DIAMOND KEYS

TWENTY-FOUR

It was a week after my argument with Logan. I was in my room reading my second novel in that day. It was a book by V.C Andrews who had become my favorite author. Claire had so many of her books and I found myself enjoying all of them. Claire’s gift to me had been my only support. When I was not reading novels, I was trying on clothes and when I was not doing that, I was watching movies. I had finally seen the movie Claire had been dying for me to watch- The Fault in Our Stars.

I had come to know the ‘Hazel Grace and the Gus’ she was always babbling about. It was the most emotional movie I had seen and I had cried the most when Gus had asked his friends to read to him the farewell speeches they were going to read on his funeral. They had all had cancer, maybe that was why Claire loved the movie so much and, the real Hazel was far more beautiful than I was. The door flew open and Clay was standing in the doorway.

“Hello love!”

“Hey, what are you doing here?”
    
He walked into the room “Have I been banned from visiting you?”
    
I laughed. “Naughty boy and next time, you don’t just barge into a girl’s room like that.”

“Yes ma'am.” He said and walked over to give me a big hug. “How are you feeling?”

I shrugged.

“That’s not an answer, Hazel.”
    
I picked up a pillow and used it to slap his face “Idiot!”

“Ouch, why did you do that?”

“You’re crazy.”
    
He laughed some then he sighted the novel I was reading “Well, well, well, what do we have here?”

“A novel, dorrh”
  
He picked it up and read the title “Flowers in the Attic. Interesting huh?”

“Very!”

“I can remember how Claire always begged you to read novels.”

“Yeah”

“It’s funny how you’ve become addicted now.”

“Mmm-hmm” I told him that I had also watched the movie she had begged me to watch and how much I had cried.        

“You cried?”

“Of course I did. Anyone who doesn’t cry when watching that movie would be a statue.”

“I don’t think I will cry.”
    
I let out a chuckle. “Coming from a guy whose tears almost formed a pool in Dennis’ sitting room.”
    
He shook his finger at me. “Don’t remind me of that.”
    
I nodded and we suddenly became quiet. Clay finally broke the silence by clearing his throat before speaking. “The reason why I came here is to tell you that Logan is leaving today.”
    
His sudden news hit me and I gasped. I had been dreading this particular news for seven days and now it had finally come.

Clay saw my sudden reaction. “It’s okay Michele; I came to take you to his house. Get dressed.”
    
I gave him my who-told-you-I-was-going-anywhere look and he just smiled.

“Come on, get up and just get dressed.”
    
I got up from my bed. I was wearing a gown that was big enough to contain two people.

“Don’t I look good enough?”

“Very funny, get dressed.”
    
I didn’t even have to say anything before he lay down on the bed and faced the other side. “I won’t look.”

“Better don’t or else Logan would . . .” Uh-uh!

He turned back and lifted an eyebrow “What did you say?”