4. Hush-Hush

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My eyes remained wide.

'Long time no see, brother.' That's what he had said. In that brand new deeper voice that I was not yet familiar with. But his face, through the subtle differences, I recognized.

"It's really you," I said, half questioning.

He didn't respond but instead gave me a slight smile.

"You've grown a bit," he said, finally.

I felt tears welling up. I walked towards him and wrapped him in a hug. He reciprocated my embrace and we stood there a moment. The tears fell from my eyes as I clenched them shut, only focusing on the fact that I was finally holding my brother again.

It felt surreal. My silent tears soon turned into audible sobbing. A flood of emotions and thoughts coursed through my head and my very being. But most of all, I think I was just happy.

"You were dead," I said through my sobs, "you were supposed to be dead."

"I know," said Kevin, "but I'm here."

"How?! They found you. Your body. Mom and dad saw your body at the morgue!"

"Ricky..."

"We have to tell them!" I said, finally breaking the embrace and wiping my tears. "They have to know you're back!"

"You can't do that."

"Why?! Don't you want everyone to see that you're okay? Everyone was fucking devastated when you went missing and you never responded to my texts after—"

"Ricardo!" He interjected before I could continue.

"What?"

"I want to come home. But I can't yet. It's not safe."

"What do you mean?"

He sighed. "Someone did try to kill me that night and they're still out there. If I come home now, you'll all be in danger."

I shook my head, trying to wrap it around the situation. "We can... W-we can just get the police involved and—"

"Do you not understand the climate of the situation here?!" He asked. "Everyone thinks I'm dead, including the person who tried to kill me. If I come back now and reveal that I'm alive I'm going to have to answer for that. Dead people are supposed to stay dead, you know."

"Well, just tell them! Tell me! How are you alive?! They found your—"

"I can't answer your questions yet," Kevin said.

I looked at him in bewilderment. "You planned this little family reunion just to tell me you can't answer for anything?!"

"In due time!" Said Kevin. "But I wanted to see you because I will need your help. You're the only person I trust right now."

"You don't trust mom and dad?"

I dark expression crossed Kevin's face. "Especially not mom and dad."

I frowned. What was that supposed to mean? "I don't understand. Why can't you—"

"I've already told you," Kevin interrupted again, "in due time, I'll tell you everything. As for right now, I need this to stay a secret and I need you to not tell anyone about me."

I sighed, ran my hands through my hair and began pacing back and forth. This was crazy.

"Promise me, Ricky!"

"Okay," I breathed. "Okay, fine."

"Thank you," he said, clearly grateful,

"So what do you want me to do now? I mean, do you have an idea about who wanted to kill you? I could help with anything."

Kevin shrugged. "I don't know. I don't know who did it, or why. The person was wearing a mask that night, so I have no clue who it could be."

"Dammit," I muttered.

"For now, this can be our spot. If you or I ever come up with something we can rendezvous here," he suggested.

"Yeah, sure, I just—"

An audible gasp was heard from behind me and I turned to see a boy, more or less my age, standing at the entrance of the alley, eyes wide.

"Did you tell people I was here?!" Kevin barked.

"No, I swear!" I turned back to him, but he took off, running towards the fence at the end of the alley. I turned back to see the guy at the entrance step back and then run away as well.

Stealing another glance at Kevin, who was making his way over the fence, I growled in frustration before pursuing the boy.

Exiting the alley, I looked to my right and spotted the guy running down the street. I chased after him.

My heart raced, I couldn't let him get away. I had to stop him. Based on his reaction, he recognized Kevin. The dead boy everyone knew about. I couldn't risk him telling someone about it. He'd ruin everything. Kevin would go into hiding again. I couldn't lose Kevin. Not again. Not after I'd just got him back.

"Hey!" I called. "Stop, please!"

The guy was fast and I watched as he rounded a corner. I was still half way down the street. By the time I got to the end of the block and rounded the corner, he was nowhere to be seen.

"I'm not gonna hurt you!" I said, desperate to try and get him to confront me.

He didn't respond. I knew he wouldn't. Some random kid just saw that I was meeting with a dead person and could do anything they wanted with the knowledge of it. Even if no one believed him, it would raise enough attention to make Kevin not want to meet with me again.

I suddenly felt angry.

"FUCK!" I shouted, kicking at a rock. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

I wanted to hit anything... Everything! My blood was boiling and a deep and overwhelming sense of helplessness rose within me. It was over.

Sulking, I turned around and made my way back to my car in defeat.

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Monday came, and I hadn't spoken to any of my friends since Saturday night. I'd purposely kept my phone off the entire time. On Sunday my parents didn't bother trying to get me out of my room. They'd gotten used to me locking myself in.

Fortunately there'd been no word yet of some teen reportedly seeing Ricardo Vásquez meeting with his dead brother, but I figured it'd only be a matter of time. Sooner or later that guy would come forward, and people may think he's crazy, but it'd be enough to end my meetings with Kevin. I knew that. He'd be too paranoid.

I thought about all of this during my drive to school and as I entered my first period class.

I quietly sat at my desk, pulled out the needed materials and waited for the teacher, Mrs. Hart to proceed with the lesson.

When the bell rang, everyone knew that meant shut up and get ready because Mrs. Hart was pretty strict and wanted silence unless she said otherwise.

A few minutes in, the door to our class opened and in stepped our principal, Ms. Beck.

"Hi, Ms. Beck," Hart greeted her.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hart," Beck responded, "and good morning to you too, students," she said scoping the sea of students to which we all responded with a collective "good morning Ms. Beck."

"Is this about the student?" Hart asked.

"Yep," Beck said, smile plastered on her face. "He's right outside and ready for you."

"Great!" Hart responded.

Beck turned her head to face outside the door. "Okay, Travis, come on in."

If it was a new student, which it had to be, he was clearly going to end up sitting next to me because the only desk left available was the one next to mine on my right.

We all watched as a light brown haired boy, lacking in confident body posture walked in. His hair was complimented with light brown eyes and freckles.

I tried to keep my mouth from dropping open. His features were easier to see in this lighting. But even so, I recognized that it was him.

The guy from the alley.

He looked over the crowd of students and eventually his eyes met with mine. I saw the realization in his eyes as I'm sure he saw the realization in mine.

"Holy shit," he muttered as he stared at me, still heard throughout the classroom.

I felt a few students look at me, probably with questioning glances but my eyes were glued to him.

"Well, I guess your first lesson will be about no swearing in my class," Hart said to him.

He broke his gaze with me to look at her. "Oh, I'm sorry ma'am."

Hart nodded. "Take the seat next to Ricardo over there," she said pointing at the spot next to me.

He seemed hesitant but made his way over to the spot. Ms. Beck left the room with a wave goodbye.

He sat down next to me, and I was feeling pretty awkward, but I needed to talk to him.

"Hey," I leaned over and whispered. "Travis, right?"

He ignored me, facing forward.

"Dude, please... Whatever you saw, keep it to yourself. Okay? Strictly hush-hush."

"Mr. Vásquez!" Called Mrs. Hart.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly, sinking into my seat.

For the rest of the hour, I said nothing, but no way was I letting it go. I had to make sure he wouldn't say anything.

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The bell rang. Travis was out of his seat in no time.

"Travis!" I called to him.

He left the room, ignoring me as usual. Damn this kid was seriously quick, and starting to really annoy me with the dodging.

I exited the room and saw as he was making his way down the hall. I was on his trail, but then things took a turn for the worst. That thing being Eddie Simmons and his roadies.

I tried to just rush past him, but he stepped in my way.

"Eddie, I don't have the time," I said.

"Didn't I tell you that the next time I saw you, you'd be done?" Eddie said, smirking.

Again, I tried to get past him, but he was being stubborn and stepped in my way again.

"Get your friend," I said to Philip and Adam behind him.

"How about I get you," Eddie said, pushing me.

It took every fiber in my being not to retaliate. "Eddie... I'm over it. I'm trying to be the bigger person here."

"Don't care," he said with another push.

I clenched my fists. Eddie took notice.

"Do it," he encouraged.

I was actually about to take him up on it when Adam stepped in the middle.

"Alright, enough!" He exclaimed. "Go ahead, Ricky," he said to me, gesturing for Eddie to move out of the way.

I stared daggers at Eddie as he begrudgingly stepped aside.

With that bullet dodged, I began scanning the halls for Travis, but it appeared that he had escaped me again.

I rounded corners and looked over faces for minutes but couldn't find him. I cursed when the period two bell rang and the halls were clearing. I cursed again, frustrated and made my way to a nearby boys restroom at the realization that I had to pee.

I pushed the door open and was shocked to see Travis, readying to exit and looking like a deer caught in headlights when I saw him.

He tried to get past me, but taking notes from the Eddie handbook I blocked his way by stepping in front of him.

"Look, what do you want from me?!" He demanded.

"I just want to talk," I said. "Please."

He looked like that was the last thing on earth he wanted to do. Then, with a sigh, he said, "You wanna keep this private or what?" He gestured to the door, which I was still holding open.

I nodded, relieved, stepped in and let the door shut behind us.

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