First (James Yammouni)

Chapter Eleven

"There's something in your eyes" he said "I can see it, not often, only some times, like now. I don't know what it is but I want to. I want to get to know you, Emma, and I don't mean as a stepsister, that family talk is bullshit. I want to know who you are, and that's what I intend on doing"

This took me for suprise, I could tell that our little game was over, and the look of humor in his eyes was now replaced with a look of seriousness and honesty. I studied his face for a moment to try and find out what he was thinking but he kept his emotions and thoughts guarded, instead he took a sip of his coke and looked at me once again.

I had no idea what to respond to that with, so all I said was "tell me what you want to know" in a small voice.

"I want to know about your life" he said "what was your childhood like? Who was your mother? Why are you and your father so estranged?"

"I had a pretty good childhood" I said, feeling all of those emotions I had locked away come flooding back. "It was normal, you know, I played, i got hurt, I was an only child so it was just me and my parents for a while. My dad left when I was young, for another woman or maybe because he was unhappy. After he left he stayed in contact, but the time between his visits would get longer, his phone calls would get shorter, then they stopped altogether. The last time I saw him I was fourteen. My mom got sick, real sick, and I spent a few years working and taking care of her so I didn't have time to do anything else, not that I minded because she was my mom, but that's basically my life, leading up until now"

He was quiet. Too quiet. And I felt like I had loaded too much into the table.

"Have you ever had your heart broken?" He asked, staring at me with intensity.

"Only twice" I said.

"When? How?"

"The first time I was eight" I said. "When my dad first left, he told me he'd be back, but I knew he wouldn't come back, I knew that after that it's just be phone calls and excuses."

"And the second time?" James asked, barely above a whisper.

"I was fourteen" I said "it was when I first found out my mom had cancer, and I knew that I would lose her"

"My dad..." James said, looking like he was trying to stop himself from talking, but also like he needed to let it out.

"My dad was a very rich man, my mom was young when she met him, and when they had me. My dad wasn't really a solid part of my life, and my mom spent all of her time finding the most eligible suitor that she didn't have time for a kid" he said, twirling his straw around in his now empty glass.

"She's had husband after husband, your dad is number five, I believe. She likes to pretend it's all about love and family but every man has been richer than the last. And between all of the fancy dinners, expensive vacations, and luxurious life there just wasn't any place for me, I was like a wart she couldn't get rid of, but when she found out I was the heir to my dads fortune she tried to rekindle the mother-son bond."

"I'm sorry" I said.

"Don't be" he said "I don't like pity"

"It's not pity" I said "I can relate"

"That's not entirely true" he said "your mother loved you"

"I Lost my mother, and that pain hurts worse than anything"

We were both silent for a few moments, our overwhelmed minds needed a break from all of the emotional stories that were just laid on the table.

"We should get going" James said, looking at the time on his phone "your break is almost over"

Without a word we both got up and left the table with our barely eaten meals. James left a tip and proceeded to pay at the front register before we both walked out together silently.

I got into his car and he pulled off. The silent tension from before had taken its place among us once again, and I desperately tried to think of something to say to break it. Before long he was pulling into the familiar parking lot of Maria's Kitchen, which was completely vacant.

"Thank you" I said.

"No problem" he replied.

I grabbed my bag and keys and reached for the door handle, but he caught my hand before I could step out of the car.

"Can we do this again sometime?" He asked, holding me in place.

"Lunch, or the questioning?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He smiled "both. Either. I don't care, just as long as we're alone"

I felt heat rise up in my cheeks "sure" I said, stepping out of the car.

He pulled off and I stood there and watched. I didn't open the door until he was far out of sight. I flicked the light switch on and the small bakery filled with light. I sat down on the stool behind the counter, completely lost in my thoughts and oblivious to what happened next.

The door bell rang, signaling someone had come inside, I barely turned my head before I realized who it was.

"I forgot something" James said, walking towards me with such urgency.

And just like that, his lips were on mine.

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UPDAAAATE!!!

It's been like a week

But here's a lil gift for you guys.

Two weeks and schools out, so I'm pretty excited for that. I went thrift shopping today and I got a cute pair of shorts and a hoodie, so that made me happy.

Goodnight day

-Stevie