Dirty Little Secrets Read Online Free

looks.
    “Aren’t you Chad Mills, the star quarterback for Druid Hills?” Lisa asked, sounding like she was about to eat him up.
    “Yeah, that’s right. What’s your friend’s name?”
    “Oh, that’s just Tyler.” Lisa waved her hand as if dismissing me. “I’m Lisa. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She stepped forward,
     extending her hand. Chad did her one better by extending his hand directly toward me.
    “Hi, Tyler. I’m Chad. It’s nice to meet you,” he said. He took my hand and held it, and I could feel myself blushing. Lisa
     made it worse by standing beside me with her lips poked out.
    “I’ve never seen you before,” Chad said. “Are you new to North Atlanta?”
    “Yeah, this is actually my first year. I went to Sutton Middle School last year.”
    “Oh, so you’re a freshman?”
    “Yeah,” I answered shyly.
    “You have to be the prettiest freshman I’ve ever seen.”
    “You’re sweet,” I gushed, sounding like a love-struck teenager.
    “I would love to call you. Can I get your number?”
    “Sure,” I said, smiling. Chad was just the type of guy I had been searching for. He was handsome, he was at least a junior
     so he had to be somewhat mature, and he made me feel at ease. Because Evan had assaulted me, when guys tried to date me, I
     always felt as if they had an ulterior motive. I was scared to be alone with them because I believed they would harm me in
     some way. With Chad, those thoughts did not cross my mind. Both his looks and his status as a football star would make all
     my friends envious of me. Plus he came across as a sweetheart. I definitely had stars in my eyes.
    After our initial encounter, Chad and I were inseparable. He would come over and we’d make out for hours. My parents were
     oblivious of what we were doing because they thought Chad was the greatest. Chad’s mother belonged to the same country club
     as my mother, and his father did business with Daddy, so they had no problem leaving us alone. Besides, my parents were trying
     to salvage what was left of their shaky marriage. For the last couple of years it had been deteriorating. It hit rock bottom
     when Ella left for college. Ella had been the glue holding our family together. She was the type of child who demanded we
     take family vacations and eat dinner together every night. Without her there to keep the family united, Daddy began to distance
     himself. Mother soon realized that Daddy, like so many other men, was having an affair, and so she began her own fling. Without
     constant praise and attention from Daddy, Mother became insecure and sought confirmation elsewhere that she was still beautiful.
    One evening she was supposed to be at a country club meeting, preparing for a dinner honoring the female socialites of Atlanta.
     Worried when she never showed up, her friend Beatrice called the house looking for her. Daddy told her something had come
     up at the last minute and Mother couldn’t make it.
    When Mother came home, he asked her how her meeting went, and she said, “Great.” Before Mother could even shut the door, Daddy
     was standing in the foyer ready to grill her. “Maria, don’t fucking lie to me. Beatrice called here looking for you after
     you didn’t show up.”
    “I know. I got there right after she got off the phone with you. I was held up trying to make some last-minute revisions,
     and I was late to the meeting.” Mother always knew how to remain cool under pressure. She spoke so matter-of-factly that you
     couldn’t help but want to believe her.
    “Okay, then you’ll have no problem getting Beatrice on the phone to confirm your story.”
    “I’m not a child, Michael, and I won’t be calling Beatrice to ask her such a silly question.” Once again, but now as a teenager,
     I stood at the top of the stairs watching a drama unfold.
    “Maria, you better get Beatrice on the phone right now or—,” Daddy said in a threatening voice.
    “Or what, Michael? You’re going to