A Dark Family Secret

Our Goodbyes

After a week had passed, it was time for the girls and their mother to leave.

"I am despondent that you won't be with us for a while.", Timothy said to both of the girls while only looking at LR."

"Stop lying.", Crystal grinned, but her smirk evaporated at the sound of quiet in acknowledgement to her remark. Crystal smiled in order not to cry. They had to leave the place they called home. This was only supposed to be a holiday, but the two girls knew full well that their parents might have to win guardianship over them. And deep down, no one wanted to admit it.

"You guys should stop crying. Look at Jeremiah; he is not bothered", her heart stung a little as she saw Jeremiah staring at his phone as if the past few weeks meant nothing to him.

Jeremiah sniffed. No one cared since it could have been anything.

But then Crystal saw his lips quiver, and not soon later, and he burst into a river, crying. Everyone gawked at him, amazed.

Jeremiah doesn't cry; he seemed to be the kind of lad who just sat around and didn't worry about the littlest thing in the world.

LR jumped in front of him happily and hugged him while laughing.

She seemed to think it was her who Jeremiah would miss. Crystal snickered. Her sibling deemed she was the most cherished person in this friendship group. However, Jeremiah just patted her back with his optics shot lifeblood red. Jeremiah gently withdrew his hands to imply that he was okay now. But just as they thought he stopped crying, he burst into another set of tears accompanied by the sound of hiccups.

This time Crystal decided to hug him since she was also about to weep.

Jeremiah's reaction was very different from the way he hugged LR. He just stopped crying but didn't return the embrace in any way.

Embarrassed, Crystal removed herself from the one-sided embrace.

Eagerly, Jeremiah pulled Crystal into another embrace this time, wrapping his hands around her and leaning his head on hers.