Unrealistic Reality

Chapter 2: Unrealistic Reality

As soon as we were home again, my mother ran towards me and pulled me in a bear hug. "Were have you been? I've been looking for you for a few hours! Why didn't you pick up your phone?"

Charlie just chuckled as I said:

"Mom, I-I can't b-breath" My mom finally let go of me. "I was to Sudington, to the lake dad was murdered." I decided to speak the truth since my mom always new everything.

"Why would you go there? I know it is hard for you, but you are only hurting yourself" I sighed and looked over at Charlie who looked at me with so much intensity, as if saying that I had to shut my mouth about the letter.

"I don't know mom, I just wanted to go there. It is nothing to worry about. How was your day?" Her eyes lit up and she started to tell what she did today. Charlie went upstairs to Jamie, and I was stuck with my mother for the next fifteen minutes.
~
Jamie barged into my room, without knocking. "I know you went to Sudington, and I know you didn't tell the real reason why you went there. Now tell me, honestly, why you went there."

"Good evening to you too. Jamie, it is really none of your business. You should stay out of it." I turned around to make my point but he didn't go away.

"Chloe, I am your older brother, I know you very well. Tell me what's wrong." I turned to look at him and saw he was almost crying. I felt really bad and showed him the letter. He read it with tears in his eyes and when he was done, he hugged me real tight.

"Chloe, you shouldn't do this. You should just let it be."

"I can't Jamie, I have to know what happened. And I do this with Charlie, he helps me." He sighed and sat down on my bed, dragging me with him.

"I want to help too. It is my dad too Chloe, and if Charlie helps you, then I can do too. Please let me help you." I thought about it. He is my brother after all.

"Okay, but only if you promise to not tell mom or anyone else. We have to keep this a secret. Understood?" He only nodded and pulled me closer.

"I want to sleep with you tonight. Is that okay with you?"

"Of course Jamie, of course." We did this more often after my dad died. In the beginning, Jamie had nightmares and sleeping with me helped him to relax. And it helped me. He just needs more familiar faces. This journey will help him, I know it will, but it can also destroy him.

And that's what I fear the most.

Flashback

"Happy birthday too yoouuuu!" everybody screamed. It was my 10th birthday. "Come and cut the cake" Charlie said. I didn't have lots of friends, so only my family, Charlie, Rebecca and Elliot where there.

Elliot was my crush at that time, I liked him so much. He was my best friend, along with Charlie, but I only had feelings for Elliot. Rebecca would always be jealous if Elliot wanted to play with me, and not with her.

Before I cut the cake, I had to blow out the candles and make a wish.

"I wish daddy is going to make it to my party today" I wished. After that, I blew out the candles and handed everyone a piece of cake.

After anyone was gone, I sat down in my room, in front of my window. I looked outside, wishing dad would show up. I waited two hours. It was already ten o'clock and dad still wasn't at home. He promised he would be there.

My mom came into my room and said I had to go to sleep. As I laid in bed, I thought about my birthday, and how dad wasn't there. My heart broke and I cried. I cried myself to sleep.

Suddenly I woke up from a sound in my room. The window shoved open and Charlie climbed inside. Yes, we were neighbors and my room was opposite of Charlie's. "Chloe, is your dad home yet?" he whispered as he sat down next to me.

"No, and I don't care anymore. He left me alone on my birthday! What kind of dad does that?" I began to cry again and Charlie comforted me. He wrapped his arms around me and slowly moved us back and forth. He whispered sweet things in my ear until my eyes became heavy and I fell asleep again. This time without tears."

Charlie was always there for me, and he still is. Even when Elliot and Rebecca left me, he was still there, and I can't thank him enough. He always makes me happy, even in my bad times. He is the only one who can change my mood from angry and mad, to happy and chill. It's like he is the cure for my disease. Even though he helped me when I was ten, I didn't forget the fact that my dad left me alone on my birthday.

I guess my dad had other important things to do that day. He was so busy with something, he forgot about his daughter's birthday. It's just one of the many things that made me think about what dad did. I think it is time to find out the next clue. I want to know the truth, whatever it takes.

Even if it costs me my life.