The Fire

Chapter Twenty-Three

Present

Mum was getting better. Her joyful smile had returned on most days, and her regular demeanour had made a glamorous return.

As time went on, I began to feel closure and acceptance. I barely flinched now whenever reporters mentioned "murderer James Lepton." It was just a way of life now...the norm if you like.

James had been sentenced to life in prison. We were allowed to visit. But I didn't want to. I refused every offer. I couldn't face the person who betrayed me. I couldn't even call him my brother anymore.

Rumours had died down now, and everything was a lot...quieter. More relaxed, especially since Uni let me off from having exams this year due to "exceptional circumstances." I wondered what qualified as an "exceptional circumstance." I guess it took two murders and a murderer for a brother for them to let me off.

I was so at ease now, knowing it was all over. Even though I refused to believe his guilt at first, it made a whole lot of sense when you thought about it with a clear head that wasn't shrouded with torrents of mixed emotion and confusion. In reality, he was a cold-blooded murderer who deserved nothing but life behind bars. He was gone now, and I would never have to see him again.

Millie was holding a Christmas party at her house today. There would be a lot of people there and it was the first big social situation I'd been in since the whole thing with my brother and The Hooded Man. It had been a while and I would've hoped that it had blown over by now. I knew people were still going to talk and ask questions, pretend to feel sorry for me but I'd heard it all before, it was like clockwork for me now; the same thing over and over again, round and round in circles. "I'm fine" was my new favourite thing to say.

I looked in the mirror on my dresser. My eyelashes lightly coated in mascara, concealing a gold-tinted eyeshadow. My hair was twisted upwards into a bun, elongating my neck and making me look more elegant. Golden sequins sparkled on my torso and gripped my waist before letting go as a soft, light material fell past my knees and to the floor. I felt beautiful. I felt beautiful for the first time in a long time and I didn't have the strain or stress of anything anymore. I could enjoy myself tonight and that made me smile.

Grabbing my heels and purse, I left my room and walked down the stairs to see my mum waiting for me at the bottom. She gasped at the sight of me.

"Aww, darling, you look beautiful," she said with a proud smile, opening her arms and pulling me into a warm embrace. We held each other for a few moments until we let each other go and she continued to give me that "mum" look: smiling eyes, pursed lips and a slight sparkle of sadness glittering in her eye. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"For what?"

"Getting me through all of this...for staying strong when I couldn't."

I smiled to try and stop myself from crying. I pulled away and sat on the first step to put my shoes on.

"If you need anything, make sure you call me," she began as I pulled the heel of my shoe over my left foot, "if anything goes wrong, call me, if you need picking up early, call me- "

"Mum," she stopped her avalanche of talking and looked at me, "I'll be okay." I stood up and rested my hands on her shoulders. She nodded reluctantly and pushed down on the door handle as I let go of her. "I'll see you later."

"Bye sweetie, have fun."

I waved goodbye as I walked down the dark drive. Millie's friend Pyper was parked at the top of the road in her sleek black Mercedes ready to pick me up. I offered to walk as the distance wasn't very far but Millie insisted that I get picked up. Probably sensible at this time of night.