The Secret

***Trigger Warning***

Every community has its secrets. There is no escaping them, no matter how hard people try. In a cemetery, there are places to bury bones, but bones, like secrets, can be uncovered.

Shelly carried one of those secrets she couldn't escape at sixteen. Every day, Shelly forced herself to pretend she was normal. Past her secret shame, Shelly was a great girl and well-liked by her friends. She was what the boys considered pretty and had plenty of attention from the fellows.

She walked into school toward the end of the year, and things at home were getting worse. Shelly wanted to be like the other girls, but how could she? Other sixteen-year-olds were not suffering her pain three times a week. How, she wondered, could anyone understand?

"You alright?" one of the guys asked as he walked closer to Shelly.

There were two people Shelly was close with at school, Jack and Donny. She feared what they would think of her if they ever learned her story, learned about the things she endured. She wiped her eyes and forced herself to nod.

Shelly harbored a secret crush. Jack was a sweet guy that she enjoyed spending time with. He was well over six-foot and muscular. She looked at Jack like a gentle giant, even though he could handle himself in a fight. Jack would smile, and she would feel better about the world.

"I was thinking about ditching," Jack whispered. "We're going to hike the river. Do you want to...?"

Shelly cut Jack off, nodding her head affirmatively. The three amigos were off for one more adventure. Shelly's internal monologue told her she was telling the guys she needed help. Jack and Donny were good guys. She knew, if anyone, they would try to help her figure out her predicament.

A couple of mile stretch of the river had a trail the three enjoyed hiking. The peace was abundant compared with the city's noise or the chaos of life. Shelly was the one to introduce the guys to the hideaway. For many days, as she pondered ending her pain, Shelly wandered along the river as she gathered her thoughts.

As the threesome reached the bend in the river they all took a seat on the large tree that was down. This was their spot. It served as their meeting place, a place they could go and commune with nature and share their thoughts and feelings.

"Guys," sighed Shelly. "I've got a question?"'

Jack and Donny smiled. Donny knew Shelly had a crush on Jack. They were two of a kind. Both were good at heart, even though they lived on the edge. He secretly encouraged Jack to ask Shelly out, so Donny hoped that Shelly announcing her intentions with Jack.

On the other hand, Jack knew Shelly struggled with something weighing on her more than usual. Today wasn't the first day she walked into school with the red-eyed stain of a person in tears. He wanted to help but was afraid to pry.

"Why haven't either of you ever asked me out?"

"Wha...what?"

Jack nervously stuttered a response while Donny laughed and awkwardly pushed Jack closer to Shelly. The short-lived silence was tense enough that it was palpable. Then, as a good friend would, Donny put it all onto Jack's plate.

"Yes, Jack, why haven't either of us asked her out?"

Jack looked at Shelly and wondered why she was suddenly interested in dating. She had never been allowed to date. Had her father finally decided to give her some freedom?

"I didn't know you could date," explained Jack.

"Technically," she sighed. "But, am I the only girl to let that stop her?"

For so long, she played the role of the dutiful daughter the way her father trained her to do. That included abiding by the rules and being a good kid. If only her father was a good man, then maybe she wouldn't consider rebelling against his authority.

"If that's what you want to do," said Jack. "But, why now?"

Shelly whispered that she had something to tell the guys and needed their understanding.

"How much do guys want to date a girl that's...?" she hesitated. She wanted to say virgin, but that would give everything away.

"Oh my god, were you going to say virgin?"

Shit, she thought to herself. Shelly wanted to run. She desperately wanted to crawl under their log and be consumed by the river. Tears streaked down her cheeks.

"Yes, how much does it matter to guys?"

"It doesn't," said Donny. "But when? Who was the lucky guy, or girl as the case may be?"

She was on a ledge. Shelly knew telling them was what she needed to do. She needed to unburden herself, to have someone to talk to about what her dad was doing to her at home. Shelly was alone and needed to know if her two best friends could handle the truth.

"Come on," said Donny. "Spill the beans."

When she turned back around the tears were flowing heavily and Shelly was shaken up. The guys both walked toward her, offering her a hug. Jack asked her what was wrong, feeling her sob into his chest.

"It was...my father, guys. My dad's been...," she couldn't contain the tears.

Donny gritted his teeth together as he backed slightly away. His blood boiled inside him and a pit grew in his stomach. There was no way this was happening, he thought to himself. But it was real.

Jack held Shelly for a long time, just standing there alongside the bubbling waters of the river. There was nothing in his life that he could compare this to. Jack knew there was no way he could understand. He looked over Shelly's head, seeing Donny stand behind her, still in shock.

When Shelly finally stopped crying she felt like a mountain had been taken off her shoulders. The seven years of torment, trying to pretend she was living a normal life, was over. Jack and Donny sat her down, promising they'd listen.

"We can stay here as long as you want," promised Jack.

"We didn't bring anything with us?" she sadly said.

Donny chuckled. "You don't know us that well then. There's a case of beer in a cooler, bottled waters, sandwiches, stuff for smores, a radio, and tents. We've got everything we need."

Donny took the keys to Jack's car. He said he'd be back with all the supplies. Jack looked at him as he mouthed the words that Jack nodded in agreement with, 'We have to put a stop to this.'

To be continued...