Sugar, Spice and a pinch of Fantasy

Chapter 8

-------- Chapter 8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Haden’s POV)

I watch as Jess walks across the parking lot, her delicate hand interlaced with Carter’s. I feel the familiar green-eyed monster rearing its ugly head inside of me. Almost as if he can hear me, Carter throws me a smug look as he walks, and it takes all my self control not to reveal what he really is to Jess.

               “You ball up your fists any tighter and you might end up fracturing your knuckles. You know this body is delicate, Haden,” Matt murmurs quietly from my right hand side.

               “I didn’t realise,” I murmur back, my eyes still trained on Jess’ retreating figure. “This feels so wrong!”

               “I know. But there isn’t anything we can do,” Alex mumbles dejectedly and then a sudden spark comes back to his face, “you know what...there might just be something we can do.”

               “I’ve already thought of it. We can’t tell Jess what Carter really is without telling her the full story. She won’t be able to handle the whole story...not yet anyway,” I answer Alex’s unspoken idea.

               “Then what? We let her walk into this whole mess blind? She’ll end up hurt, Haden! You know Carter! You know what he’s capable of!” Alex bellows, finally losing his cool.

               “Calm yourself, Alex. I never said we’d let her walk into it blind. I merely said telling her Carter’s true identity would have an adverse effect. You know as well as I how stubborn Jessica can be. Besides, I have an idea,” I murmur, regaining my composure.

               “Lead away then, my liege,” Matt answers, reverently.

***

(Jessica’s POV)

I quietly push the front door open and tip-toe into the living room. With any luck at all, the guys will be asleep or out and I can avoid what would surely be an ugly encounter.

               “How do you propose we tell her?” Matt’s soft voice drifts towards me from somewhere upstairs.

               “Yes, kindly tell me how you would suggest we tell her that everything she’s come to regard as her past is a lie?!” Alex bellows.

My curiosity piqued, I quietly climb up the first flight of stairs, trying to ascertain where the voices were coming from. It takes me a moment, but then I realise the guys must be up in Haden’s room.

               “Are you calm now, Alex?” Haden’s cold voice is loud as I stand immediately outside his door. “Good, now I’m not saying it will be easy. But we can reason with her, make her understand why we had to lie,” Haden continues.

               “Haden, let me ask you this; if I were to tell you that your parents weren’t really dead and that I had been lying to you for the past five years about it, how would you feel? Would you forgive me?” Matt asks.

I don’t understand. My parents aren’t really...

No! No way! I dash the hot tears that are rolling down my cheek and ran down the stairs to the safety of my room.

I guess I made a lot of noise in my haste though, because it’s a matter of mere moments before the boys are in my room.

               “What’s wrong Jess?” Matt asks, sitting down on the edge of the bed, his arms outstretched towards me.