Five Hundred Miles

2.8: Stars.

Chapter 2.8: Stars. [UNEDITED]

[Jamie saved my life. She taught me everything. About life, hope and the long journey ahead. I'll always miss her. But our love is like the wind. I can't see it, but I can feel it.
—A walk to remember.]

“Now, care to explain precisely what happened?" Snotty Miss Collins crosses her arms as she sets her butt down at the middle chair of the long table.

He chuckles beside me, like before. I love it when he does that. Joshua is back.

“Miss Collins, why, it's midnight, and I clearly need a loo." He slurs skillfully. Er... he probably doesn't notice that, but everytime when He intended to lie, his tone will grow playful. Nervous, but playful.

“Mind your manners, young man, I'm not having your drunken words as an explanation." She snaps.

“I'm not dru—"

“Silence," Miss Collins slams her hand on the table. She does that often too, to intimidate little children. Slamming her hand is like casting a seal, nobody but her does that talking later unless you're told to. “Maple Johnson. Explain."

The heat is back on my face. Okay, let's do this. “I'm sorry for waking you up in the middle of the night, Miss Collins, it's really careless of me. I don't mean to wake you, or even the children. It's just, I don't want to use the main gate cuz you know, it's kind of cranky by itself. Maybe you should consider changing the door, it's been there since forever, makes a lot of noise—"

“Straight to the point, Johnson." Her words cuts like knife.

Kay. I chew at my lip. Real smooth, Maple Johnson, way to convince a cranky old lady.

“This man beside me," I gesture at Joshua—Gideon—whatever—as he winks at her. “Um... he's got nowhere to spend his night in, and I offer him a place in my room. He has to use the bathroom anyway."

“I don't have all night for your gibberish blabber," Miss Collins bugs.“What is his name? Your name, young man."

“Well, young man suits just fine for me," inquires Joshua.

“Name. Age. Everything that prove yourself righteous enough to stay in a house full of innocent children."

“Well, if you insist," Joshua says. “Gideon Camerons. Twenty-six. Successful business man of the Camerons trading company, CEO, to be exact."

I hear Miss Collins gasps.

“You're right, old lady," He flashes her a smile. “Camerons. If you remember."

Reorganization ignites in Miss Collins sullen eyes. “Now I prefer a lengthy explanation, from you, Johnson."

Here we go again. “You know what, Miss Collins? I'll just spit it out. He's Joshua. Joshua Sparks, remember?"

“Oh, are you kidding me?"

“Not funny, haha." I rise. “By the way, Miss Collins, I'll just tell you everything that I've been keeping from you, since the day I left this place, if you want to hear me out."

“Nice," Gideon says.

“Damn you, Johnson, what is it with your dubiousness?" Miss Collins mutters.

“Great." I beam at her. I start telling her how I met Derek in the plane, and how He introduced me to the job. How I became the maid and the girlfriend. How I got myself into trouble with that idiotic William, how I chased Gideon to China. How I returned here. How he found me again.