Two Can Keep A Secret

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m happy to tell you that your Valedictorian of 2019 is Ellen Rowen!” Mr. Stewart announces to the students of Spartan High. 

On cue, the audience begins a thunderous clap as I rise from my seat and walk up to the podium where Mr. Stewart has beads of sweat forming on his head from the bright lights. Mr. Stewart extends his hand out to mine and I shake it with a smile on my face.

“Good evening, everybody! Before I start my speech, I want to take a moment to recognize all of the graduating students who have strived and persevered through these last four years to join the new world ahead of us. Graduates, please stand and let’s give them a round of applause!” 

Looking out into the audience I see smiles erupt on the faces of parents with a few hollars thrown into the mix of clapping. The graduates locate their parents and give them a wave with just as much energy.

“Tonight is a special night for many of us. Tomorrow, some of us will be continuing our education in college, some of us will be joining the United States military, and some of us will be joining the workforce early. No matter where we end up and what challenges lie ahead of us, preserve and embrace the unknown. I can guarantee that with these two values, you will forge a unique path and reach your end goal. Again, congratulations class of 2019!” I finish before one last round of applause spreads as a cloud of white caps flies into the air. 

Once the students disperse from their seats to greet their families, I walk down from the stage to meet up with my own parents where only my mother and sister are smiling. My father’s face is cool and unmoved as I make my last few steps towards them. 

“You were so amazing on the stage tonight, Ellen! You sounded so inspiring! I would-”

“Keep your composure, Elena. Your younger sister did fine, don’t exaggerate it. She did as she should have, keep the family title of valedictorian.”

“Thank you, father,” I respond meeting his gaze equally as serious. His words sink in and take their usual stab at my heart. Elena rolls her eyes and takes both of my hands into hers with a small smile. My gaze softens and a corner of my mouth rises in response to Elena’s.

“I know you are still sensitive about Kylee, and I’m sorry she couldn’t be here with you tonight, honey,” my mother says gently squeezing my shoulder before my father clears his throat.

“It’s okay. I will be okay.” I feel my throat begin to tighten with the lie, but I hold back my tears. It would be childish to let them fall, and it will only result in a scolding.

“Let’s go, Mrs. Rowen. I’m done with this event and the client from England is waiting for me. Be home by ten tonight.” 

An audible sigh comes from my mother before she looks to my father, giving a small nod. They leave through the auditorium doors and I feel the tension in my body melt away immediately.

“It wasn’t worth it. He wasn’t even proud of me,” I whisper to myself. The familiar pain begins to spread across my chest as I wipe away the tears that were going to fall. Two arms pull me into a hug which breaks down the layers of my final walls. My heart clenches as I cry into Elena’s shoulder. She pats my back in a slow, steady rhythm, hushing my sniffles.

“He won’t be regardless of what we do,” Elena says softly while pausing for a second, “Whenever you’re ready to talk about that night, I’ll listen.”

 X X X

May 22, 4:37

Against the window, the dark raindrops raced against each other to reach the bottom of the sill. I sat in the school library with my highlighted textbooks spread out across the table. It was well past the hours for the librarian, so I was left there alone trying to plug away at my calculus review in the empty silence. A flash of lightning danced across the sky followed by its thunder. 

“I could just memorize the test key,” I muttered to myself, leaning back in my chair to get my eyes off the problems.

“You shouldn’t say that too loud you know?” 

Startled, I tipped my chair too far back and fell. I sat there trying to catch my breath again as I rolled over onto my side. Over to my left, Kylee walked towards me with a closed umbrella, her golden hair bouncing on her shoulders. She gave me an uneasy smile before helping me up.

“Thank you. Also, I forgot to say thank you for the key earlier so thank you again. These equations just aren’t making any sense to me,” I said fixing my shirt and smiling. 

“About that,” Kylee said, she paused and looked away from me. “I’ve been thinking. Let’s come clean.”

“Come clean?”

“Yes, come clean about us cheating on our tests. It’s not going to do us any good in college, Ellen,” she said looking back at me again.

“You can’t be serious right? This is the last test of the year for Calc and you want to reveal that we’ve been cheating? I can lose my admission to JHU if we do!”

“I can’t live with this secret anymore. It’s eating away at me because it’s just... It’s just so wrong that we’re doing this and for what? How is this helping us?”

“This. This is helping me live, Kylee. Without valedictorian and JHU, I am nothing. My status to my dad is already so nonexistent. I need this otherwise I will die.”

“Why does this matter to him? You have me. You are my family and we will take you in just the way you are.”

Quietly, I packed up my things into my backpack as Kylee watched, waiting for a response. I grabbed my own black umbrella and walked outside and down the long stairs that led to the student parking lot. The rain puddles splashed and soaked my shoes as I took each step.

“Ellen, we can’t walk away from this!” Kylee called from behind me but I didn’t turn. “Ellen, please the two of us can’t keep this a secret forever,” she begged and I felt my body become warm as I tried to suppress my anger. She grabbed my arm to stop me, but I whipped my hand away.

It happened all too fast. A flash of lightning lit the shock on Kylee’s face. Her hand desperately reached out for mine but I didn’t reach out to her fast enough. She fell in front of me, down the stairs, all the way to the bottom steps. Blood mixed with the water around her head as I watched her golden hair turn red. I dialed for the police and an ambulance while carefully rushing towards Kylee, not wanting to meet the same fate.

When they arrived, it ruled that she died hitting her head on the last few steps. They interrogated me about what happened, but I couldn’t tell them the whole truth. Two can keep a secret only if one is dead.