Spencer was growing frustrated. Each time he tried to approached Tiffany, she would run. At first, he'd been hurt. Especially when he learned that she had hinted to Andrew what was affecting her.
"Nightmares," Andrew had repeated. The curiosity in the man's eyes hinted that he was in the dark as to what these nightmares stared.
This frustration had pushed him to visit the Headmaster.
Now, he was watching as James darted around the library, obviously looking for something. Spencer was aware that his presence was making James nervous.
"What have you lost?" Spencer asked.
"Your journal," James answered, attempting not to shy away from the Pureblood as he stood to assist him in looking. Anger coursed through the Pureblood. He had demanded that it not be touched by James. James had complied willingly. To afraid to wander in the man's past.
"That's impossible. You have simply replaced it," he denied. James laughed.
"It's sat untouched in this library since you handed it to me. I haven't even picked it up since!" Spencer cut his eyes at the man.
"You expect me to believe that you never gave in to curiosity?"
"I'm offended, Spencer." James huffed, "I'm not a man to subdue to curiosity. Plus, what you have lived through would be to frightening for me to comprehend…" Spencer couldn't help but agree. He, himself, attempted to ignore his past and live in the present.
"Could someone have taken it?" He questioned. James shook his head.
"No one else but us knew of it's existence…."
"Who all has a key to your home?" James paused.
"Tiffany and Andrew are the only ones…." His words sunk in. Horror washed over both men's faces. "My God…" James breathed, "you don't think one of them could've-?"Spencer 's face turned stony.
"It's possible…" he admitted, "Tiffany has been acting strangely the past few weeks."
"But it only just went missing. Trust me, I check. Plus, neither of them have been here in five weeks…" James couldn't suppress the sadness in his voice. Neither of his 'children' wanted to visit him.
"It's possible one of them could have came home without telling you…maybe sometime late…"
"The last time I checked was yesterday before I went to sleep and it was here…" He pointed in between two books. Spencer nodded. "Wait, you said that Tiffany's been acting strangely?"
"Each time I try to confront her she runs," James went to tell him that it wasn't much different from how she had been when she was child, Spencer held a hand up and continued, "she seems drained of everything. Emotion, energy. It's almost like she looks through me and not at me. These dark circles surround her eyes and they get darker everyday…" James shifted in his seat. Worry for his daughter plagued every cell in his body.
The sounds of arguing approached.
"Will you just open up to me?" Andrew yelled.
"There's nothing to talk about!" Tiffany screamed back. "Just drop it!"
"I won't! I'm not giving up on this! Damn it, Tiffany!" The office door flew open. A fuming Tiffany and enraged Andrew greeted Spencer and the Headmaster. tiffany stopped dead at the sight of Spencer. With her emotions carefully in check, she let her eyes wander to her father. One look at his face told her, he knew. Tiffany sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Andrew grabbed her shoulders and spun her around. "Answer me." He growled. His eyes flashed red. Spencer and James stood from their seat. Tiffany glared up at him as his grip tightened.
"It's none of YOUR BUSINESS!" Tiffany screamed. Andrew stumbled back as if Tiffany had slapped him. Tiffany's anger deflated at the look on Andrew's face. "I'm sorry," she whispered looking away from him, "it's something I need to figure out on my own…" Tiffany stepped toward the wounded boy and placed her hand on his forearm. Andrew brought his eyes to hers. "I'm not saying that I don't need you anymore by not letting you in. I'm saying that you have to trust me to do this myself. I'm not a child anymore. I can handle some things on my own…"
"But when it's killing you?" Andrew whispered. He raised his hand and gently touched the circles underneath her eyes. His hand fell from her face with a flop. Tiffany smiled up at Andrew.
"It's not killing me." Andrew scoffed. Spencer cleared his throat, re-alerting the teens that they were not alone. Tiffany turned toward Spencer slowly. Her eyes intentionally focusing on her father. "Well, Andrew, you're the one that drug me here. I suggest you get on with it." Tiffany nudged Andrew. Andrew glared over at her.
"Headmaster, I'm requesting that you take Tiffany off the guardians for a little while." Tiffany snapped her head toward Andrew. "At least until she figures out whatever she needs too figure out." James smiled.
"I agree," Spencer whispered.
"I wasn't aware this needed your approval.." Andrew sneered. Tiffany rolled her eyes. Spencer didn't spar Andrew a glance. James nodded his head.
"Very well," Spencer and James shared a glance, "Tiffany…Andrew…have either of you been in the house since yesterday?"
"I haven't," Andrew answered. All eyes turned to Tiffany. Tiffany pushed her hand into her pocket and withdrew the journal. Spencer 's mouth fell open slightly in shock. James's eyes widened.
"How much did you read?" Spencer asked, an obvious strain in his voice.
"All of it."
Those words alone had the power to nearly bring Spencer to his knees.
YOU ARE READING
Breaking Down Walls
Romance"Spencer swallowed heavily. He struggled to fight back the panic and fear. The only girl he had wished to keep it from the most had found it, read it, and was now standing in front of him. Her expression gave no hint to how she felt about it."
