Secrets; Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I stop at Kate's door, my sleeping bag in one hand and my suitcase in the other. I dread the moment I have to come in. I go ahead and knock, though, because standing here will do no good.
I glance around at the decorations on the outside of the house. Kate's mom has always loved dressing her front yard in something festive for the holidays. Even if no holidays are close by, as in this case, she still decorates it. I smile to myself and shake my head, amused.
Nichole walks up behind me. "Hey, Sam!" she calls as she comes up.
I look back at her. "Fancy meeting you here," I say, winking playfully.
Nichole laughs and turns her attention to the door.
Just then, the door opens. My smile widens as I see it's Kendall.
"Hi, Kendall," I say.
"Hey," he replies, helping Nichole and I by taking our sleeping bags out of our hands. "Kate's upstairs," he says, smiling at us.
I look at him and laugh when he just stands there. "You have to move so we can come in," I tease lightly.
Kendall blinks, looking embarrassed. He laughs. "Right, sorry." He steps back, tripping over a shoe behind him.
"Kendall!" I laugh again, grabbing his arm to stop him from falling.
"You seem a little off today," Nichole says, smiling as she steps in behind me.
"Are you ok, clutzy?" I ask, shaking my head in amusement as he gains his balance and gets his footing. I then release his arm.
Kendall's cheeks turn a light pink.
"Yeah, fine. Thanks," he replies, before setting the sleeping bags beside the staircase.
I start to climb the stairs with Nichole behind me. I look at all the pictures hanging up on the wall as we walk. They line the hallway all the way to the end.
Kate comes out of her room and runs over to us, embracing us tightly.
"Hi, guys!" she says excitedly.
"Uh, hi!" Nichole laughs.
"Can we breathe now?" I ask in a fake choking voice.
Kate laughs and releases us. "Sorry."
"What a greeting!" I smile, my anger toward her forgotten... For now.
"I have to show you two something," Kate says. "Come on." she races off, leaving us with no choice but to follow.
Kate leads us down the stairs and outside. The setting sun sheds tree shadows into her small yard, turning parts of the grass golden and black. She has a thick forest in her backyard. I remember Kate, Nichole and I always playing around out here. There used to be a tire swing hanging from an old, sturdy tree. I've always wondered what happened to it, but I just assume it got old and they tossed it, so I never ask.
Nichole is obviously thinking the opposite, however.
"Hey, Kate. What happened to the tire swing?" she asks curiously, spotting the bare tree limb also.
"Logan broke it a few years ago," Kate replies as she continues walking, straight to a small path in the forest.
"How did he break it?" Nichole asks, laughing. I follow them quietly, listening to Kate explain.
"Carlos was standing on it and Logan decided they both would fit. So he ran over and jumped on it, too. Then the rope just broke and they fell to the ground," Kate finishes.
I walk ahead as they chit chat. I stop myself from tripping over an old tree root that had grown out into the dirt path. I gasp in pain as I stumble and lose the grip I had on a tree limb. It flings back and whips me across the face, leaving a scratch across my cheek. I flinch at the stinging sensation and put my hand over my cheek to slow the blood flow. 'Great,' I think, ticked. 'Now I'm gonna have an ugly scratch on my cheek for weeks.'
I step out into a small clearing that the path ends at. I look up and see something in front of me that startles me.
What the?!