The Secret of the Stone

Destiny - [Chapter 6]

What had just happened? I ran up to my door, and slammed it behind me, afraid and confused.

"Honey, is that you?" Dad asked.

"Yeah, it's me."

He found me in the entrance hall. He smiled at me. 

"Well, Lilly's sleeping and I think I'm going to head upstairs myself. Don't stay up too late now."

"Okay."

Newspaper under his arm, my unsuspecting father walked up the carpeted stairs to his room. I silently walked up the other staircase, leading myself to the hall of me and my sister's rooms, two bathrooms, and a small office. This house was so big and beautiful. My dad is an architect, so he designed it. It was better than any others on our block. I remember, when I was 8 and my sister was 4, we used to play hide-and-go seek here all the time. All our friends declared it the best house for fun and games, with its many rooms and wide open space. That was such a happy time, back then. No worries. Not like now.

I stepped over the threshold into my room, and plopped down on my bed. 

What was I to do? And when had I made the assumption that I liked Des? 

I closed my eyes, and searched my mind. And I realized that I hadn't just known it tonight. I'd known it for a long time. When I went out with boys, I always compared them to Des. I just did it self-consciously, so I didn't even know it. I had never loved someone as much as I loved Des, maybe excluding my own family. I thought I had loved him as a friend, but tonight I knew I was wrong. I had always had a crush on Des. Des had been with me through it all, and I knew I was there for him too. From the smallest of sad moments, like when his fish died, to when my mother passed away. We didn't know what we would do if the other had not been there.

But did Des love me too? And what was that glow of white behind his eyes? And then I opened my eyes. And looked down at my necklace. And I knew. It had done it. I don't know how, but it must have shown Des the truth. And that is why he had run away.