"Okay, I fell asleep after you guys left last night .. and well, Matt came in and woke me up really early this morning. That ticked me off, so I asked where you were, and he said you got drunk with some chick and weren't coming home, then I changed because it was hot," I motioned to my clothes, "And Matt was about to leave but I asked him not to because I'm afraid to be alone at night, and he laid down with me. Then this morning, I woke up and he wasn't in the clothes he laid down in last night .. and I'M SORRY." I said quickly, the last part coming out clearer than the rest.
"So .. let me get this straight. Matt told you I got wasted with some chick, I wasn't coming home, then laid down with you after you changed," I begged with my eyes that he heard why I changed, "because you were hot," he added, causing my to smile inwardly, "and then stripped in the middle of the night?" I just nodded, his assumption of the previous night pretty much accurate. "I'm gonna kill the bastard." He growled before turning and stalking for the door.
Chapter 21
"Wait!" I got up, chasing after Justan. "Wh-why are you so upset? We aren't together, and Matt didn't do any-" I was cut off by the look in Justan's eyes as he turned around. I've never seen it before .. ever.
"No, we're not together." He said through gritted teeth, causing me to gulp. "And he did do something Lil! He lied to you!" My heart beat sped up once my "nickname" left his lips.
"Wh- how- umm...?" I questioned.
"I wasn't with any girl! I was in the kitchen getting us some drinks together to celebrate his mom's recovery!" He barked at me. I almost recoiled into myself from the power of his voice.
"O-oh." Was all I could get out.
"And when I went up to my room to lay down, because I thought Matt had gone to his guest room, I couldn't because someone was in my spot! He was in my spot, holding you! I was suppose to be there!" My eyes widened, and I almost fainted.
"Why-why would you want t-to hold m-me?" I asked, completely naive to the whole situation. Out of the blue, Justan advanced across the room, taking my chin in his hand, and pulling my face to his. My eyes widened, and I didn't move one inch. It was kind of an impulse not to move, because dad would always tell me to stay still while holding a knife to my abdomen, but there was also some shock mixed in there with it.
When he began to pull away, something inside me pushed me to pull him back, and start to kiss him in return. I felt his breath stop, and I almost laughed. When I finally pulled away, he was beaming the brightest I've seen anyone ever beam.
"What?" I laughed, uncertain of the feeling I was currently feeling.
"Y-you kissed back." His smile grew, if that was possible, as he stared into my eyes.
"Yeah, guess I did." I smiled, poking his cheek, just to tease the blush he was sporting. As predicted, his blush deepened when my finger made contact with his face.
"I've wanted to do that for so long." I heard him mumble, and I had to double take his face.
"What?!' I snapped at him. Not in anger, but surprise. He's only known me for a short while .. how is that "for so long"?
"Um .. we need to talk. I think it's time you got your answers." He mumbled, standing up straight and reaching to pull me up.
"You damn skippy." I grunted as I pulled myself up and walked past him. I wasn't mad, not at all, just ... curious, anxious, ready for my answers... Yeah, that about sums it up.
Chapter 22
"So...you ready?" Justan asked with a small smirk.
"Are you?" I laughed. He'd taken me back to that park and we were sitting on a round - about; after the swings, a walk, some sliding, and some ice cream. I'd say he was stalling.
"Yeah." He sighed, his smirk dropping. I waited, but for 10 minutes, nothing came out of that beautiful mouth of his.
"So, you first." I laughed again.
"Oh. Right. Um, just ask a question." He looked down at the blue metal as we spun slowly.
"Okay, what's with all that stuff you were saying about my mom? You know her? Why was your mom so shocked and upset about my mom? She knows her?" I stopped myself before going on, noticing I had asked a lot more than 1 question. Four is not a lot more than 1 question. Yes it is now, shut the hell up!!
"Yes, both my mom and I knew your mom." He said, with a slight smile. Wanting to hear more, I nodded softly, urging him to go on.
"My mom and your mom grew up together. Actually, from the age of 3, they've been as close as sisters. You see, our grandparents -on our mother's side, of course- had traditions of choosing friends -especially close friends- for their children." My jaw slacked slightly, but I didn't stop him. "Just so happens that our grandparents were chosen friends, and had children at the same time. Thus resulting in their own daughters being chosen to be friends." I nodded, doing my best to take all of it in. When he didn't continue, I took advantage of it.
"So, it was basically an arranged marriage, but with friends. So .. like an arranged friendship." I said, more to myself, but hoping he would understand what I meant.
"Yeah, basically." He smiled, and I nodded, again, for him to go on. I hadn't asked many questions to lead to this .. but I knew it would be a nice little story with lots of info. "Oh, okay. So, not only do they pick their friends, but they also pick someone to protect them."
"Like a bodyguard?" I asked, making sure me and him were on the same page.
"Yeah, like a bodyguard. Your grandparents chose some outside -none parental picked-, and some chosen, friend's sons, and they'd each spend up to 5 months with your mom." Before I could ask why, he put his hand up and continued. "That way your grandparents could see who she got along with best, and who would protect her most. Just so happens that your grandmother's chosen best friend's son was the one that clicked. It also just so happens that little boy was your dad." This time my jaw dropped completely. We just sat there for a while, letting this all sink in for me.
"So, if both my grandmothers were chosen best friends, then how were our parent's parents chosen to be best friends too?" I nearly re-confused myself with my own question.
"Our grandfathers were picked out for each other." He laughed at my slow-ness.
"Did they get bodyguards too?" I asked before he could say much else.
"No only the girls." He was taking this whole thing a bit more serious than I would have thought.
"Oh. So, do they choose their husbands too?" Right after I asked, I remembered what he said about my dad. But, before I could correct myself, he answered me.
"Not exactly." I saw a faint smile crawl its way onto his face.
"Oh, okay." I just let the topic go.
"Any else?" He asked, his voice showing that he hoped there wasn't. What doesn't he want to tell me?
"Yeah, actually." I saw his posture slump slightly. "What was with that stuff you were saying about my mom and how she wanted me to be with someone she knew and trusted?" He sighed as if that was the exact question he was avoiding.
"Well, like I told you, your grandparents had traditions and-" I cut him off, getting irritated with how I never get answer.
"Well, what the hell does that have do with me?" I had to admit, I sounded like a bitch, and Justan looked slightly surprised.
"If you'd let me finish .. you might fucking know!" He barked at me. I recoiled into myself slightly, with a nod. "Sorry." He mumbled, his face softening, I just nodded again. "Alright. So, your mom shared those traditions with your grandparents. She just found it fit to do so." I slowly nodded, still not understanding where he was going. Justan sighed, catching on to the fact that I wasn't getting a thing. "Alright. So, your mom set up 5 month play dates with guys. Matt, and I are actually 2 of those guys you got to be with. You had actually gotten along with the two of us the most, and equally. Matty however, wasn't fit to protect you. As I was." My eyebrows furrowed, and I stopped him.
"But, I don't remember you. I never knew someone named Justan."
"Justan Jeremie Cooper get your ass down here!" Daneese's sweet voice was shrill and loud as she called him. My eyes widen
ed and Justan gave me a soft look before leaving.
Chapter 23
I couldn't help but just stand and watch him walk away, that is, before reliving a part of my life I had remembered not long ago.
I walked out of my back door with a sad face. I haven't seen my mom all day, and it was my birthday. She told me she would be home from her business trip, yesterday. She even promised. But, she's still not here.
"Come on Lilli, smile." My dad held my shoulders from behind me, and kissed my cheek. A small smile crept onto my face.
"But, daddy, she's still not-"
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILLI!!!" Screamed my back yard as I opened the sliding rice door. You know, the ones they have in Japan. I loved that door. My eyes widened with tears when I saw who was standing in front of everyone.
"Momma!!!" I screamed as I ran to her. She let out a nervous laugh and rapped her arms securely around my back.
"You didn't think I forgot, did you?" I looked up at her and shook my head rapidly, burying my face back in her chest. It was a bit weird, and I thought some perverted things, but I pushed it all aside, and squeezed her tighter.
"I missed you mommy." I said like a 4 year old, instead of a 14 year old.
"I missed you too baby. I promise, no more 2 month business trips for me, okay?" She pulled me away and smiled than sweet smile she always had when she was trying to make me feel better.
"Deal." I laughed as I shook her hand. Then, I headed over to the long wooden table that had presents and a very large cake that was covered up.
I groaned in frustration when I saw the white cover over the top of the cake.
"Why?!" Everyone laughed at me as I went to pull it off. My mom slapped my hand away and I pouted at her.
"Not until we're ready." She said, waving her hand in the air. I looked around, and noticed all my friends from school and all of my family were pulling out earplugs. Then, my eyes fell on him. My eyes widened and I screamed. My mom scrunched her eyebrows and looked to where I was looking, then sighed.
I ran toward him and glomped him in a hug, knocking us both to the ground.
"Hey Lillith, nice to see you again too." He laughed.
"Jeremie! I missed you oh-so much! Where the hell did you go?!" Someone popped me in the back of my head, causing my lips to land on Jeremie's. My eyes widened and I pulled away quickly. "OhmygodI'msososorry." I said quickly. He just chuckled a bit and shoved me off, right before standing up and holding a hand out to me.
"It's all good." He smiled that amazing smile he had. I'd have to admit I did have a small crush on him. But, someone amazing as him couldn't care about someone like me. "Let's go have some cake, shall we?" He laughed, and I smiled with a nod.
"Yes, lets." I was so excited. Me and Jeremie have been friends since I was 4, and I haven't seen him in nearly a year. Then, his mom popped into my head. "Where's Aunt Neese?"
"Hey hunny!" I heard the sugar-honey voice yell. My eyes widened and I turned around to face the one woman, besides my mom, that I loved and trusted.
"Aunt Neese!" I ran up to her and jumped on her. Thankfully, she was pretty strong and picked me up, swinging me.
"Damn girl, you're so small! We're gonna have to fix that for you." She smiled as I let out a small giggle.
She set me down and I made my way to the big table. This has to be the best birthday ever.
Tears came to my eyes as I fell back into reality. I was going to let them fall, when I heard Daneese's voice.
"When are you going to tell her?! She deserves to know! And Crys isn't around to tell her anymore!" The break in her voice was audible, and my knees nearly gave out on me.
I slowly made my way to the door, peeking around the dark wood and into the hallway through a crack. My heart almost stopped. Daneese was crying into Justan's shoulder. How could I have forgotten them? How could I do that? But, Jeremie wasn't Jeremie, he was Justan. There was that something about him that was in Jeremie, but.. He's just not the same anymore. He's too harsh, and too mean. I just .. couldn't.
I started to cry softly, and made my way to the bed. I couldn't take this. How could my mom do this to me? How could she?
Chapter 24
"Lillith?" A soft voice broke my thoughts. I hadn't moved from my position on the bed for hours. Nobody came in the room since I started crying, and not one person even tried to come comfort me when they heard my sobs. I was facing the wall, my eyes still blurry, and burning from the lack of blinking. "Lillith?" I heard that soft voice again. My ears were so shot from hearing my own sobs, I couldn't decipher who it was.
"Lillith?" I heard a different soft voice. I'm not sure how I could tell, they just sounded...different. "Please talk to me Sweetie. What's wrong?" I knew now it wasn't Justan. He wouldn't call me Sweetie. He just wouldn't. Jeremie might have, but not Justan.
"She's not going to speak Claudia, lets just go." I shot up at the name. Now I knew who they were. I didn't hesitate one bit, I just threw myself on the closest person to me and started to sob once again.
"Oh, deary. Are you alright?" Claudia's sweet voice broke through my sobs. I couldn't speak, it burned just too much, so I just shook my head into her shoulder.
"Well, what's the matter?" Claireese asked sweetly. I just shook my head again. When I tell you it burned to talk, I mean it felt like someone dropped a match down my esophagus when ever I just attempted to use my vocal chords. "Huh?"
"Claireese, she can't speak." Claudia laughed softly as I nodded into her shoulder. "Was it Master Justan?" She asked, obviously hoping to get something out of me. I sat up from her and crossed my legs as my butt landed back onto the bed. I lifted my hand into the air and shook it slightly, making a "so-so" sign. "What?"
"She means kind of." A soft smile broke out onto my face. It was sort of funny how one of them understood one thing that the other didn't. "Is it about your mum?" My eyes shifted to the ceiling as I thought, then I nodded at her.
"Hmm, this is going to take a while." Claudia semi-laughed.
Chapter 25
"Alright. So we almost got it. Your mom died on your fourteenth birthday, and your dad started to abuse you, in more ways then one?" Claudia started. I nodded, considering I still couldn't talk.
"And then he sold you two years later and Master Justan bought you." I nodded again as Claireese set some soup in front of me.
"Master Justan was nice, and you weren't sure why. Then, you come to find out that he was a little boy you basically grew up with." A smile cracked onto my face as I nodded vigorously.
"And that little boy was one your mother picked out to protect you and be your best friend?" I smiled with another nod.
"But, her bodyguard had become her husband, and you're afraid of that?" I shook my head softly.
"No, she doesn't like the way Jeremie -whom is actually Justan- turned out, and that her father basically lied to her and cheated Master Justan out of his money." I had said nothing about those things, causing my eyes to widen when I nodded. Claireese smirked at how well she had done.
"Okay, so why were you crying?" I looked down as Claudia asked her question. Honestly, I was crying because I was in love with Jeremie. But after my birthday, he just disappeared. Now I find him and he's a big jerk...?
"Lil? You still in here?" Claireese and Claudia's eyes widened as we all looked at each other in panic. I tried to clear my throat to speak, but it didn't help.
"Mmhmmm." Was all I could get out without my throat feeling like it'd tear apart.
"Why are you in here?" Justan asked Claudia and Claireese with slitted eyes.
"Ummm ... We were ..." Claireese tried, but she was obviously frightened.
"We were helping her feel better. She didn't feel too well, so we brought her soup and were giving her a nice...pep talk." Claudia smiled at me, which I returned, as I nodded at Justan.
"Why won't you talk?" He raised an eyebrow at me.
"Her throat hurts from c-" Claudia put a hand to Claireese's head.
"She has
a sore throat. Which is why we brought the soup." Claudia smiled at Justan's suspicious glare. She's really good under pressure. I wonder how old she really is.
"Alright then. You can leave now." Justan said, his words sounding harsh.
"Yes sir." They chimed at the same time, although with much different tones. As soon as they were out the door, my head was down and I began to eat my soup. Hmm...chicken soup.
"Are you alright?" Justan asked, his tone and expression showing worry as he sat beside me. I nodded, not looking up and continuing to eat. "Are you upset at me?" He asked, caution in his voice now. I just shook my head, and a bit of tension evaporated from the air.Even if it wasn't a completely true nod. "Does your throat really hurt?" He asked, and I finally looked up at him with an eyebrow raised and a nod. "Just checking. Making sure they didn't lie." I gave a slight nod and went back to my soup. "Is it a sore throat?" This time, I just shrugged. I didn't want to lieagain, but I didn't want to tell the complete true either. "Hmm." Was all he said. I didn't make any motion but my hand going to and from my mouth after that.
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