Page 53 of Ordinary Secrets

Finally, I trydeaths in September 1995.

It’s too broad. What comes up is a bunch of dead famous people.

So I try again:deaths in September 1995 California.

I gasp when my parents’ names pop up first. I don’t know why I’m surprised. I already knew it was the same month. I click the first link and read it.

The article doesn’t state anything I didn’t already know about the tampered story. It highlights some details about a few propane tanks exploding, causing the immediate death of a thirty-three-year-old couple. There’s only one line about me, the“seven-year-old son of the deceased,” and I’m labeled as “the lucky survivor.”

The article doesn’t mention the body parts that were found that didn’t belong to my parents. It says nothing about the intruders’ car that was still parked in the driveway when the cops came, and nothing about how that car mysteriously disappeared after the cops left. The article is so fabricated that if someone read it to me with different names, I wouldn’t even know it’s my family’s story.

The Royals have people everywhere. I wouldn’t be surprised if all the cops that came that night were Royals. I wouldn’t be surprised if this article’s author was a Royal either. If not that, the Royals probably threatened the writer into telling these lies to cover up their crimes.

Back in the search bar, I try being even more specific:deaths in September 1995 California down a cliff.

The first article is about Arella’s parents. At least, Ithinkit’s Arella’s parents. The article states that a couple was driving when the rain and darkness made them lose control of their car and they went right over the cliff.

A few things are fishy about the article.

First, the couple’s names are Stanley and Robyn Calder, not Aries and Bella Rance. Second, they weren’t the only ones who died in the car that night. Apparently, their three-year-old daughter, Hannah, died with them. Third, this happened in Three Rivers, near the same mountain that Shadow Ridge is hidden under, and it happened on theexact same nightmy parents died.

Coincidence? I think not.

I came to the Internet for answers, and all I’ve got are more questions. Why would Arella lie about her parents’ names? Or did someone lie toherabout her parents’ names? If that’s the case, who and why? It’s possible that the article printed falsenames to cover something up. If so, that begs the question: Who was trying to cover up what?

Next, why would the article state that the couple’s daughter died with them? Arella—or should I sayHannah?—is very much alive. I’m certain this article is about her parents, because I spend the next hour scouring the Internet, and there isn’t any other report of a couple driving off a cliff to their death in September of 1995.

It’s too much of a coincidence that Arella’s parents died on the same night that mine did in the same town. There’s a connection here, and I’m determined to find it.

15

ARELLA

It’s beginningto turn into something.

Three days have passed since Trey and I hung out, and every morning since, I have woken up to his text that says,Good morning, beautiful.

Whenever his name pops up on my phone, the corners of my lips get yanked upward. They stay that way while I read his message and giggle at all the funny things he says.

He has asked if we could hang out again this week, but our schedules didn’t match up. While he’s free during the day, I’m at work. While I’m free in the evenings, he’s at work. I didn’t realize how much goes into what he does. Everything from rehearsals to recording sessions to writing sessions to planning out their videos and filming them. Then there’s all the meetings they have with their manager and potential collaborators. It all sounds complicated, but he seems to enjoy it.

When I’m not actively texting him, I’m on YouTube, watching as many of his band’s videos as possible. I knew they were good after seeing them perform the one time, but I didn’t know they werethisgood. The production value and creativity of their music videos are impressive. Their millions of subscribersand even more millions of views tells me I’m not the only one who’s impressed.

On my lunch break today, the first thing I do is check my phone, hoping Trey has texted me. I can’t hold back my smile when I see his name.

Hey! You free tonight? My manager rescheduled my band’s social media meeting to next week, so I’m open.

I’m flattered that his first thought after finding out he has some free time was to ask if I’m available.

Sorry. I have a movie date with Javina.

I feel the same, but I won’t ditch my best friend to hang out with him, no matter how badly I want to.

Will I ever get to see you again?

I’m free tomorrow night?

I play a show every Friday and Saturday, then I’ve got meet and greets afterward. I won’t be able to have alone time with you. How about Sunday?

---