Tattered ‎‧₊˚✧[Jameson Hawthorne]✧˚₊‧

Chapter 2

(Gabriella's POV)

I was shut up in my room again, making an obvious mark of my pacing from my bed to my desk. This time, I locked the door and made sure Liam, my bodyguard, didn't let anyone through.

He left everything to Avery Kylie Grambs. A random girl he didn't know. None of this makes any sense. Why not his family? Mr. Hawthorne has known his family their entire lives, and Avery is... basically no one to him.

There was a knock on my door. It was probably just Liam checking in on me, so I opened the door, only to find Jameson standing in front of the door. As soon as I saw his beautiful green eyes, I slammed and re-locked the door.

"Gabs!" I heard him exclaim. "Gabi! Bri! Ella!" He called every nickname I had, until he said, "Gabriella!" I busted the door open, death quite visible in my eyes.

"Do not," I said in an infuriated whisper. "Ever call me that." Jameson took a step back, his expression going from mildly annoyed to sad and confused. No one knows my past. Just the Laughlins and-- before his death-- Tobias Hawthorne. The story I've told everyone is Matthew and I were given up to a foster home when we were young, and we ran away, only to find salvation in the form of an old man. 

"Sorry," Jameson said. "I was gonna ask if you wanted to come with me... to see the new girl..." I sighed. "Alright," I replied. Jameson's smile made my heart lift... just a little. Which made me smile softly. He reached out his hand, but I walked past him for the second time in a day.

"Where is she?" I asked. Jameson tried to put his hand on my shoulder, but I flinched away, rubbing my arms.

"Are you okay?" He asked. No. I haven't been okay since I was 4 years old. But I wasn't going to say that.

"Of course! I'm just really confused and all with the whole 'stranger inheriting billions' thing," I explained. I went back to rubbing my arms.

Unfortunately, Jameson and the other brothers have been attempting physical contact lately, which is why I've been spending more and more time in my room. Which they have been taking notice of.

Jameson narrowed his eyes, then thankfully seemed to let it go. "To answer your question, she's not too far from here. Just a few minutes walk."

I discreetly rolled my eyes. Even after living here for two years, I hadn't gotten used to the fact it took way too long to get from one side of the house to the other, and I hated hearing "it's not too far, just a couple minutes walk". Excuse me? If it takes more than a minute, it's too far.

"Alright, don't roll your eyes at me," Jameson said in a teasing voice. My body tensed. Teasing, back then, was always the sign of...

"Gabs, are you sure you're okay?" He asked. I huffed out a breath. "Yes! Now, please. Stop," I said angrily.

"Stop what? Teasing? Being me? Checking on you?" Jameson asked, and with each word, his voice became more and more pained.

"No. No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lashed out on you," I apologized. "I've just been uptight lately, even more so with the new girl business."

Jameson nodded. "It's all right. So has Grayson, since he was the 'great heir apparent'," he said in a mocking tone. I laughed softly. We continued walking for another minute, until Jameson rounded the corner, and revealed a secret passage that opened from a fireplace, and most likely ended with another fireplace.

"What if she's not in there?" I asked the dark haired boy. He thought for a moment. "Then she won't pull the candlestick which opens the fireplace in her room," He finally responded. We walked down the corridor in silence.

"By the way," Jameson began. "Have you opened your letter yet?" My eyes widened slightly as I realized no, I hadn't opened my letter. I was too distracted and stressed to remember.

"No. What about you? Have you read your letter yet?" I asked him. He nodded his head yes. "Jameson, Better the devil you know than the one you don't- or is it? Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. All that glitters is not gold. Nothing is certain but death and taxes. There but for the grace of God go I. Don't judge, Tobias Tattersall Hawthorne," he said word for word. I raised my eyebrows in admiration.

"Damn. How many times have you read that?" I asked him. Jameson shrugged. "A lot," he replied. We finally got to the end of the passage, and Jameson said in a loud voice, "Heiress! You in there?" No one answered. "I guess that settles that then," he said, clapping his hands together.

I turned to head down the corridor, planning on taking a nice hot shower and continuing to read my book, but Jameson's hand came down on my shoulder. "Gabs--"

I gave a small shriek, swatting away his hand. "No!" I got flashbacks from every night at my wretched old house. Matthew standing next to me, holding my hand tightly, wanting to protect me as the older twin, but knowing that if he did, it would be so much worse. Me looking down at the vase I broke, trembling.

"Gabi!" Jameson said, concern lacing his voice. "What is wrong?" I looked up at him, tears pooling in my eyes. "N-nothing," I said, my voice shaking. I will not burden anyone with my problems and thoughts. I will not be the cause of every eye looking in my direction, pity written on their faces.

Jameson narrowed his eyes at me. "Tell me what's wrong! You can't just scream when I touch you and expect me to think that's normal," he said sternly. Huh. I'd never thought Jameson Hawthorne would sound stern, of all things.

"I'm fine. It's just been a long day, and I really need some rest. I'll see you tomorrow, Jae," I said in the most convincing voice I'd used in my life. I left to go find my room, which took me a solid ten minutes, since we took a bunch of different ways to get around versus the one I'm used to.

When I finally arrived, I sat down and thought. Why can't I get over this? Why can't I be strong like Matthew, or at least pretend to be strong? Pretending is just as good, if everyone believes it.

After sitting there for what felt like hours, I remembered my letter. I quickly got up from the floor, and crossed my room to my bed side table, where my letter was laying. On the envelope, it read my full name in Mr. Hawhthorne's somehow beautiful handwriting.

Tearing the letter open, there was a slip of paper and a picture of me, Matthew, and all the Hawthorne brothers playing a heated game of UNO. I smiled, remembering the memory from when we first moved in.

After a few seconds of staring at the picture, I looked at the slip of paper. It read:

"Gabi,
You need to learn to let go and live.
Tobias Tattersall Hawthorne."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All right, y'all. Second chapter! I'm so happy. There's something about this fanfic that makes me so exciteddddddd. There is a littleeeeee secret in this book (and it's not Gabi and Matthew's past). I'll give you a hint: Gabriella Seisha Tettreda.

If you have any feedback, lemme know in the comments. I love writing, and I will take any suggestions you have into consideration. Thanks again to Dandrio8 for being my first viewer and voter!

Love y'all so much!

-Lollypoppy_1239 <3