Can you keep a secret .....

“Can you keep a secret?” Asked Natalie.

“Of course” I replied.

“Will you promise not to tell anyone” she asked.

“YES!” I all but shouted. I really wanted to know this secret. We knew everything about each other like the back of our hand. The reason: Natalie is my best friend. Our mums were best friends in college which automatically made us besties.

Darting her eyes around like a maniac, she scanned the whole room to make sure that Jessica wasn’t there.

“Do you remember the dress that Jessica got me for my birthday” she questioned.

“Yeah” I responded. The cyan silk dress was mesmerising; its shades were captivating whilst it was perfectly fitted to match her.

“I accidentally ruined it, I tipped bleach on it and now the colour has faded and gone very strange. Yesterday Jessica asked me to send her a picture of me wearing that dress” she told me. Her eyes were misty with pain for hurting her friend, her mouth was trembling, she looked like she was on the way to complete nervous breakdown.

“That’s it?” I asked “that’s the big secret I can’t tell anyone; it’s not that big anyway.”

“Yeah, but Jessica gets very upset if things like this happen. I don’t want to make her upset” she responded. “Anyway you did promise that you would keep it a secret and you’re the only one who knows.”

“Yeah, I guess I did” I responded. She was right; Jessica did get upset if little things like this happened.

“Okay, I promise that I won’t tell anyone” I agreed. I laughed and she shot me a painful look. Reluctantly, I had to shut myself up.

Walking away, I couldn’t help myself smiling; it was a funny secret to be told and it wasn’t like I was going to tell anyone. Plus she only told me and that made me feel great.

Running up to me was Sarah. We always hang out after school; she lives near me so we take the bus together.

“Hey Hannah” shouted Sarah. She was beckoning me to come to her. Panting like a dog, she sat down on the nearest bench.

Walking casually, I sat down next to her.

“Hey! What’s up?” I replied.

“I have got a secret. Do you want to know what it is?” she asked.

“Yeah sure” I replied. Trying to look very casual. Whoa! two secrets in one day.

“Well it’s not mine so you can’t promise to tell anyone” She said.

“Okay I won’t tell anyone” I responded.

 “So Natalie she accidentally put bleach on the dress that Jessica gave her. Jessica is asking for a photo of the dress and wants to see how Natalie looks in it” she said. “That dress was so beautiful; I was hoping to borrow it someday if she would let me.

“How do you know about this secret” I asked. This was not the secret I was expecting.  

“Natalie told me this morning and she told me not to tell anyone” she replied. “Promise me that you won’t tell anyone.”

“Yeah I promise” I agreed.

She walked away, leaving for her cheer-leading practice. 

Utterly and completely baffled. That’s how I felt at that very moment.

Wasn’t this the same secret that Natalie told me and told me not to tell anyone? I thought that I was the only person that she told this secret to. Anyway, it’s only one person; how bad could it be? I can’t stay here figuring this out as I do not fancy a detention this early in the morning.

On my way to class, I saw Fred running up to me.

“Wait” Fred bellowed.

“Hey!” I said

“Hey!” Fred replied. “Can you keep a secret?”

“Yeah sure” I responded. ‘Why does everyone have secrets today?’ I thought.

“Promise me that you won’t tell anyone” he asked.

“Yeah I promise” I agreed.

“Natalie spilled bleach on the dress that Jessica gave her and the problem is that Jessica wants a picture of Natalie wearing the dress. Natalie is very confused and doesn’t know what to do and she doesn’t want to tell her that she spilled bleach on her dress” he told me.

Wait what. How does he know?

“How do you know?” I asked.

“Natalie tells me everything; I am her boyfriend” he replied simply.” Keep it a secret please.”

“Yeah, I will” I replied.

She told me that I was the only one who knew. What a liar.

 “You are late Hannah” growled Professor Whitewick “Detention for you.”

Just as I thought this day couldn’t get any worse.

Quantum physics. Who wants to go to that? The class dragged on and I wasn’t even paying any attention; all I could think about was that Natalie has told 2 other people about her secret.

 Finally, class finished, I would have to attend my detention after school though.

Galloping like a horse, Bella came running.

 “Wait for me” she panted.

“Yep” I replied.

“Can you keep a secret?” enquired Bella.

“Sure” I said. Seriously why does everyone have secrets today?

“Promise me that you won’t tell anyone” asked Bella

“Yeah I promise” I said

“Natalie spilled bleach on the dress that Jessica gave her and also Jessica wants a picture of her in it and Natalie is really scared” Bella spilled the secret.

“How do you know this?” I asked her.

“Natalie told me before she came to school; she looked really depressed” responded Bella.

I turned my back on her and got away as soon as possible.

Anger. Pain. Sadness. They demolished my happiness and took over. They were so intertwined that perhaps their names ought to be tweaked to reflect the true origins of those emotions. My anger would come like an impossible build up steam, burning me on the way out.

Going to detention, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. She told me to keep a secret however she told everyone. It was infuriating.

“Hey Hannah!” called George. I didn’t even see him there.

“Hey George!” I replied.

“Can you keep a secret?” George asked.

Here we go again.

“Yes, I know that Natalie accidentally spilt bleach on the dress that Jessica gave her for her birthday” I said “is this the secret that you were talking about?”

“Yes” he whispered

I went off in a hurry; I couldn’t stand being here. Why does everyone know?

“Hey Hannah!” this time it was Gracie. As she walked up to me.

“Hi!” I replied

“Can you keep a secret?” she asked.

Oh no; not again.