Secrets Can Hurt

“Can you keep a secret?” Miley whispered in my ear. 

I had never been a good secret keeper. Well, at least that’s what everyone told me. In first grade, my friend told me she might be moving and not to tell anyone. The next day everyone at school knew. I don’t know how it happened. I could have sworn I didn’t tell anyone.

“Yeah, sure. You know what yes. I mean not… um… I love secrets. Secrets are, well fun?” I blurted out

“Okay then. Well, this is a big secret. I haven’t told anyone yet. You're a pretty quiet kid, so I thought why not?”

“Pft, yeah! That’s me! Georgie the quiet kid!”

“Here it goes! Melony’s dad got this huge promotion at work, and now they're like billionaires or something. She told me they are buying some big house in California. So apparently Friday’s her last day of school.”

“Oh, wow. Wow, wow, wow, wow! That’s one big juicy secret. I bet she wouldn’t want anyone knowing about that! I mean not that I would tell anyone. I’m not that kind of--”

“Georgie! Chill! I know you're not gonna tell anyone! That's why I told you. Now I gotta get to soccer practice. Catch ya later!”

She left almost as soon as she arrived. I had invited Miley over to my house because we were starting to become friends. And of course, she hits me with my weakness, a secret! I promised myself I wouldn’t tell anyone. After all, I only had to keep the secret until Friday. Tomorrow was Thursday. I could handle it.

***

I woke up to my alarm clock. Its beep had annoyed me for the last time. I picked it up off my dresser and slammed it to the ground. It broke in half, and my mom came in. “Just um... Don’t do it again,” My mom said while staring at her phone. There goes another great pep talk from my mom.

Ever since my dad left she had been like this. Now she called herself, a social media influencer. I don’t even know what that is. Lucky for me, I don’t have to.

I had almost forgotten about the whole secret thing until Karen from Junior High came up to me. “Hey! You! I hear you're the one that’s got all the secrets! Let me in on one. I won’t tell.”

This was probably one of the worst things that had ever happened to me. If I told Karen I might be in with the ‘cool kids’. If I didn’t tell her, well, then nothing bad can happen. See what I mean? Hard.

Karen was looking me straight in the eye. My guess was she wasn’t leaving until I told her. 

“What’s it gonna be squirt?” She spat on me when she said this. I had been called many things in my life but never squirt. I was very offended.

“I don’t have to tell you anything!” I started it out strong, but as soon as I said this I knew something bad was coming.

“What did you say?” Karen was built big. She had giant shoulders, and I’d guess she was about six feet tall. 

I was terrified. The only logical thing I could do was run. I ran as fast as I could. I looked back to see Karen chasing me. She was gaining fast. 

I saw my life flash before my eyes, and then I knew what I had to do. I kept running until I reached some bikes. I quickly got on one and peddled away. Luckily the school was on a downward hill. I eased on down and lost Karen.

I did two terrible things in one day. First: I stole a bike. That’s not so bad. The stupid person just left there bike sitting right there. That’s their fault. Second: I ditched an entire day of school.

Now that was bad. Luckily I had a mom who didn’t care. I snuck in the house, or at least I tried.

I started singing some spy music quietly. I did a couple of forward rolls and I was in the clear. Although I did break a couple of glass bowls in the act. 

My mom still hadn’t noticed me. And I doubt she would ever notice the broken bowls. I went up to my room and sat on my bed. 

I was very bored. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and started doing what I normally did on my phone. I looked through unnecessary videos. I kept scrolling through and through until I found the most disturbing video.   

It was me running away from Karen. It was me hopping on the bike I stole. It was me easing down the hill. It was me ditching school. 

My life was over. This video was proof that I stole a bike. It was proof that I ditched school. And worst of all, my mom had liked the video.

It already had seventeen thousand views. Everyone in my school probably saw it. I was never going back to school again.

I watched the video over and over again. Then I started reading the comments. Not all of them were people laughing at me. At least ten of them said: This girl can run.

Maybe there was a positive side out of this horrible day. The coach of the top running high school had also commented on this video.

She said: Wow! If this girl doesn’t end up in the slammer, I would love to have her run for me. 

I was honored, but still depressed. I laid back onto my bed and started crying. It was a mix of happy and sad tears. 

I almost fell asleep when my phone started ringing. It was Miley. I answered it but I didn’t know why. She saw my tears and started crying too.

“Thanks for keeping my secret Georgie. I know it was hard, I mean I watched the video.” We both broke out in laughter and then tears and then back to laughter.

Secrets can hurt, but they can bring out the best in you. Even if it means you have to steal a bike once in a while.