“I've told you, just call me Julia,” my mom smiled back.He nodded in agreement.
“Anyone up for coffee?”my dad asked as he stood.When no one answered, he began making a cup just for himself.
“Thanks, Mom,” I said as I rose from my seat.
“Leave your plates; I'll handle it,” she insisted as I collected both mine and Marco’s.
“I should get going; it's getting late,” Marco said, pausing at the door.
“But you mentioned wanting to talk?”I said, feeling let down.
“We can chat another time.”
“Are you certain?Just five minutes?”I pleaded.
“I promise I'll make it up to you.How about dinner for just the two of us?And maybe a movie if you're nice,” he teased playfully.
“Now we are talking,” I grinned and leaned in to kiss him by the wall, so nobody would see, briefly forgetting my reality.
“Good night!Love you!”he called as he opened the door.
“Me too.Good night!”I replied.
As I stood beneath the scalding shower, I wished I could erase the images that haunted my mind.Ignorance had been bliss, but now it felt like a heavy chain around my neck.Was this really what life entailed: a tapestry of secrets, falsehoods, conflicts, and illusions?A world I once envisioned flickered like a faulty projection, revealing a grim truth I wasn't sure I was ready to face.
Wrapping myself in my bathrobe and returning to my room, I shuffled over to my backpack to swap out the books for the next day.Suddenly, a crimson envelope slipped from among the pages and tumbled to the floor.I crouched down, curiosity piqued.
There were no markings on the outside, yet I could sense something was tucked away inside.I flipped it over and slowly opened it, my breath catching in my throat as a wave of shock washed over me, leaving me momentarily paralyzed.
Chapter 10
Iended up missing my bus the next morning and had to catch the next one alone.While waiting, I sent Jessica a message apologizing for how I had reacted.I wanted her to know the truth and assured her that I would respect her choice.I truly hoped she would change her mind soon.
It was tough not being able to communicate with her.We had been friends for three years, ever since we met one summer while waiting for the bus to the lake.
Since we were both from the same town and had a bit of familiarity, a simple “Hi” quickly turned into a full conversation and eventually blossomed into a friendship.I felt a strong bond with her, especially because of her upbeat nature.Her positivity seemed to rub off on me whenever we were together.
When I arrived at the bus stop, I noticed Marco waiting for me.
“Hey, what happened?”he inquired as I stepped off the bus.
“I overslept,” I replied, wrapping my arms around him.His warmth enveloped me, accompanied by a pleasant scent.“Why are you still here?It's late, and you'll miss school,” I said, glancing around.
“I just wanted to make sure you were okay.Yesterday at dinner felt off; I can tell something's bothering you,” Marco said, gently cupping my face with his hands.
“It's nothing, just a long day,” I replied, averting my gaze.I would rather not share what I had experienced or the knowledge I had gained; I still hadn't figured out what to do with it.“Go on now!”I urged him, feeling a pang of worry.
“Actually, my friend over there and I are skipping school today,” he said, gesturing to his classmate standing by the fence, puffing on a cigarette.
“Oh, you know how I feel about that,” I said, disapprovingly.I had never been one to skip school, and I wasn't about to change that, even in my final year.
“Want to join us?”Marco asked, though he already knew my answer.I shot him a look that said it all.“Alright, I get it,” he chuckled, pulling me close and kissing me.His morning kiss tasted fresh and sweet, like mint.I released him and turned to hurry to school.I was the last one to arrive, quickening my pace to slip into the classroom just before the bell rang.
Spotting Emily, I noticed her glance at me before looking down.I was tired of the situation, so I took a seat beside her.
She remained still, as if afraid someone might notice us talking.
“Em?I know you can't speak to me, but I can talk,” I murmured, avoiding her gaze.“We need to deal with this; I can't bear another seven or eight months of silence.I'll confront Jake—I have to,” I said, pausing to think about needing to talk to Zane as well.
