You Changed Me

AJ and I are torn apart... but AJ leads me to a secret... but I'm not the only one who tries to find out his secret...

          It was Aurora and AJ's first day into 8th grade. They were average teenagers... A little popular. But they weren't the type that be snobby and rule over everyone else. They were nice, sweet, caring... they acted like everyone's best friend. But only Aurora and AJ knew they were true best friends of each other and... Scratch that. I'm telling it my way. AJ and I were on our way to school. There was an unusual person following us. We shook it off in our heads. We walked through the school doors, holding hands. No, we were not dating. We were best friends - we were scared out of our minds. What were we suppose to do... Kiss?! HA! No. Anyways, we got in the school and let go of each other's hand. We simply walked to class and had a wonderful time. AJ use to always walk me home... so as force of habit, that's exactly what he did. I remember that conversation like it was yesterday... here it goes. "I'm your only best friend, right?" "Aurora! Of course you are! I love you!" There was a small pause before AJ finished. "As a friend." It sounded like he had to choke it out. Whatever. You'll find out later... anyways, my story needs to go on. We did our usuals. He walked me home, and I'd invite him in to work on homework together. He was in ALL of my classes. AJ always was surrounded by girls. He had ocean blue eyes, blonde hair, and his personality was just AH-MAZ-ING! Okay... we are gonna seriously get off topic. So. Yeah, AJ and I studied in my room and he stayed for dinner, then finished our biology project. (We were comparing Ocean Life around the world... we both wanted to be Marinebiologists.) AJ left to go home around 9:30 PM. He got home, and he called me making sure I finished the last page we had to type for our report part of the project. I heard the door slam open, with a braking sound echoing through the phone. It was AJ's druken father. AJ hid his phone and then hid himself. I heard his father yell, "Damn it! AJ! Get out here you lazy piece of s**t!" I heard another bang. This time, (from what AJ told me) it was his father punching the wall again.

 

          AJ's brother, CJ, came in. He saw what his father was doing and called the police. He was arrested for DUI and more. CJ knew where AJ was and got him out. AJ still had me on the call as I laid in my bed with tears streaming down my face. "What's wrong," CJ asked AJ. AJ must've forgotten I was still on his phone. "It's... Aurora." "What about her," CJ paused and answered for AJ. "You're starting to fall in love with her... aren't you?" I could almost sense AJ nodding since CJ replied back, "tell her. You have nothing to lose. I bet she feels the same way about you as you do for her." AJ sighed. I ended the call for I did not want to hear anymore. I went to sleep, not knowing what tomorrow could bring. My alarm woke me up at I think it was 7 AM. I set it an extra half hour early since AJ wanted to pick me up to walk me to school again. I guess since after I heard the conversation on the phone, everything sorta started making sense. AJ put his arm around me. I smiled and bit my lip. I've liked him for the past month. I haven't told anyone... not like there's anyone I could trust to not tell AJ. I was afraid something would slip out as I was talking to AJ. But I guess so far, so good. AJ told me about his father. Since his mom died, it was just him and his 16 year old brother, CJ, since their oldest brother, James, was in college. He was a sophmore in college. CJ was a sophmore in high school. CJ notified his brother and begged him to stay on campus and that he could take care of everything. I don't know for sure, but this was what AJ told me. I felt like AJ wasn't telling me everything. But now I know. I remember stopping at my classroom and he was smiling at me with that look like he wanted to tell me something but couldn't. School was just as boring as I always remembered it. 

          Anyways, I walked home with AJ after school. "I can't stay for dinner, sorry," AJ told me as he started down the driveway. I remember being so confused. I'm not sure exactly what AJ did that night. All I know is he had a note the next morning. "What's that," I asked. "Uh! Nothing!!! Don't worry about it...," AJ panicked. I know why now. He held that note tight in his hand all day. He never let it go and I got really suspicious. This day at school was like any other. I got worried later. I went to walk home, and AJ wasn't at school. I called him and texted him and he said he was just fine. He was not fine. He was not fine at all. I could tell he was somewhere busy, a hospital, and by the sound in his voice told me he wasn't going to be okay. CJ called me. "Hello?" That is a very common answer - I felt like an idiot picking up the phone like that. "AJ...," CJ paused for a moment, "he's dying." I stopped. "What hospital?" "I can't say. It won't matter. He'll be gone in about 10 minutes... it's too far for you to drive here before you go." I hung up and cried. I thought to myself what could've he gotten in to? I decided to just sit and wait for CJ or James to call back. They never did. It was May 3rd. Mom called me down. "What is it," I asked worriedly. "We have a letter... For AJ's funeral tomorrow. You'll be out of school for the rest of the week. You deserve it. His wake is at 2. The funeral is tomorrow at 1:30. Kay?" I nodded sorrowfully. I went back upstairs to notify my teachers that I wouldn't be at school for the next 3 days, but should and most likely will be back the following week. I was just sending the email letting them know and asking for whatever homework we may receive when my phone rang. I waited for the caller ID to come up. It was CJ. I answered it in a heartbeat. "Hello?!" I knew I was yelling. There was so much I needed to know. "Aurora. Please come over, I have something for you. I don't quite get it so I need your help to 'figure' this whole thing out. Okay?" "How'd he die, why? What happened? CJ!" CJ hung up the phone and texted me (I still had his text. I don't really remember why I kept it... Hmph.) He texted me saying, "hurry and don't let anyone know you are coming. It's VERY important." I replied back with an "Okay" as I raced downstairs and told my parents I was gonna go for a walk so I could think for a bit.

          I raced outside the door. I took my bike and rode it all the way to CJ's house. I kept thinking of the horrible things that could've killed the one person I loved... my best friend. I raced to CJ as fast as I could. "AJ, as you know," I started tearing up. Next thing I know, CJ is holding me tightly in his arms.I was crying hysterically. Once I calmed down, CJ explained to me how he died. "He was coming to your house... He said he needed to tell you something important. He had a note. Here," CJ started while handing me the crumpled note, "read it. But, on his way, our father escaped and was drunk... Again. He purposely drove the car into AJ, for we don't know why. He's in jail now and very heavily under guards." I sat there with new tears running down my face. "Read it," CJ spoke in the softest voice I have ever heard a guy say before. I opened the letter. "Read it out loud, please... For my brother?" I nodded.

 

Dear Aurora,

 

          I'm sorry I never told you this before. I didn't want to ruin our relationship. I know you probably don't like me, so I understand. I love you. You've always been there for me and helped me. I didn't know how else to tell you this... So, I know this is going to be tough. The police called while CJ was at football practice and told me that our father escaped jail and said he was coming for me. I wrote a note, knowing I would most likely not make it. I'm so sorry I never told you. Maybe I'll see you some day.

 

P.S. I know your reading this out loud. So read this to yourself. In my room, at the back of my closet is a safe. Make the safe show the numbers 28672 - or in other words, your name. There is a secret door inside the safe that will hold the key to reuniting us together once again. Please. You only have until the first day of summer next year. June 21st of next year is your dead date. Ready? Set. Go.

 

          I cried as I folded up the note and slipped it into my pocket. I thanked CJ, and hugged him good-bye telling him I would see him on Saturday. He nodded as he started to tear up, too. I knew CJ already read it... So I was thinking of asking him for help tomorrow at the funeral. I stayed up the whole night trying to think of what could've AJ been keeping from me... From everyone. I was so confused. I got really confused so I took out the note, and started to draw. I could draw pretty well, so I was imagining AJ's face. I started sketching when faint letters appeared around the note. I continued going faster and faster trying to uncover a "clue" that AJ hid. He was sneaky... That's when I found it. 

          Waste no time. Hurry... You're not the only one. My secret is just for those whom I love and love me back. Meaning you, CJ, and James. Hurry! Please! For Me...

          WHAT?! WHO ELSE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR THIS CLUE THING OR WHATEVER?! I couldn't stand it at first. So, I asked CJ if I could just look around AJ's room before my family and I left for his funeral. CJ told me it was fine so I went ahead. I went to AJ's room and looked at the safe. 28672. 28672. 28672. 2... 8... 6... 7... 2... My jaw dropped. It was miraculous what AJ built. A secret tunnel. Full of his life time worth of things. If his whole family knew about this, they'd be famous - they'd have the biggest house I've ever seen. They already had a mini mansion, so what more could there be?! Now, all I have to do is find it... Whatever it is. I kept wondering what this thing that AJ wanted me to find was. It was hard. I walked down the tunnels when I remember hearing someone... I stopped. My heart was beating and I stopped. Stopped everything. I stopped breathing, walking, moving. I forgot my phone was still on ring. It started playing Turning Tables by Adele. I freaked as I pulled it out a shut it off. I heard footsteps running the opposite direction. I sighed with relief. I heard an echo faintly bellowing through the tunnel as I walked further into it. The words still haunt me. I couldn't make out if it was someone old or young, man or woman. All I know is that it echoed, She knows. She found out. She can't find anything more. I know about the tunnel? I found out about AJ? What else is this that I cannot find out or know more? Maybe he stole something?? Okay, like honestly I'm writing as I go along. So... today. I looked at the paper all day. We had a half day... not much to it... I went back down to the tunnels. They are so freaking long. CJ was with me. The tunnels echo, badly. We walked... For what seemed like ever. "Where's the other end?" CJ looked puzzled at me. "What end?" "I heard someone down here when I first opened it... I don't know who it is, or what it even was. I'm definantly not the only person looking for whatever AJ hid from us. We HAVE to find it... soon," I clear yelled. I recorded along the way, so it was on my recording device. This is getting way creepy and suspicious. It's got me puzzled.

          Lately, things have been more creepy. Teachers got more suspicious and so did my friends. I don't know what to do. I was hanging around CJ so much they probably thought we were dating. One word for that: EWWWW!! We got deeper into the tunnels. These things only stretch like 3 miles. I'm taking a bike from now on. I took my bike down again this afternoon... and well, someone was down there. They had a light. I almost found out who it was until someone else said they had to leave ASAP... Grrrrr... I keep going down everyday. "Aurora, what are you doing going to CJ's again," mom would always question me. I found out I had dyslexia a few months ago ... and trama syndrome. So, I really didn't do anything yesterday. I haven't been down in months. Yesterday was Valentine's day... everyone offered me some sort of gift or candy of some type. I don't really know... I couldn't help but burst out in tears in the middle of 4th period. That was Literature for me. My teacher knew why and excused me from class for the day. I don't know what's going on with me lately. I've been crying day after day. Grades went from a 4.6 GPA to a 3.3 GPA. I went back down to the tunnels, and with my bike I rode about 2.2 miles before I found out who else was looking. James and my exboyfriend Isaac. "What are you doing," Isaac questioned me. "I was going to ask you the same thing," as I crossed my arms Isaac's blue eyes dug into my soul. I stepped back. "What's wrong?" "Nothing," I answered quickly. "James, what are you doing here," CJ, who was coming up from behind me, asked James. "AJ called us on his last minute and told us the whole clue how it's Aurora's name and that we needed to find something. Isaac followed as soon as he heard your name," James explained. "Probably to get revenge for calling him an a*s," I disgustingly said as I emphasized the word, a*s. Yes, he is a donkey... A donkey's behind. Isaac came up to me and hugged me. I pulled away. "WTF," I shouted. "Sorry. It was an apology hug from all the years I've been mean to you and wanted to take you away. And now, you're only a freshman so I thought that maybe you'd still understand from whatever happened in 7th grade," Isaac looked hopeless... Like he really meant it. I don't know. I don't care. I nodded and continued down the tunnels. I kept telling myself, there HAS to be a secret door somewhere. Knowing AJ, he would've hidden one. "Shhhh...," I quickly said. I heard foot steps approaching us. "Who's that," Isaac asked clearly scared out of his mind. I shooed my hand for him to stop. The dark figured approached us slowly. 

          It stopped. The glowing eyes stared at us. They were a piecing red color. "W... Wh... Who... Who are... you," James managed to spit out. A loud echo ran though the hall as they spoke. "CJ," she paused, "James," she took a deep breath, "I'm your mother. I'm here to take you away." CJ, James, Isaac and I all looked at each other. We ran for the door... Their mom followed. She grabbed James, and he disappeared into the other end of the dark tunnels. Not a scream, or a word, or anything. James was gone. James started running towards us. Then he dropped. His eyes were glowing red... The figure came back... dragging him away. James looked possessed. We stopped in our tracks, exactly where we stood. James vanished. He just... vanished. "We have to go find him!" CJ yelled at us while yanking our arms. "It's no use," Isaac shouted. "Look," Isaac pointed to the wall. "All you need to know is in a question, but the question needs not an answer for it answers itself." "I've heard that before...," CJ pondered on the saying. He thought again, and again, and again, and again. "Mom!" "What?" "My mom... She use to always say that to us when we asked her if she lied and kept secrets from us," CJ admitted as he started to say it softer and softer. I admit... I was so lost I didn't know what to do next. Isaac kept staring at me, and it was kinda creepy. There has to be a secret door... Somewhere. "Let's go down to the end of the tunnel. We haven't been down all the way to the other end," I put forward. "We have. It's just another lock. We already tried your name, CJ's, and James's name. None of them work." I puzzled at what Isaac has just said. "My locket!" I yelled loud enough for it to echo for a minute or two. Isaac gave me his usual puzzled look. I gave him the you're a stupid and hopeless idiot look. I've kept the locket on me and never took it off ever since AJ died. "Here," I said as I passed my locket to Isaac and CJ. "How do you open it? It won't budge!" I shook my head at Isaac. I took the locket back. "Best friends forever. Aurora and AJ." The locket popped open. "Okay... I never knew my little brother was a genius in technology. This is amazing...," CJ finished. I never opened it before... so I was surprised when I saw a few things... a note; then the code to unlocking the next door.

          "Is that the code?" I cannot believe Isaac would ask such a stupid question. "Well, I don't know genius. Let's go to the door is figure it out... huh... smart idea. Isn't it?" I gave him quite the attitude. His disgusted face looked at me as we headed down. I chuckled quietly to myself. It was totally worth it. "There's the door," CJ muttered as we approached it. It was getting closer, and closer, and closer, and closer. I took a deep breath. I punched in the code. I heard a click. The door popped open. That's when it hit me. Why would AJ pick these letters above everything else? It absolutely puzzled me. I decided to look at my phone. The numbers matched perfectly to what I thought it could've said. You Don't Know Me. Minus the spaces, that was the exact code. 9683668566963. That was the password. "That code is like 15 numbers long! What about the note," Isaac - the smart a*s - had to say. "Oh.. yeah. I forgot about that... Ummm... lemme see. AH! Here it is," I said stupidly. I knew I looked like an idiot... I always do. I unfolded the think piece of paper and slowly opened it. AJ gave me this necklace in 6th grade and I never opened it before. Hmmm... Considering AJ told me Best Friends Forever. Aurora and AJ. 6th grade is the year we are usually stupid, so I guess it sorta made sense. I read the note aloud. "Aurora... I know it was only 6th grade when I gave this locket to you, but I knew you wouldn't even bother opening it until I was gone. I knew for a while this was coming... It was a matter of time before I had to go. I'm sorry for all the fights, games, and especially - the lies. Keep going. You've opened up the last door, and now I need you ALONE to get my treasure... my possessions... the things that mean the 2nd most to me. ILY. ~AJ

 

          Why me alone? What could I see that he didn't want his brothers seeing. Whispers came... Don't goo... in...You'll be sorry... hahahahahahahahaha... Bye... Aurora. I had a blank look on my face. I shrugged and started in. "Okay, so you just hear a creepy voice pretty much saying you'll die if you go in and yet... You're going to continue?!" I nodded my head at Isaac. "What an idiot," he muttered back. "I'm not the only one," I answered back winking. Isaac gave me a creepy stare. I walked in. As the door closed behind me, I could see the look in Isaac eyes... A different look. It looked as if Isaac... loved me. I gave him the same look. I didn't like Isacc... But now I was sorta starting to. Anyways... I went into the tunnel and it lit. There was everything in here. What exactly am I suppose to be looking for? There it was. Another clue or something. It was on the other end of the tunnel, though. That's like 10 miles. HOW COULD HE FIT THIS!!!! THIS IS NOT NORMAL! I continued. I realized this was the same way James and their mom went. I looked. I saw James... Young James. Like he was in second or third grade. He waved at me... Then their mom appeared. She looked sick... From a disease or something. I went down and over to them. "Mrs. Evans? Are you... Okay?" She groaned. James spoke in the sweetest kid voice, the most horrifying thing ever..., "Mommy's gonna dieeeeee!!! She's gonna be killed by secrets and secrets and all these liesssss. Mommy's dying from Cancerr... because secrets were kept from you and meeeeee." He like... sang this. I was ortified. Mrs. Evans groaned from the pain again. I realized I was watching her on her last 5 minutes. I felt the tears roll down my face. James came over and gave me a hug. Mrs. Evans looked at me. She realized who I was. "You're my son's, AJ, best friend. You're Aurora... Aurora grown up that is," she took a big deep breath before she continued. "You here for the key to reunite you guys... This," she exhaled for a long period of time, "key is over there...," Mrs. Evans finally finished pointing North to a glistening object. "Thank you. I'm so sorry, Mrs. Evans." "Just find the key... Then we could be saaaavvveeeedddd," her voice echoed as she fell dead asleep and disappeared as if she was just an allusion.

 

          I started down my way. That's when I found it. It was silver string that made the glistening look. It was around a camera and a picture. I looked at the picture first. It was the picture that I drew of AJ, me, and Isaac. At one point, we were all friends. In small printing on the front, bottom left corner, were words. I looked at them carefully. Do you love me or Isaac more? I looked on the right side. That depends. Did you want to be friends or more? His response was markered out. You don't need to know the answer, Aurora. Because I'll always love you more. I realized it was Isaac's hand writing. I can't believe I didn't remember this. I took out the camera. Five pictures and 2 videos. I looked at the pictures. One with me hugging Isaac, the other is AJ. The other 2 are me kissing Isaac, and the otehr AJ. The last one had the 2 boys standing in front of me, each holding a sign saying 'pick me' as I stood there. I looked at the videos next. It was a 30 inute video. It was when I played ghost in the graveyard with them and some neighborhood kids. First Isaac was it. I was holding the camera and we were running. The sun was still setting. AJ held my hand as he dragged me over to the ocean. I remembered the next part. "Are we best friends? Like just us? Not Isaac?" I nodded. He put his arm around me. I shook it off. He inched away from me. "Look! Isaac's coming... Let's go," I whispered quietly as Isaac was turning the corner, we were climbing the tree. As soon as he left we jumped down. I hid in a shed. Soon, AJ followed going behind me. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me backwards. I leaned my head upwards so I could see behind me. He kissed me lightly. We escaped and headed back to base, where Isaac finally found us - after we hit base. I stopped. I now rememebred it perfectly. What did it mean, though? I scrolled through until I got to the second video.

 

          I played the video. These pictures were all taken in 6th and 7th grade. I looked at the video. I've only known part of it. "Aurora, will you go out with me," Isaac pleaded. I don't know why AJ recorded this. "Yes." I remember answering. Isaac kissed me, and I cold hear AJ softly crying into the camera. Part of the video was when AJ was at home. "I love you Aurora. I don't know why you'd go out with someone that's gonna break your heart. I know by the time I show you this it'll be long after you've made you mistake... I just had to say that I love you." He was crying. I sytarted tearing up myself just by watching it. It was continued. It was when I broke up with Isaac. "You cheated on me!! I know what you did," I was already crying hysterically. "You and Jesse. I cannot believe you, Isaac!! I hate you...," those were my last words as I ran over to AJ (whom in which was holding the camera) and hugged him tightly. "I tried to tell you Aurora... I just didn't know how." I don't remember him saying that, but I was probably crying to loudly, or even too much to hear him. The video ended. I teared up again. I fell to my knees. "I'm sorry, AJ! I'm sorry! I love you...," I found my self again crrying hysterically. "I know, Aurora. I love you, too." I could hear AJ. I could actually hear him. There's no way he could be alive... I saw him dead. That's when it hit me. The stone. The stone brought him back. Where could it be? "Watch the video again," AJ once again spoke to my mind. "Which one," I asked spinning in all directiosn seeing if I could see him in any way. "The last one, look when you come running to me," AJ responded to my cry of help. I watched the video again. I paused it when I saw the beautiful Sapphire stone. Isaac. He had it this whole time... I put the camera and note back. I raced back to the house. I burst through the tunnel door where I found Isaac and James and CJ. "How'd James get back?" Isaac held out the stone. I snatched it from his hand and raced back down through th tunnels. "Aurora! Come back!" Isaac chased after me.

 

          He followed me through the door and all the way down to the camera. He picked it up and the picture. "OMG. He did record it. I'm... I'm... I'm sorry, Aurora. I was stupid and irrisponsible. I'm sorry," Isaac said as he hugged me from behind, just like AJ did in the first video. I leaned back, and Isaac lightly kissed me. I stopped. I took his arms off of my stomach and hips and turned around. He put his hands back on my hips and I put my arms around his neck. We kissed... again, and again, and again. I stopped myself when I realized he was trying to take the stone back from me. I stopped him and pushed him away as I ran further down the tunnel. At the complete opposite end of the tunnel, I saw AJ's casket. I opened it and put the stone inside. I closed it back up just as Isaac reached me. "Stop following me!" I yelled at him and I shoved him back towards the staircase he came up. "She's following me!" He pointed to Mrs. Evans. She came up to me and hugged me tightly. She walked over to AJ's casket and disappeared into it. The casket flew open moments later with AJ coming out. He gasped for air. I cried as I held him tight in my arms. Isaac came over to retrieve the stone. It was gone. It used up all the "magic" it had. AJ stood up. "You're the one who set my father free from jail. You... You monster," AJ disgustingly said. "I would've gotten away with it... If only I hadn't," Isaac was stopped short. A bullet pennitrated his heart. AJ and I looked at the balcony. It was his father. He shot Isaac. We watched Mr. Evans shoot himself after that. AJ gasped. Tears rolled down his face as the blood dripped from the blacony unto the floor 2 stories below. Isaac's last words were "If I haven't loved you, none of this would've happened. I allowed myself to fall for you. I'm sorry, Aurora." I held AJ tightly as we walked back upstairs. We walked back to AJ's room. AJ dialed 911 straight away. The Evans were famous for AJ's new creation. AJ asked me out... and I did so. James decided to finish up college and get his degree and stay home. I loved AJ, and he loved me. His room was our secret hideout. We spent all our time there and it was perfect... every now and then we could see Mrs. Evans or Isaac. All was too good... that's when I realized Isaac wasn't dead. He left a note saying he'll get his revenge. And this was just the beginning.

Author's Note

Hope y'all love it!! <3

Reviews

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Please Continue!!!! I really want to know what happens to them in the tunnels!!!!

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Yes. Continue