Chapter 17

                                    

                                          

                          
I sat on James’s temporary bed and watched as he paced back and forth. What am I going to do? I didn’t expect this to happen so soon. Should I tell him the truth or lie? James stopped pacing and turned to face me.
                          
“You’ve been keeping secrets for me Rose,” James said trying to mask his anger but if failed terribly. I raised an eyebrow.
                          
“I don’t have to tell you everything that’s going on in my life James, you’re not my boyfriend.” I regretted it once I saw his sad expression but it was true.
                          
“I care about you Rose but you need to stop keeping me in the dark.” How dare he say that!
                          
“I’m keeping you in the dark! What about me? Part of our relationship is kept in the dark. The fact that we’ve slept together more the once is in the dark James. I mean do you even care about me or am I just something to shag when you feel like?” I said coldly.
                          
“How can you even think that,” I turn my head away from him, “Of course I care about you!” he said his anger rising.
                          
“Oh yeah! If you really care about me and my feelings then what are you still doing with Isabelle?” He didn’t say something and I rolled my eyes and got off his bed, heading for the door but his hand grasped my arm.
                          
“Rose please I-I” he stuttered but couldn’t complete his sentence.
                          
“Do you want to know the truth James, about what my uncle said?” I asked in a whisper, not being able to carry on being angry at him. He nodded and took my hand and led me to the bed so we could sit down. Still holding my hand in his I started my story.
                          
“How much do you know about Robert and Kristy Evans?” I asked.
                          
“Not a lot only that they owned the company your uncle now owns and I think they had a daughter too. But they died when I was a kid.” As he spoke realisation dawned on his face as the reality of his words lay before him. “You were their daughter weren’t you?” I nodded smiling a little.
                          
“I was five when it happened. We were at our summer house which I always loved. It was so beautiful there and we got to spend time all together as one big happy family. I was in my room in our summer house and mum and dad were in the lounge. I was doing my homework when I heard my mom scream then a thump. I froze then turned my head to the door. Then I heard my dad cry out and I knew there was something wrong. My dad never cried, ever so I got up and quietly went down the stairs.
                          
As I was walking I noticed the front door was open wide which was weird. I opened the lounge door and there they were, my parents lying on the floor. I started shaking whilst tears poured from my eyes. A normal kid would have screamed but I couldn’t seem to. Mom’s eyes were closed and I didn’t know if she was alive or dead but dad wasn’t. I remember him telling me to get the phone and call 911 and I did it. He told me to but the phone to his ear so he could talk to the police and I did it. He told me to listen carefully and I did it. I listened as he told me that he and -” I took a deep breath to steady my voice before continuing.
                          
 “He told me that he and mom were going to go somewhere and that I wouldn’t see them for a while but that I had to stay strong for them.” I was crying at this point and James took me in his arms like I was a baby. “I asked him if I could go with them because I didn’t want to be alone but he-he said I had to stay here and be a good girl for him and mom. I agreed of course and he told me to give him a kiss so I did. Even though I was only 5 I was clever and knew not to touch his body. But by this time he was hissing in pain but before he died and left me alone with a dad he told me- told me that he loved me. His eyes closed and his chest stopped moving. I knew he was dead because no matter how many times I called him he wouldn’t wake up.