Ephemeral (#Wattys2016 #JustWriteIt)

Chapter 7

I wait fir the page to load, and when it does my eyes pop out of my head when I read the first words printed in big bold letters.

Richard Harrison: Husband and father of 3 kids arrested for drug dealing and murdering his wife and first kid.

I quickly click on that sentence and it leads me through a whole new page, full of information of him and his family.

He has been dealing for over 5 years, but no one knew because they lived in poverty. Not even his wife knew he was doing this. He has all the money left in a safe for his oldest son, but after the murder, the money went to the government. He's been in jail for 3 years, and Violet is the second child, followed by another girl named Sophia. Her aunt, Yasmine Harrison, has taken full custody of Violet and Sophia, and seem to be living in a safe home. 'Safe' home, where they hit her everyday.

I keep reading and digging deeper and deeper and until I hear a choking sound coming from behind me. Please don't be Violet, I pray in my mind before turning around, and when I do, I see her deep blue eyes surrounded by red, bloodshot, eyes, and her cheeks hot with tears.

"What are you doing?! Why are you digging into my family and my life?! What do you want with me?!" She yells while more tears stream down her face, and I stand up quickly, feeling my heart shatter. I didn't mean for her to see me looking into her past. I know I wouldn't like someone looking into my past, but this was something I had to do. She's a sixteen year old girl who I'm giving shelter to, because she lives in an abusive home, and she has some 'job' which she doesn't want to tell me about. What else was I supposed to do?

"I'm sorry Violet its not what it looks like" I tell her but she doesn't listen to me and goes into the room she's staying in, and walks back out with a bad on her hand.

"Goodbye Jonah. Hope you have a good life while stalking another little girl" She tells me before turning the lock, but being unsuccessful. Thank God I forgot to lock the door and leave the key with me, instead of in the door like I always do. "Oh so now you're also keeping me hostage!" She screams while throwing her arms in the arm. "You know what, I don't care. I'm gonna go through the fire escape" She tells me before walking to the window and opening it. "No fire escape? Seriously?!" She says before shutting the window roughly.

"I just want to explain, then you can leave" I tell her and she stays still, expressionless, emotionless, and completely numb.

"Explain then. I want to hear the awesome reason why you were digging into my family life and past" She tells me with a sarcastic smile plastered on her face, and anger behind her eyes.

"You're a sixteen year old girl who's staying with me, lives in an abusive ho-" I start to tell her but she shakes her head and laughs, cutting me off.

"If you wanted to know what happened to me, you could've asked me you know? I don't bite. I'm no dog" She tells and walks again towards the door. "I still want to leave, open the door. Please" She says through gritted teeth. I sigh in defeat and head towards the door and pull the key out of my pocket, opening it for her. "Bye Jonah. Thanks... for you know... Letting me stay here and all" She says before quickly rushing down the hallway.

*~*~*~*

I walk to my office the new day and when I don't spot Violet on the train, my stomach falls. I have a weird feeling. A sensation like something bad is going to happen today, not with Violet specifically, but just that something bad is going ti happen. As soon as I enter the office I'm greeted by my annoying and exigent boss.

"Jonah! Just the guy I was looking for!" He says and I force the laugh down my throat.

"You were? Wow, why?" I ask him surprised and he smiles even bigger.

"I need a new book on my desk! That last book was awesome! When am I getting the next one?" He says before patting my back, almost throwing me off my feet with the strength of his palm against my back.

"I'm sorry Mr. Lockwood, I've had the biggest author's block. Right now I'm just reading manuscripts people send and send you the good ones, and throw the bad ones, but hopefully I'll get an idea soon" I tell him and try my best to plaster a genuine-looking smile on my face.

"Thats the Jonah I pay!" He says before patting my back again, and walking to his office, and as soon as he's gone Anna walks towards me.

"What was that fake smile all about?" She asks me giggling and I smile.

"Was is that obvious? I didn't think he noticed!" I tell her and she laughs, throwing her head back.

"It looks faker than Nicky Minaj's ass" She tells me and I laugh.

"Nothing is faker than Nicky Minaj's ass" I shot back at her and she nods her head before muttering a 'true' between laughs.

*~*~*~*

In the alley next to my apartment there's a group of guys and when I walk past them, one of them stops me by putting his hand on my chest.

"Quick question, are you Jonah?" They ask me and I immediately shook my head no. "You shouldn't have lied to me" He says before placing both hands at my jacket and pulling mw towards the end of the alley. "So you're the one who had Violet huh?" He says and I gulp.

This is going to end up so bad.