Keeping Secrets

“What do you mean you’re moving in with your boss?” Khloe screeched, her voice echoing off the apartment walls.

Gabriella winced at the volume, her hands flying up in defense as she tried to calm her friend down.

“Khloe, calm down..Geez.”

“Calm down? Calm down? You just said you’re going to live with Alexander Kingston!”

Khloe’s brows furrowed in a mix of concern and bewilderment. Gabriella had called her that morning and asked her to come help with something in her apartment, only to find her packing her stuff into boxes. She never imagined she would be struck with this bizarre news. It was the craziest thing she had ever heard.

“Yeah,” Gabriella shrugged.

“He'll be here to pick me up tomorrow.. Hey, can you pass me that box over there?” Gabriella continued, trying to avoid eye contact.

“GABRIELLA WHYTE, you cannot be serious,” Khloe said, putting her foot down, with both hands on her hips.

Gabriella looked at her friend, trying to hide her nervousness. She searched for a believable explanation but couldn’t come up with anything.

“Khloe, do you remember that time back in foster care when you snuck out to go see that boy?”

Khloe raised a brow at Gabriella, wondering why she would bring that up now.

“I had to cover for you, and you told me to trust that you would be back before anyone noticed.”

“Oh heck no. Don’t you dare play that card with me now,” Khloe said in disbelief.

“Khloe, listen to me.” Gabriella walked to her and took both of her hands, squeezing them reassuringly.

“You’re just going to have to trust me on this one, okay? Believe me, if I could tell you, I would.”

Khloe searched Gabriella’s eyes, trying to figure out the need for secrecy. They always told each other everything.

“Gabby, are you in some kind of trouble? If you just tell me, we can figure it out together. This is crazy.”

“I’m not in trouble, I promise. Right now, I just need you to trust me and ask as few questions as possible.”

Khloe’s expression turned skeptical, but she dropped it, her voice coming out in a whisper.

“You better not have gotten yourself into some crazy mess, Gabriella.” Her eyes narrowed as she shot her a piercing gaze. 

Gabriella forced a smile at Khloe. Her eyes dropped, her shoulders sagging under the weight of it all, and her stomach twisted into a painful knot. Even she couldn’t tell if she was in a mess or not.

“Help me pack?” Gabriella said, trying to shake the bitter feeling off.

“Alright,” Khloe replied with a deep sigh.

The apartment fell silent except for the occasional gentle hum of the fridge. As they packed Gabriella’s belongings, an undeniable cloud of devastation fell over them as they worked in silence, setting them in a somber mood. By 5:00 PM, they were finally done, and all her things were organized neatly by the door, ready to go.

“I really hope you know what you’re doing,” Khloe said after collapsing into the couch, exhausted.

Gabriella went to sit beside her and wrapped her arms around her in a warm embrace, and for a while they stayed in that position, patting each other softly on the back.

“Thank you. You’re the best friend a girl could ever ask for.” She said, finally pulling away.

“Don’t you forget it,” Khloe replied, and they laughed.

“So where exactly does this guy live anyway?” She asked.

Gabriella thought about it, but didn’t have a clue. She never asked Alexander where he lived. She was too busy trying to come to terms with her predicament.

“I don’t actually know yet. But I’ll text you the address as soon as I get there.” She reassured.

“Hmmm… weird.” Khloe’s eyes narrowed again. She was suspicious and couldn’t understand why she was being left in the dark, but at the same time, she still wanted to be a supportive friend.

“I just hope you know I’m here for you no matter what. Call me if you need anything, and I’ll come right over. I mean it.”

Gabriella’s eyes got teary, and she tried to blink them away. Khloe was such an important person in her life, and she couldn’t even tell her the whole truth.

“Thanks Khloe, you’re the best friend ever.” She said, trying to hold back the waterfall.

“Just tell me one thing,” Khloe said, forcing Gabriella to look her in the eye.

“Are you two dating?”

Gabriella decided it wouldn’t do any harm to let Khloe know the basic details. Besides, Alexander planned to announce their engagement anyway. It was only a matter of time before it became public news.

“Well Khloe, the truth is we will be getting married,” Gabriella said cautiously. She wanted Khloe to hear it from her first.

Khloe’s eyes grew to the size of saucers, and her mouth fell open in a silent “O”.

“What in the world? When did your life become a telenovela?”

“Khloe, I just wanted you to hear it from me first, but yeah, I’ll be his wife soon.”

“What in the shotgun wedding are you talking about??!!!”

Gabriella could only smile awkwardly.

“This just keeps getting weirder and weirder,” Khloe said, closing her eyes and rubbing her temples.

Suddenly, her eyes flew open, and she gasped like a light bulb had just come on in her head.

“Gabby did Alexander get you pregnant?”

“What? Of course not. How could you even ask me that? I just met the guy.” Gabriella’s face contorted in disgust.

“Well, you’re not giving me much to work with here. What else should I think?”

“Don’t think about anything. Just trust me. Remember?”

“Ughhh.. I hate this extreme trust game you’re playing with me.”

Gabriella stared at her with apologetic eyes. She really hoped her friend could somehow understand that her hands were tied on the matter.

“So you’re going to be married to Alexander Kingston then,” Khloe said, trying to digest the information.

“I guess it’s not so bad if you think about it. He’s so hot.”

Gabriella rolled her eyes at her.

“Hey, don’t you roll your eyes at me. I’m not the one keeping secrets.” Khloe said accusingly.

“Fine, you’re right. I guess you can think of it any way you like if it helps you understand the situation.”

“Thank you,” she responded proudly.

Khloe was basically the only person Gabriella needed to tell. Later that evening, after Khloe finally went home, Gabriella was left alone with her thoughts. The warning her friend gave before she left still rang in her head.

“Just be careful, okay? A billionaire’s world could be dangerous.” She recalled again 

Gabriella leaned against the door and looked around the place she had called home ever since she moved to New York. It looked so empty now that everything was packed up, just like the first day she moved in. Her stomach twisted as she thought about the warning Khloe gave. Whatever danger she would have to face in Alexander’s world, she desperately prayed she would escape unscathed. Then, with a heavy heart, she got ready for bed and spent her last night in the tiny apartment.