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“That was fast,” he comments, ignoring a still grumbling Sasha. “Now what?”
“Welcome to hell,” Sasha looks up at the sky. “How do you not get bored here?”
“Nathan takes me to the city with him sometimes. That’s fun. Jeanine the housekeeper is there every morning so I get to chat with her for a while. Nathan also got me a laptop and there are loads of books to read and places to explore.” Not including the rat infested grass that I tend to avoid. “He’s suing his parents,” I say this in a hushed tone, mindful of ears listening in on the empty streets. I’m probably being paranoid but I don’t want to take any chances.
“He’s what?” Tommy blinks and looks directly at me, his eyes full of curiosity.
I nod and chew on the inside of my cheek for a moment, “Yep. Don’t say anything to him though, he won’t like what I’ve told you. They went crazy when they realised I was staying with him, cut off his trust fund which wasn’t theirs to take. Just like they did with Caleb.”
“Ouch, bastards.” Sasha blows her fringe from her eyes and looks through a store window at the trinkets lined up perfectly behind the glass. “What is their problem?”
“I have no idea.” But I really want to find out. “I don’t get it, it makes no sense. This can’t just be about the fact I’m not from a family of their choosing. I think this is something a little closer to home.”
Tommy cocks his head, “What do you mean?”
“Maybe it’s the whole rebellion thing. Or maybe they had women in their minds for their sons. Who knows how they work?”
“Hmm,” Sasha starts walking again, we start following. “It is all a bit strange but it does happen. Remember that guy I dated.” She looks up in thought. “What was his name?”
“Who?”
“The one with the strange flick at the front of his hair.”
Tommy chuckles, “Reece?”
“That’s the one,” she clicks her fingers and smiles. “His parents were really strict. They hated it when they found out he was dating me. They wanted him to marry a girl from his neck of the woods.”
Ah, I remember that. “That guy was an idiot.”
“Yep,” Tommy chips in and places his arm around her shoulders. “Not that it matters much seeing as you forgot his name after only two years.”
Her hand whips around to smack his chest, her smile never falters though, “I was just using him for his car. When summer was over we dropped each other. He was sad about it, I pretended to be.”
“Bitch,” I laugh in shock and kick a small pebble across the ground. “I thought me and Caleb would end the summer before I started University. I was so sure he was lying and saying pretty things to take my virtue.”
“Nice.”
I elbow her to shut her up and continue, “He kept telling me he was staying but I couldn’t even comprehend the reality of a man as amazing as Caleb, after only a few days, promising me the world.”
“He always did promise you the world,” Sasha sighs wistfully, her hand clinging to mine.
“I don’t think he ever realised he’d already given me it,” I mumble, feeling that familiar ache of grief in my chest. “He was my world.”
“Soppy,” Tommy pretends to hurl on the sidewalk. Immature much?
“Do you think he’d be angry with me? I promised him I’d stay away from Nathan.”
Tommy shrugs, “Probably not, I mean, the circumstances haven’t been ideal. I’m sure he’s grateful of his brother.” Why don’t I feel like this is true?
Sasha shakes her head, “Nah, he’s definitely pissed. Caleb was the jealous type, but he’ll understand too. I don’t think you need to be worried about what he’ll be thinking, he knows you’re doing the best you can to get your life how you want it.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“We are.”
Chapter Eighteen
I cry when my friends leave at five. They promise to visit again in a couple of weeks, so our parting wasn’t too difficult. It was difficult hugging them and thanking them for all they did for me, it brought back memories but it needed to be said.
When they left I instantly raced up the stairs and pulled the envelope back out of the draw.
It’s been half an hour and I’m still stood slapping it against my other hand, wondering how I’m going to deal with this.
“Gwen?” Nathan shouts as the front door closes.
Oh bugger, I was supposed to make dinner. I hastily throw the envelope back in the drawer and jog to the stairs. “Sorry, I fell asleep,” I’m lying. You mind fucked me with your note and ring and I stared into space for god knows how long.
He smiles, his eyes soften, “No problem. Go and rest, I’ll make dinner.”
“Umm, no, that’s okay. You’ve been driving and I just… I’ll go and…” I point to the kitchen. “That way.”
