Beau and Arrows (A Beau Brooks/Janoskians Story)

Christmas Eve

The next few days were the slowest and most painful thing Paige had ever had to endure. Her mother knew Beau had left and took this opportunity to push her into 8 hours of ballet practice every day as she waited for a reply from the ballet school she was recommended to by Mr Brannon. Then from 4 until 8 she was either modelling or being interviewed. Her mother had adopted the job of her full-time manager, trying to get her more established. She knew Paige was hurting, and she was confused as to why Paige wouldn't open up to her, or anyone. She had been so distant with her entire family since Beau's departure. But her mother, her brother and her father all failed to notice what was happening. The five hour long Skype conversations in the middle of the night. The near enough sleepless nights where she lay thinking. About the killer, counting down the hours, the minutes, the seconds until she was going to be murdered. She prayed, something she had never done. She thought of ways to escape. She knew Danny wasn't going to be returning home from his holiday until Christmas eve but she also knew she had to go and see him then. She had to speak to him, she had to do something productive. She had to get him sent to jail. And she knew, that if it came down to it, she may have to kill him in order to protect herself. That was what scared her the most. To keep herself alive she may have to become as evil as he was.

The only time she went outside voluntarily was when she went Christmas shopping with James. They had been spending a lot of time together in the absence of most of her closest friends, especially Beau. She had never really been close to James, but she felt like they had become as close as two people possibly could be. He stayed over in the guest bedroom most nights, seeing as Andrea and Cameron were always out (planning the divorce, Paige expected) and Brian was getting drunk somewhere, so she was kind of left to do whatever she wanted. She spent most early morning assisting Brian with his paperwork and his hangovers, sorting through boxes of memories and being his shoulder to cry on. But it had all gotten too much, so she had just tried to ignore everything that was happening. It was hard, but she was managing. She was just hoping her dad was doing the same.

“Are you sure you're ready for it?” James asked.

“What?” Paige asked, in a trance. She had been spending the past ten minutes staring at the movie playing on the screen. She wasn't even sure what was happening, her mind was somewhere else.

“I've been talking for the past ten minutes!” James exclaimed. “Have you not been listening?”

“Sorry.” Paige apologised, bowing her head down.

“Come here.” James said, holding out his arms. She hugged him tight and smiled weakly. “Don't worry about it.” He looked her straight in the arms. “I made a promise to the man who loves you, that I was going to protect you. To be there for you, no matter what.” He told her.

“I'm going to die.” She squeaked, before sobbing into James' chest.

“Does Beau know you're this scared?” James asked. Paige shook her head immediately.

“I can't tell him!” She exclaimed. “He will freak out!” She told him. “I don't want to worry him.”

“I know you don't.” James said, holding her tighter. “But I'll be there, in the room if you want?” James asked. She nodded. “We need to go over the plan together again.” He told her. “It's only...”

“Two days away.” They said together.

“I know.” Paige told him. “I know.”

“Can I ask you something?” James asked.

“Yeah, sure.” Paige said, drifting into another daydream.

“How did you and Beau meet?”

“At a soccer game.” Paige told him, her mind flashing back to that night. What happened. What really happened.