Chapter 13: The Real Story

Eddie's POV"Gaege!!" I cried, chasing after the black van with desperate calls. Although it speeded away, taking the only person I loved with them. How could I have fucked up this bad? How did I let this happen?

I fell to my knees weakly, clenching my hands into fists and smashing the street until cuts started forming on my fists. I sobbed uncontrollably, wishing I could go back in time and fix everything. The weight of carrying so much pressure for the past year burst open like a wine bottle and I couldn't put the cap back on the bottle of suffering I had been hiding. Everything from losing my job, losing my best friend, losing my home, everything... Even Gaege. And it was all my fault.

"Eddie!" Grant ran beside me, followed by the other boys. My dark, wet hair stuck to my face when I looked up at them, who forced me to stand. "No! I can't leave him!" I struggled against Mully, but his grip was too strong on my arm. "Let go of me!" I continued fighting even though he dragged me back to his house, "I promised him! I promised I'll keep him safe!"

They sat me down on the couch, pushing me back down every time I tried to stand. "What the hell is your problem?" I spat, yanking my arm away from Mully."Our problem? What the hell is your problem?" Narrator crossed his arms, his blue eyes glaring at me, "You were the one that started all this."

I stopped, feeling my face fall when he said that. He was right. It was my fault, whether I hated to admit it or not. He then said quietly, "Eddie, I didn't mean it..." I shook my head, "No. You're right. It's my fault Gaege is gone..."

I looked back at Mully, who was staring sadly at me. "And it's my fault your birthday is ruined," I sigh, burying my face in my hands, "I should've never even bothered to try and gain your trust. If only I had stayed in my apartment the day I had met you all and none of this would have happened!"

Josh shook his head, putting a hand on my shoulder, "It's alright. We all make mistakes, mate."

"Tell me, though, did you know Gaege was a mind reader?" Mully then said, making me turn my head to him. "Or that he had some kind of power?"

I stared at my feet, shaking my head. "No. I had no idea." I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to contain my growing worry within myself. "If he would've told me, I would've never agreed to help them."

"Them?" Grant raised an eyebrow. "Who?" Anger begins to boil in my chest, and I press my lips into a line. "A secret organization that hunts down mind readers for the government. They claimed that mind readers were dangerous and could harm us, and I started to believe they were right, but after what happened to Gaege today..." I clench my hands into fists, "I'm starting to think they were wrong. Gaege would never do anything to hurt us."

We were all silent for a moment, and I rested my head on my hand. I suddenly felt so drained without him there, and tears were beginning to form in my eyes again. The guilt of being responsible for his kidnapping made my stomach churn.

I decided to grab the closest beer next to me, taking a swift chug out of it. I had promised myself that I would stop drinking a long time ago, but now... Now, I didn't care. The other boys didn't seem to catch onto what I was doing before I downed the burning alcohol down my throat.

"Woah, woah, woah. Slow it down, Eddie," Grant grabbed the bottle out of my hands, but I let out a frustrated yell.

"Give it back!" I shouted, reaching for the glass bottle desperately, "I need it right now!"

"Alcohol will get you nowhere!" Josh answered sternly, crossing his arms, "Trust me. I know."

I sniffed, hugging my arms tightly. "What else am I supposed to do?" My voice shook, looking at them with glossy eyes, "I lost everything! I have nothing left, nothing left to fight for anymore. I'm useless!"

I collapsed on the couch in an ocean of tears, covering my eyes with my arm so the others wouldn't see me. That's when I began to cry, cry and let everything out. "I had tried so hard to keep going. I tried so hard to keep a smile on my face and pretend everything was okay," I said quietly, gasping for air as I cried, "But obviously, I'm shit at that too."

The other boys were silent, and I laid there, alone, until I felt a pair of arms wrap around my shoulders. "It's okay. We're here for you now," Mully reassured me, squeezing me tightly, "And I promise, we're going to find Gaege, alright?"

"No, the kidnappers have my criminal record," I then said, feeling my bottom lip quiver, "He's going to leak it to the entire world!"

"What?" Josh raised an eyebrow, "Criminal record? They... blackmailed you?"

"Now you see why I desperately needed that drink?" I sigh, rubbing a hand over my face, "I was forced to work with them because of my criminal record in high school. Damn, I was so stupid."

"I had been caught doing drugs to fit in," I explained to them, "But my dumbass friends bailed on me when I got caught in the school parking lot. I was sent to the police, and I was lucky enough to have gotten out..."

Narrator pressed his lips into a line, "But it's not cool for them to blackmail you. We need to get Gaege back and put a stop to this nonsense." He held a hand towards me, "But we can't do it without you, Eddie. You're the only person who knows about this, and the only person that could find them."

"But I..." I shook my head, "I don't know where to begin." Josh smiled, "That's where we come in. Don't worry, we'll find them before you know it."

"Well, first, you need to get some rest mate," Mully says to me, putting a hand on my shoulder, "You need to sleep. Looks like you're about to collapse."

"Want me to drive you home?" Narrator asks me, but I shake my head. "It's okay. I'll be fine," I let out a sigh, "You're right. We'll figure it out in the morning after I clear my head..."