Poor Girl

Chapter 8:

           

"Theo." She began but the words just couldn't form. She took a deep breath. "Theo passed away about six years ago."

"I'm so sorry." Jackson truly was sorry and at this moment feeling guilty as anything.

"It's okay. It was a couple of weeks before I turned twelve." Anastasia took another breath as she continued. "Theodore had heart problems as a baby, as he got older it was better and everything but when he was 15 things turned again. He was told he'd need a transplant, I remember the way he looked the day he went in for it, he had just looked so scared. He'd had to wait so long for the transplant that the thought of it failing was all he think about. He was fine though the transplant worked and after a little while he was normal. He was healthy."

Jackson could see she was struggling with the next part so he stood up, took her hands and led her to sit with him on the bed. He fiddled with her fingers as she starting again. Jackson tried not to look at her face, he couldn't bear to see the pain in it and he couldn't bear her see the lies in his.

"It was warm, I remember that. I was under the stairs looking through the old photographs, I needed photo for a project at school. Theodore was in the kitchen cooking dinner as mum had taken Gabby to one of her dance classes. All the lights in the house all of a sudden turned off when I heard a crash at the back door. The only light was the moon shining through the windows. Theo ran out of the kitchen saw me and told me to hide there. I remember him smiling as he slowly shut the stair door on me, he didn't seem overly bothered but he was protective and wouldn't take a chance. He hadn't even made it to the other side of the room before I saw them coming out of the parlour."

"You saw them?" Jackson's heart was beating wildly, his hands were now clammy from sweat.

"I couldn't make out faces, it was too dark. I just saw figures from the slits in the door. " She sighed, he pulled her closer to him, leaning his chin on the top of her head. "They were so surprised to see him it's like he scared them. Theodore was strong and solidly built but so were these men. I guess they startled him too because he lunged forward heading to the kitchen door, I presume for the knife he'd been cutting vegetables with." She moved her head now looking at him with tear filled eyes. "You know it still hurts to remember it, the fact he'd tried to save himself but just couldn't. The tall one slid the knife in like butter. I had to bite the inside of my cheeks so I wouldn't scream. The heart he'd waited so long for, the heart that was truly a miracle was punctured, for good. He wasn't getting better this time." Tears were now slowly following and Jackson's embrace tightened. "Whatever they came for they left without. Killing Theodore must have been too much as they fled, you'd think stealing wouldn't be a problem after murdering someone. They just ran, stood there for a moment and looked his crumpled body then they just ran. You wouldn't believe how quiet it was. It was crammed in the storage space under the stairs but I stayed there for what seems like a long time. I just cried. When I could finally move I ran to the living room trying not to look at his body. I threw up in the waste basket in the corner, I felt like my entire insides had liquefied. The police came before my mother did, she arrived as they carried him out. I'll never forget the look she gave me before she heard from the police what had happened. She looked at me as though I was responsible. I was a scared eleven year old girl who couldn't grasp what had just happened. He was cremated and mum brought him home without even a funeral. All of a sudden it's like there was no more Theo, like he'd never existed. "

"But I feel him here you know." She said rubbing her chest with a small smile, the tears subsiding. "His heart may not have been fully functioning but mine is and it beats for him every day. The one thing that kept me going whenever things got too much was that Theo loved life and would've made the most of his, I need to do that for him. I need him to live on in me as Gabby and mum have just let his memory die. He might be gone but his memory won't be."

"Of course he will." Jackson tried to comfort but what he'd just heard shook him to the core. She'd been there through it all. She'd seen it all.

"I'm sorry." Anastasia whipped her eyes and stood up. "I'm going to change."

Standing up she headed over to the walk in and stepped inside, shutting the door behind herself. She needed to stop talking about Theodore if she was going to contain herself, she also needed to get away from his eyes that had been solidly trained on her. She let a few tears fall leaning against the door before composing herself. It was a weight lifted to finally be able to tell someone about her brother even though it had been difficult for her. She slipped her shirt and singlet off, peeling her jeans down her legs. She picked up a tight grey long sleeved shirt and a pair of black track pants that went tight at her ankles.

As Anastasia changed Jackson sat dumbfounded. The guilt had turned his stomach into knots at her story. He had to remain calm, cool and collected if he was going to get her to like him enough to trust him. He knew she was too good for him and really didn't deserve her trust considering all he was planning but after all that how could he ask that of her? He sat his head in his hands bowed in though. This feet planted on the soft carpet, elbows on his knees. She stepped out and he couldn't help but smile. 'How can a girl make comfy clothes look so sexy' he thought looking at her small frame and chest just trying to make its way out.

"What?" Anastasia asked grabbing a pillow and a throw rug from the bed.

"You just look so good." He smiled standing to follow her out her room.

They went up two floors of stairs to one of the spare rooms. Anastasia opened one of the double doors leading into a mini theatre. A long L shaped couch sat against the wall with a couple of bean bags and cushions on the floor and on the wall hung a 75inch TV purposely purchased for Anastasia for her eighteenth birthday, she was a movie enthusiast after all, she needed it done right.

"Holy shit." Jackson said his mouth open in astonishment. "This is brilliant."

"Wait until you see the pool." Anastasia laughed setting up the blanket and pillow. She went over to put in the DVD.

"Skinny dipping?" Jackson mused lounging down with the blanket over him, his shoes kicked to the side. Anastasia shot him an embarrassed look and went back to setting up the movie.

She put in Grease having wanted to watch it since she'd met Jack. It was also one of her favourite flicks. He'd propped himself up on his elbow and had extended his arm for Anastasia to come join him. She hesitated before sliding in in front of him. His arm slinked around her waist and pulling her body closer to his. His hand rested on her hip blankets covering them.

She'd never been this close to a boy before for so long. There bodies seemed to fit perfectly together as they spooned on the couch and she started it feel comfortable. When Grease had finished Jack picked Point Break and they resumed their position on the couch.

As a fight scene came on he could feel her body tense, her backside moving into his crouch slightly. He looked down at her as she watched, totally immersed in the film. A smile tugged his lips as he moved her hair exposing the soft skin of her neck. Her breath hitched feeling his hand cup under her chin. His hot breath sent tingles down her spin as his lips lingered at the crook of her neck. She arched her head up wanting to feel his touch. Taking this as a go ahead he nuzzled his head down and kissed her neck, sucking softly.

He moved his hand back to her hip and pushed her body hard against his. A light whimper left her lips as she took pleasure at being touched like this for the first time. All of a sudden it wasn't scary for her and she felt her body getting hot from needing him. He continued kissing along her neck as he moved his hand to her thigh. He pulled her around to face him and his teeth gleamed in an extremely sexy smile.

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