The Journal [A Sequel To Maya's Diary]

Chapter Eleven

Tess's POV

The young man stared around. He was coated in his extra thick leather jacket and blue denim jeans to compliment it. His iris sparkled a mild shade of amber and his hair had a gold shade. Running his fingers slightly on the wall, he commented. "These walls are old."

I looked at the wall's crack. A jagged line running from the ceiling and stopping half way the window's lintel. There were many similar cracks as such, which mocked the sign of a lightening bolt. I observed it briefly taking notes of the details and rolled my eyes back to his, before he added. "I suppose you have questions."

"Questions. Do I have questions? Well not much, just a few hundred thousands of them. Like who are you? How did you find me? What do you know about my dad and the key? I believe you didn't poison this dude, just so you can discuss poor architectural designs."

"To begin with, I'm Alan." He replied with poise.

"Well, great name," I shrugged. "I'm T-"

"I know who you are, we all do. Tess Montes."

Probably one of my numerous fans I imagined. I had grown so popular over the years, that I stopped counting. At first I enjoyed the crowd, but over time, the number of critics grew too and it made me realize that stardom came with it's perks, which definitely wasn't what I bargained for. I waited for him to say more and luckily he did.

"I found you, because I followed you. I live around and I usually hear them discuss about your abduction. I expected you sooner and here you are as planned."

"What do you mean by here as planned?"

"Isn't it obvious? Your kidnap wasn't one done at the instant of time. I hoped on seeing you and I'm sure you don't remember me either."

"Alan? No. The name doesn't ring a bell."

"Well this should." He sat on the bare dust and I followed shortly afterwards.
"Sometime back, our fathers were friends. They usually joked about their kids getting married," he began, stopping to release a smile. "And I didn't have a brother."

I laughed inwardly at his careful choice of words. He inferring not having a brother, meant that we were supposed to be married seeing that I was the only girl my parents birthed. His analogy was insane.

"We were somehow betrothed?" I released a smirk.

His cheeks turned a slight shade of pink, before he added "If you love to put it that way. Yes, but then rumors spread about you and Joe..."

"All my life, love hasn't been good to me. I don't think I can ever believe in love again. So you see, there's absolutely nothing between Joe and I." I retorted a bit uncomfortably. Then I added, "What happened after that?"

"Your father was a good man. Things changed, when your father housed three rare gems," he stood up as he leaned on the slightly elevated window sill.

"You mean the paragon diamond all this fuss is about?" I said following after him.

"Yes. He figured out that the best way to keep all three gems safe, was by spreading it out. He kept one, gave one to my father and well, the third one is dangling on your neck."

I clutched it tightly. I had randomly considered the copper trinket, a mere piece of jewelry that complimented my dress. I hadn't given a second thought to it. I only blindly followed my father's dying words, which instructed me to keep it safe and wear it always on my neck.

That day was a terrifying gore. I returned home from school, to find my parents lying helplessly on the floor. Blood bathed their chest and gushed out with full pressure. I rushed over to where they laid, and discovered they both stopped breathing. The evidence of the heartbeat usually visible above their chests stopped. I ran my fingers on their neck veins, searching for their pulses, but I got nothing instead.