Chapter 11

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Desert was over soon enough and time was ticking by, too agonizingly slowly I might add.

At last, when Mrs and Mr Hamilton had nothing else to talk about, they agreed that it was time to go.

I got up from the table and put my desert plate in the sink and waited by the door.

"It was nice catching up with you, Portia," said Mum, wavering a little. Mrs Hamilton grinned and reached in for a hug.

"Yes, it's been a long time."

"Phillip," said Mr Hamilton, with a slight nod.

"Leon," my dad replied with the same tone and gesture.

"Welp, bye," said Lee, waving stupidly. Mum glared at Lee but she just shrugged in response.

"Bye Imogen, Lee." Damian looked at the both of us and grinned. A pit of tumbling feelings whirled in my stomach.

"Bye," I replied.

"Bye," said Lee.

"And Imogen?" whispered Damian.

"Yeah?"

"I'm not the only one," he replied with a sad look. It took my a few seconds to process but I didn't fully understand what he had meant until their car drove off into the night.

"She's grown up," Damian said, to no one in particular.

"So have you," I whispered under my breath.

I took heavy breaths and Annette eyed me carefully, scanning my shocked eyes and pinched mouth.

Mum told Lee to get ready for bed. Lee rolled her eyes and groaned but obliged anyway.

"You too, Imogen. You look very sleepy," added Mum, putting her cold hand under my chin.

I shook away the feeling of shock in my stomach and nodded grimly.

Mum gave me a questioning look but nodded in response to me anyway.

She walked into the kitchen along with Annette to help Dad with the cleaning up.

I went up to my room and sat on my bed. I swung my legs up onto the mattress and laid down with my head sunk into my pillow.

Damian.

Shay.

Damian.

Shay.

What do I do about them?

I glanced to my right and eyed the velvet box sitting on my bed side table.

My eyebrows furrowed. I had forgotten about that. I reached over to grab the box when I heard a buzz from my phone.

I was ready to ignore it but than it started buzzing uncontrollably.

I rolled my eyes and looked down at my phone. They were all from Damian. 

I cringed. I picked up my phone and replied to his text.

What?
9:10pm

Finally!
Damian Hamilton
9:10pm

Seriously. What?
9:11pm

Oh right yes.
Damian Hamilton
9:11pm

Well, I just wanted to tell you that whatever is inside that box is true, I don't want you to think otherwise. I promise I don't want to upset you, but please forgive me. I don't want to hurt you either, but it's time to face the truth.
Damian Hamilton
9:13pm

What do you mean?
9:13pm

Damian?
9:14pm

DAMIAN!!!
9:15pm

Please talk to me! I don't understand, how could whatever's in the box make me face the truth?
9:17pm

Fine. Ignore me then!
9:20pm

I frowned at my phone. What did he mean by facing the truth?

I looked at the box an my whole body shivered wondering what was inside.

I sat up on my bed and slowly lifted the velvet cover.

I lifted out an old, mud covered bracelet and stared at it.

A flash of recognition bolted through my eyes and I dropped the bracelet in horror.

"Here."

"Why are you giving me this?"

"Just in case I don't make it back."

"What? Don't say that..."

"It's only a joke," he replied with a failed attempt at a wink.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, I'll keep it." I put it in my pocket and grinned.

"Thank you, now I have to make it back, you can't keep my bracelet."

"Silly, you're gonna be fine..."

This was the worst thing anyone could've done to me. I hate Damian. I hate him.

Time to face the truth, he said. Is this what he meant? I know what I did! I already know! And it kills me and eats away at my conscience every single day. Every single minute that ticks by.

Damian just had to move here didn't he? I glared at the bracelet on the ground.

I instead looked at the empty velvet box in my hand. But it wasn't empty.

There was something else inside too.

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