My Promised Lie

Chapter eighteen

Chapter eighteen

“Come to mine for the night? You shouldn’t be alone” I looked into his eyes, the beautiful blue I saw that day at the beach had faded.

“No, I’ll be fine” I was lying, I knew it then and I think he did too. As he hugged me goodbye I felt different, he felt different.

I walked the streets alone, as my boots hit the ground my tears fall next to them. Every step makes me feel worse. I was trying to walk away from the pain but it felt worse. I walked the empty streets trying to forget. I had been the worse day of my life and I didn’t know then but it was about to get worse. I felt a hand on my shoulder, I expected mum or another family member. I was wrong it was Jake.

“I thought I told you to go?”

“Just because you told me to doesn’t mean I will” He put his arms around my waist as he stepped closer. I stopped him and tried to keep walking. He grabbed my arm and swung me back.

“I’m here to help you” He said, trying to hold me close but I squirmed out of his grip.

“You don’t care. No one does” I turned and walked away.

“Are you stupid?” He said to me, I turned back. He stood there with a confused look on his face.

“What?” I said stepping towards him.

“I care about you Alice, I’ve been with you through this whole thing and you just walk away saying that I don’t care”

“You only noticed me because I changed my looks, you say you care, you only cared when I looked good enough” I couldn’t believe what I was saying, I didn’t mean any of it, I was just filled with angry, hate and sorrow.

“Think whatever you want” He said before turning and walking away. I stared as he walked into the darkness. Then I felt it, the darkness, the loneliness. All I had now was mum and she was still mad at me, I basically had nothing.

It rained as I walked back. Do you ever think it’s ironic when it rains when you’re sad. I mean it matched my mood perfectly and hid the tears. I had forgotten my keys. ‘Of course, what else could go wrong today’ was all I could think.

“Alice” I heard a yell, I turned to see Sam. This day was getting worse.

“What?” I said rolling my eyes.

“I’m so sorry about your dad” I guessed I would have to do something about hearing that.

“I’m sure you are” I rolled my eyes again.

“Hey, I’m being serious, I know how bad it is too loose someone, I’m here if you want to talk”

I felt another wave of anger.

“You’re here, you’re here for me” I said sarcastically, “You are only here for me because I’m doing your dirty work, you are not here for me. You never were, you just made me believe that you cared, you only cared so I would do what you want. You know what I am going with Jake to Prom. I don’t want your money, I don’t want anything to do with you”

“Fine, You do to Prom to Jake but would that be before or after you tell him that you dated him for money?”

“Before” I said it just to annoy her that time.

“Whatever, I know girls like you, if you tell me, he hates you. If you don’t you have the guilty conscience.”

She turned away, that angered me more.

“Hey! I was talking to you!” I yelled, into nothingness.

I opened the front door and saw mum, on the lounge room floor, surrounded by boxes of photographs. One box labelled ‘Paul + Jessica Wedding’, another ‘Baby Photos’ and another without a label.  I stepped towards her, she lifted her head. She stared at me with red around her eyes and a red nose from crying. I sat down beside her. I lifted a pile of photos and held them in front of us both. We went through most of the photo’s in the wedding box and baby photo’s while crying our eyes out. I moved to grab the last box when mum spoke, still sobbing and sniffing.

“Alice, leave it. It’s empty”

“Why?”

“Dad bought it to put your Prom photos in. I do think there’s something in it but he didn’t let me open it and told me not to let you open it until your prom night”