Page 12 of The Secret We Keep
“Why?” Dad asks, looking around at everyone. He goes to speak again, but Holly cuts him off.
“Because he could make her happy.”
“Jesus, Hols, shut up.” My head hits my hands. “Actually, can we not do this now, please?”
“I think you should,” she says, laughing at me.
“Morgan?” Mum questions after I allow a few moments of silence to pass.
“Mum, please, trust me. Paddy being back will change nothing. Holly is being ridiculous. Yes, I had a crush on him when I was a kid, but everyone has crushes. I got over mine.”
My parents look at each other knowingly.
Frustrated, I stand from the table, tucking in my chair. It’s obvious I’ve lost whatever this conversation is. “I forgot to grab a dessert. Holly,” I loop my hand under her arm, “you can come with me.” I look at Mum. “I won’t be out long.”
Mum doesn’t reply, but Holly flusters being dragged from her seat. “Alright, jeez. Thanks for the food, Mr and Mrs Brooks.”
“Thanks for that,” I whisper shout, spinning on my heels to face her once we’re in the hall.
“You’re welcome,” she sings, annoyingly cheerily.
“For God’s sake, Holly. You don’t get it, do you? My parents are going to obsess about me having a relationship now, as well as making sure I get a job. Urgh, this is so messed up. Why can’t I just go back in time and to uni like everyone else, then I wouldn’t feel so left behind.”
Holly takes my hand. “Come with me.” It’s her turn to drag me up the stairs to my bedroom. “Close the door,” she instructs before she makes her way to my mirror in front of the window.
After closing the door, I make my way to stand by her side.
“Tell me what you see.”
I follow her line of vision to the various photos stuck with Blu Tack to the edge of my mirror. “What am I supposed to be looking at?”
“Those.” She points at the pictures. “Tell me what you see.”
My eyes dance across the images. “I see old photos.”
With a light sigh, she says, “What do you really see? Look closely.”
There’s me, Holly, and Fi out in the forest. We’d climbed so high up one of the trees, Paddy and his friends had to help us down. Then there’s my eleventh birthday. My entire class was invited to a McDonald’s party. At the end, we all had to make a wish over the wishing well at the back of the restaurant.
My eyes hone in on the image, remembering my wish like it was yesterday.
“You remember what you wished for, don’t you?” Holly smarts.
I cross my arms across my middle. “You clearly do.”
She smiles at me before clearing her throat. “I, Morgan Brooks, wish that one day I become famous and have a really big house. And then when I do, I will give half of all my assets to Holly Danford.”
I nudge her playfully before staring at the image of Holly with her arms wrapped around me. Her dark blonde hair is still the same as it is today, and, standing at the same height, I’m hugging her back, our cheeks pressing together. Fi is bent down in front of us, pulling a stupid face. “Wrong,” I laugh, noticing my goofy teeth.
“Sorry, that was my wish. Let me try again.” She dramatically clears her throat once more. “I, Morgan Brooks, wish that when I am older, I get to write books and find love.”
I laugh again. This time, it quickly fades. “Guess the wishing well was broken.”
Holly looks at me with her arms casually crossed across her middle. “That depends on whether you still want those things, Morgan.”
Pulling at another picture, I hold it in both hands, my eyes prickling. “My dreams haven’t changed,” I tell her.
She doesn’t say anything, but I hear her thoughts.
