto the ground creating a soothing sound. The droplets even louder as they land in the pool, luckily I'm sheltered from the rain although I'm not so sure I want to be. I want to feel something other than the fear and worry building up inside me.

The door I had come through opens and I look to see it's Melanie. She gives me a small smile walks over to me. She stands next to me and leans against the wall with me with her arms folded.

"Are you cold?" she asks and I smile at the fact she knows not to ask me if I'm ok.

"Surprisingly no, right now I welcome the cold," I say moving my hands up my covered arms. I'm only wearing a tank top with a pair of jeans and a cardigan. I look towards her to see her shivering. I smile a little, her small frame looks even tinier with her hunched the way she is. Moving my arm around her I pull her into a hug to warm her up a little.

"I came out to comfort you not the other way round," she says hugging me back.

"I'm not comforting you I'm warming you up, you can comfort me if you like," I say with a small smile and she laughs.

"I'm sorry," she says quietly. I sigh knowing what she's saying sorry for.

The past few months we've become apart, this time last year we were best friends but ever since I told her about Benjamin we just drifted. I know there's a wedge between us. She will try to blame it on Logan but I know it's something else. There's things she's not telling me, I want to help her but I can't, not when I can't help myself. I know it's selfish of me but what am I to do? If I try to help her it may not be the right kind of help. We might just both end up going down the same route.

"It's ok," I say quietly.

"For everything," she adds.

"I know, it's forgotten about," I say pulling from the hug and holding her hands in mine. "Talk to me, what's going on? You keep having these shitty moods and I don't know why," I say moving a

black piece of hair from her face.

"It's hard to explain," she says quietly.

"Try," I say quietly. I just want her to know that I'm here for her regardless of my situation. I'm sick of been a shit friend. I've known her since I was 7 years old. She's been through everything with me, we've even planned what our futures will be together, where we'll live, what colleges we're gonna go to but all that seems redundant now.

"I can't," she says quietly and she looks like she's about to cry.

"Melly," I say using the nickname I gave her when we were younger. She smiles at it and looks down. I sigh and go to move my hands out of her but she doesn't allow me to.

"I love you," she says and I look at her and I'm about to reply to her when I feel her lips on mine.

My eyes widen and I pull away.

"I thought I was the only gay in the village," I hear Carl say. We both look to see Logan and Carl stood there looking quite shocked, probably not as shocked as me. Her hands leave mine instantly and she runs back inside not making eye contact with anyone.

"Melanie," I call walking after her but stop when she's out of sight. I turn back to go outside and see both Logan and Carl waiting for me. I shut the door and stand in front of Carl. "Say anything to her and I'll kill you," I threaten and he smiles. "No teasing, no snide remarks, nothing do you understand," and his smile widens. "Carl I'm serious, and she's not gay, don't tell anyone what you've just seen," I snap and I look at Logan to see him smiling a little. "That goes for you too," I say to him and he frowns at me while pointing to himself.

"I'm just an innocent bystander," he says and I sigh while moving my hands to my face, holding my head in my hands.

"She's so cute angry," Carl states and I move both my hands through my hair.

"Shut up," I snap, walking back to the wall and leaning against it while nibbling at my thumb nail.