Chapter Text
It basically goes without saying that I am one of of the most power people in this town of ours.
Even if I am just a kid.
You see, I have a secret. Wait, déjà vu coming on...
***
Anyway, when I first came here, most of us weren’t here.
Way before Alex and Aaron, John and Theo...
You were here for sure, Sam. Cause you and the Schuylers welcomed me first.
James was here too, and he had more life to him. Maria wasn’t tied down to you-know-who.
Lafayette was always certain about life. Hercules was happier at home.
He hadn’t turned on us, trying to ruin us all.
Instead, the rest of those school kids, like Knox and Greene and Pendleton were all ruining one another with their stupid hidden secrets. And all were dying to tell someone. But one wrong listener and they’ve fucked themselves for life.
Enter me.
First day, knowing absolutely no one. Walking to my locker. Getting shoved around. Meeting you guys. Trying to find my classes.
Walk into class.
Get pulled into a corner.
Can you keep a secret?
At the time I knew not who it was, learned it was America Sampson, biggest gossip in school.
Besides him, anyway. And he doesn’t count.
Uh, yeah, I can... why?
She leans all over my ear. Whispers right into it. My eyes turn as wide as dinner plates (ha, dinner, a simpler time) before she points at me, says tell no one, and walks away.
I wondered if she expected me to remember it. That’s when I thought of The Book.
An old unused diary given to me by a cousin I once had. She wasn’t trying to be mean or anything, we always used to send one another weird stuff. I gave her a stuffed carrot pillow that year.
Her last year. But enough of that.
I write down imediately what America says. Look up and see Adrienne and Dolley eye me suspisciously from across the room. I slam it shut, lock it, and stow it away before they get any ideas, and take a seat that faces away from them.
Roll call.
Names learned.
Time to figure out the hate web.
***
Class goes by. I’m on my way to lunch. And of course I get stopped.
What did she tell you? asks Dolley. She’s like 4’ and a lion’s mane lives on her head.
We will not tell anyone, promise, says Adrienne, who stands taller than most kids and is French and hates contractions even though Laf has no issue with them.
I narrow an eye. Ask her yourselves, I say, and start walking away. Mental note. Dolley and Adrienne hate America. America seems like the type everyone hates, and I’m not allowed to hate her out loud.
Hand on shoulder. Turned right around.
Tell us or we’ll ruin you.
I roll my eyes. You can’t ruin someone who’s already messed up.
Shrug out and walk away as they stare, dumbfounded. Guess no one’s ever turned them out like that.
Two weeks go by.
Here they are again. But they don’t want to know America’s secret anymore.
They want me to keep theirs.
Apparently, ever since she told me her secrets, no one could get dirt on her because she basically acted like she had nothing to hide and never felt like exploding anymore, and no one could pry them out of me for anything. I watched that thing like a hawk.
The years go by.
I meet Laf, Herc, Maria, James... him.
New people come and go with new secrets for me to know.
No one’s publicly fighting anyone anymore, not now.
My book has sections now.
Secrets that can be told to all (hey trust me not spin the truth).
Some only for one or two ears only and them alone.
And few that could reach no one else. There was another lock to keep them extra secure.
No one else had broken those locks, read those secrets....
Until fifth grade came up.
And he attacked.
A storm of lies and sorrow hit the kids. The fog lingered. Everyone was crying or angry or both, and he sat there and watched it all.
They found out it was him soon enough. America returns the book to me locked up.
We know it wasn’t your fault, she says, you could have ruined us at any time but you never did.
And that was that.
***
I should have known. He stole the book years ago, when he was curious. But now he’s older. And hell bent on ruining everyone again.
Quicky, I rush out the door.
Do I remember where this one lives?