half/closer

half / 4

........

"Is this enough?" Khloe asked to Tiana as she gestured her hand out to Timothy. The bastard was knocked out inside an open-rusted container truck. He was blinded with a fabric on his eyes, topless and with a wood ply lynched around his neck. It was labeled 'I am a sinner.'

"I already sent the photos to the school community," Maggie mused as she pointed to the dummy phone she was holding.

"And it's not a really good sight," James added with a smirk on his face.

"Tomorrow is going to be eventful," Alec commented, shaking his head.

I sighed, already worn out from this whole prank. I glanced at Tiana and I knew that she was thinking that this wasn't enough. However, she made a promise to Bailey that she wouldn't do anything to lead her in a dangerous situation. Zoey pointed that out once she realized that her best friend didn't want to stop beating Timothy. It was the first time I'd seen her like that. To be honest. Girls are wild when they needed to be.

"Time to go home," Xander urged, and the rest of the group agreed due to exhaustion. It wasn't entertaining to watch a mad girl punching a boy so endlessly. It was awfully stressful and odd.

We scattered to fix the messes we made. Khloe made sure that there was no evidence left behind. The masks and coats were sealed back inside the garbage bag. She gave James a task to burn them all, including the dummy phone. Allison and Zoey were at the corner, soothing Tiana down.

Once everything settled, we walked together towards our cars. I didn't bring my Jaguar with me, Khloe demanded to bring it home first because if I left my car at the school, it would be too suspicious. Less transportation, less trouble. We only had Alec's truck, James' Ford and Tiana's black Volkswagen Jetta.

We were meters away from the prank sight and we were lousily walking back to the place where we had parked. The boys led the way while Tiana and the rest were behind them. Khloe and I were on trail when suddenly a voice of the man shouted behind us.

"Damn kids, this is a restricted area!"

"Run!" Khloe yelled and everyone panicked, scurrying away immediately. I would laugh in this situation because they suddenly dashed like they were players of triathlon but we were in big trouble. My parents wouldn't like it if they catch us.

I ran behind them and my heart beat faster due to adrenaline rush. The route back was rock-strewn so it was hard to run at that state. I could hear Khloe running behind me and I could see my friends were already meters away from us. With heavy breath, I sped up my pace only to be heaved by a hand around my wrist.

I was turned unexpectedly and was dragged away from another direction, away from our friends and with this crazy brunette.

"Klo, where are we going?" I whisper-yelled as we slowed our pace and I was worried that the man might capture us.

We stopped under the huge tree and Khloe fished out her phone from her duffel bag, ignoring my question. "Hello, Jet. We're clear. I've got the girl away from the others. Thanks for posing as a threat.... Yeah, he's in the container. Make sure to throw him nice and clean in his way back home. I don't want any problem.... Alright, I'll just send my end of the bargain tomorrow evening."

I gasped in disbelief when she hung up and raked my hand through my hair in distress when she called someone again. "Hey, James... Yeah, we're okay. Hilary is with me. You don't have to worry... I have my car parked nearby so it's settled already. Just give her stuff to Tiana and tell her to just bring it back tomorrow. Thanks."

"What the hell is going on?!" I asked, throwing my arms to emphasize my aggravation once she ended the call.

"Relax," Khloe chuckled. "We're going home. I will drive you home."

"Who's that Jet?!"

Khloe smirked. "There's no need to know."

"Did you just set this all up?"

She laughed, tugging the strap of her bag. "Yeah, so that you'll come home safe with me. Then after that, we'll be sneaking in and out of your room to go to a place and we're going to stay there until morning."

"What?!" I paced back and forth in distress. "And did you really think I'll come with you?"

She shrugged her shoulder. "It's your choice," she said and started to head out, leaving me behind.

"Hey, wait! Are you kidding me? You're gonna leave me alone here?"

Khloe stopped and sighed before she turned to confront me again. "Its either I leave you here or you'll come with me."

It was my time to sigh in frustration. "Where are we going anyway?"

"You have to do something important for me," she answered with a smirk on her face.

"Wow," I gasped in surprise. "Thanks for asking, Khloe Summer."

"It's not really a bad idea. I just want to fulfill my promise to my late Dad." Khloe looked down at her feet in defeat. "You-You are the only one I am comfortable with doing this for me."

My eyes narrowed at her, contemplating if she was telling the truth or just earning my sympathy. When I couldn't read her at all, I groaned out loud. "Okay, fine! Just this one night."

Khloe's eyes shone in excitement. "Yeah, one night."

We immediately rode back to my house to bring my stuff for the night. It was already twelve fourteen after midnight when we arrived. I sneaked out awhile ago around ten and it seemed that my parents didn't have any idea where I have been and where I would go with this bimbo because they were already fast asleep.

Khloe was being weird and quiet the whole time. Maybe she didn't want to provoke me to change my mind over this. We were supposed to bicker at each other because we were apparently enemies. We just had the same purpose of wanting to get back to Timothy. Scratch that, I don't even know if she had something to be mad about Timothy. I just asked for her help so it was fair to fulfill her wish for this night, whatever she had in her mind.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Tiana. I think this is enough for Bailey. Remember, she doesn't want this in the first place. Just listen to her and have a good night," I said with conviction, speaking to my friend on the phone. "Yeah, bye."

Once I hung up, I turned my head to Khloe who was waiting for me to finish.

"We're here," she announced with a weak smile.

I observed the surroundings outside the car windows but I only saw a dark forest around us. I didn't even know what route she took because I was too worried about Tiana. My head snapped to give her a nervous look. "Klo, tell me honestly. We're not going to have a demonic ritual here, right?"

Khloe laughed at my implication. "N-No! Of course not. I'm sorry if you think that way."

Strange, too nice.

"Then where the hell is this place?!"

"Look closer."

I rolled my eyes. "It's total darkness in here. Where am I supposed to look?!"

The brunette shook her head before she opened her door and hopped out. She ran to my sides and urged me to come out. I stood beside her and looked up to the stars in the sky. The autumn wind was freezing the edges of my skin, causing me to hug myself. However, Khloe suddenly tugged my body and embraced me.

Even though I was throwing her a glare, her arms tightened around me. "I live by the saying you should hold your enemies closer."

"Alright, bimbo pants, I'm totally fine!" I complained, pushing her away.

Khloe chuckled and then she held her arms out forward. "Shall we?"

I narrowed my eyes at the direction she was pointing and if I have damaged eyes, I wouldn't notice the spiral stairs entwining around a huge tree leading upward. I gawked as my head looked up slowly. Khloe walked towards the base of the stairway and opened a case which was attached on the trunk of the tree.

I heard a beeping sound and a little machine lighted from red to green. A sound of a generator caused me to jump and then lights filled all the darkness around me. My jaw dropped as I stared up from the spiral stairs which led to a hanging bridge securely attached on the trees. My eyes followed the length of the bridge until I found the tree house, around twelve feet above us.

"My Dad was an architect. He built this for me," Khloe spoke, a pride in her tone.

I nodded then followed her once she gestured for me to go up. Once we enter the tree house, I was amazed how it looked like inside. Everything was modernized— from floor to ceiling. The door was locked with security, windows were enclosed by glasses and the floor was built in walnut woods.

"Even with security, someone might infringe here without you knowing," I commented as I looked up at the transparent ceiling on the open-concept living room.

Khloe chuckled as she headed towards the mini kitchen on the side. "We're in our father's property. Dad made sure to barricade his land tightly. Two miles away, Quinn's Mediterranean mansion stood there with only caretakers residing in it."

Putting my hand on my waist, I asked confused, "So your Dad gave you a tree house while Quinn had a mansion? How unfair is that?"

She shook her head laughing at my question and then gave me a bottle of orange juice. I watched as she sat on the couch and put the bowl of salad on her lap that she took from her fridge. She looked at me with a smirk and tapped the space beside her. "Come and eat with me."

I was in no position not to obliged even though I was perplexed at her behavior. I sat beside her and ate with her comfortably.

"Do you want some music?" Khloe asked after a long while, causing me to roll my eyes.

"Yes, please. You're boring me!"

I threw an olive at her face when she played a seductive song. The bimbo laughed at me, bowing her head back on the headrest of the sofa. It was my first time to hear that genuine laugh coming from her. It was so unfamiliar to my ear and yet it felt so carefree and lighthearted.

Putting aside my salad, I stared at her, focus solely at her eyes which were also staring back at me. I gulped and did a courage to ask, "So you want me to have s*x with you? Is that it?"

The words that came out from my mouth were almost a whisper. I didn't know if I was assuming right but we were alone in a fortified dark forest with a music puzzling us to a lustful night. Of course, I would assume that she wanted to do it.

Khloe munched her lettuce first before she put her bowl on the center table. She raised her brow at me and then shook her head. "No, that's stupid."

I was frustrated at her answer, although I don't know the reason. "Then what do you want from me?!"

"I told you, I promised my Dad to complete his last wish. Are you implying that I promised him to have s*x inside the tree house he built for me?"

"I don't know," I crossed my arms to hide my embarrassment. "I wouldn't know about your Dad but we're in the freaking tree house in a dark fore—"

"And it's the best place for s*x, right?" she cut me off with that question. "Because no one can hear your moan, no one will hear you scream my name because it's like unthinkable for both of our worlds. Our friends wouldn't want that. They prefer to have each other's throat and expect us to do the same. Yeah, I brought you here for a reason and it's not about sex."

I was surprised at her rant and If I could see my face right now, I am certain that it would be red in shame. I knew that I was stubborn but I would keep being stubborn to hide my frustration because she brought me here without any intention of having s*x. Damn, I admitted it. I wanted to have s*x with her.

I jolted up to express my anger and threw my arms out. "Then why are we here?! To eat your stupid salad without vinaigrette sauce. It's fuckin' dawn already."

Khloe sighed, suppressing her anger. She stood up, paused and then laughed out loud. Is she completely crazy?

"I just realized that there's something s****l in that phrase."

"What phrase?" I twitched my eyes in annoyance.

"To eat my stupid salad without vinaigrette sauce," she exclaimed, giving me a playful smirk.

I rolled my eyes. "Khloe, I'm serious. What the—"

Khloe cut me off again, but this time with a kiss. It was an innocent kiss and once she pulled away, she held my hand and tugged me towards a window that was covered by a red curtain.

She pulled the curtain aside and I gasped, realizing the fabric wasn't hiding a window but a half-finished canvas. The colors were abstract in my eyes but I could describe that it was an image of a sun.

I turned my head to look at Khloe for answers.

"I want you to complete this painting. My Dad wanted to finish it but he died. He really loved the art just like you do. He told me to look for someone to finish it... But of course, with a twist." Khloe giggled at the memories in her head. "He wanted me to look for someone who I can easily open up with. He built this place for the purpose of my security. Just like your studio at our school, this place is my own haven. And just like you, I have a number one rule— you're not allowed to lie in here, but only to open up your soul."

After a long while, a smile appeared on my lips as I listened to her in disbelief. I squeezed her hand and nodded as an agreement. Who was I to reject her wish? Her Dad's last wish... I was more than glad that she chose me for this important purpose. Khloe was my enemy in front of people but when we were alone, yes, we were different persons and yet we enjoyed each other's company for unknown reason. We started off as nemesis but I had to admit that I liked her beneath our act.

Now, all I had to is to strip off all her walls. Because I was interested to know more. I was interested with Khloe Summer.

"Thanks but you don't have to do it now," she said after a moment of silence. "How about we talk? You know, under the stars."

I smiled, looking up to the sky under us. "No s*x under the stars?"

She laughed. "Sorry, no s*x under the stars."

I nodded even though I was little disappointed.

Khloe prepared the mattress on the middle of the living room while I changed to my plaid night shirt. Once it was her turn to change to her sleepwear, I collapsed on the bed, staring at the night sky with contentment. I closed my eyes for a short while until I felt Khloe beside me.

"So what are we going to talk about?" I asked as I yawned. Then I rolled to my side and stared at the brunette in curiosity.

"Random things," she answered as she offered her arms to me.

Without any controls, I pushed myself closer and let her engulfed me in an embrace. My friends would flip if they see us cuddling under the stars. I closed my eyes again, enjoying her presence.

"You know what, you are completely right. It was unfair that I had a tree house while Quinn had a mansion," Khloe started and I hummed in agreement. "It was unfair for Quinn, actually."

I frowned. "Are you delusional? Of course, it was unfair for you."

Khloe chuckled before she kissed me on the crown of my head. "It was unfair for me, sizewise. But it was also unfair for her because Dad personally built this for me while he paid a company to built Quinn's. In summary, this tree house was made by our memories. He would ask me what I wanted it to be when I was a child and I would watch him work his magic."

"Oh, that means this is more valuable than a mansion," I said, ignoring the goose bumps on my skin once she began to caress my back.

"Yes, for me this is more valuable than anything."

"So are you like older than Quinn?"

"Three months younger," she answered straightaway.

"How the hell did it happen?" I continued asking in interest.

"Dad was rejected by Quinn's mother due to the pressure of her family. Quinn's grandma didn't like him at all. They were a bunch of rich people so you would expect that they were asking his worth. Dad and Mom were childhood friends. My Mom loved him so much and he was devastated and drunk that time so they made a mistake and that mistake was me."

I pulled away a little and frowned at her words. "You're clearly not a mistake."

Khloe smiled wide at me. "Of course, I'm awesome."

I rolled my eyes at her cockiness and buried myself back into her embrace as she continued.

"Quinn's mother was already three months pregnant that time so that's already self-explanatory. Shortly, the Grandma found out about it so she had no choice but to welcome Dad to their family to save their reputation. Of course, my father was in hell during that time but eventually, the Earl society warmed up to him until they found out that my Mom was seven months pregnant and he was the father. Back to square one."

"So they decided to abort you?" I said, drawing out the story.

With that, I earned a smack on my butt. "No!," Khloe complained, "They were a bunch of richest but they were not that bad. Quinn's Mom convinced her family that they had to accept the fact that I was going to be born with her support to my Dad. As my Mom had told me, she was the kindest person of all. So I live, so I was born..."

I kept silent for a moment, sensing the pattern of her breath. I was curious on how it felt like to be a child of a father who will never be completely yours. Is it the same of how I felt? On how I breathe in my secrets from all those people around me? This tree house was not a place of lie and deceit as she claimed. It was a place of truth and though we were enemies, though our relationship were complicated and shallow, she shared a part of her to me, starting at the painting. So it was fair for me to share my secret I kept for a long time.

With deep breath, I pulled away once again and looked at her hazel-green eyes. And with chaos in my mind, I uttered the name I have given to her, "Klo?"

"Yes?"

"I'm adopted. I am only a replacement of my sister's ashes."

The brunette under me frowned at my revelation as her eyes showed an unknown emotion. But it was not pity, it was like a hint of admiration. With a genuine smile, she closed the space between us and kissed me on my lips.

Under the crescent moon and in front of the incomplete sun.

.....