Studying The Star Crossed Lovers

❧Chapter 18☙

Now join your hands and with your hands, your heart.

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The Dancy Family and the Whiting Family had always been worst enemies. However, they had always been an almost unspoken agreement that they were also friends. As much as they hated to admit it there were parts of their businesses that relied on the other.

They would often injure each other but they would avoid killing each other. When death could be avoided it was.

"You have a weird kid." Snapped Micheal Whiting to Brian Dancy as he sat in the waiting room of the hospital.

He wasn't wrong. James had always been a quiet child. He had been very good at hiding his emotions, even when he was very young. People couldn't quite tell if he was calculating, if he just didn't care, or if he was depressed. He was more just numb.

His face hadn't shown a single emotion as he had followed a nurse into the hospital room of Claire Whiting. No one was sure as to why she asked for him to be by her bedside. No one could gauge what James was thinking.

"Why do you think she asked for him?" Speculated the others sat in the waiting room who knew the pair.

"They could be friends."

"She is probably just dilution from the pain medication."

"He could have been the one who stabbed her."

The moment the nurse shut the door behind James and Annie, James rushed to Claire's side. James didn't dare hug her tightly like he wanted to. Instead, Claire lay her head in his palm while he softly scraped his fingers over her scalp.

Annie quietly took a seat not wanting to disturb the pair. She curled up tightly into a ball on the cold chair.

"We need to talk about it." Said Annie into the silence. Her voice came out louder than she expected it to. She flinched at how harsh she sounded.

"What?" Asked James.

"I'm fine."

"Claire, fine people don't stab themselves."

"You stabbed yourself." James pulled his hand away from Claire as he stood up and pulled at his hair. "Why would you do that?"

"Well, I clearly wasn't in my right mind."

"James stop shouting." Snapped Annie and the room fell quiet. James was breathing heavily. He backed into the wall and slid down until he was sat on the floor, head in his hands.

Claire was curled up into a ball on the hospital bed looking away from her boyfriend.

"I just wanted to feel something." Whispered Claire and Annie went to hold her friend.

"It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay. We will get your therapy. We will get you help. You'll be happy again. It will be hard but we will get you better okay?" Said Annie as she clutched Claire close to her. "Come here, James."

James got off the floor and joined in the group hug.

"We don't have to have it all figured out today but you have to communicate with us. Diane and I have talked and I'm going to come to stay with you guys for a bit, okay?" Claire nodded as she nestled further into her friend's shoulder.

They stayed like that until a knock on the door could be heard. James moved to sit on a seat while Annie pulled the blanket's over her friend's bare legs.

In walked in Claire's mother, father, and James' father. The teenagers were very confused but they didn't comment on it. They weren't stupid.

"How are you baby? You had me so worried. Are you feeling okay? Annie, how is she? Does it hurt? Should I get a nurse?" Fussed Diane as she pulled her daughter close to her.

"She's feeling okay. The nurses have put her on painkillers. I think she is a bit hungry." Replied Annie as Diane hugged her too.

"Oh, my girls. I'm so glad we are all gonna be okay. Annie honey I've spoken to your mother and your room at our place is getting set up."

"How are you Doll Face?"

"I'm okay Dad."

"You had us worried there."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Now down to business."

"What?" Said Claire.

"Brian and I have made some choices about you and James' future."

"What?"

"Just listen. Now we didn't realize that you two were so close."

"We just know each other from school. I was just curious as to why he was at the hospital."

"Be quiet please Claire. I am speaking. Now we have decided that our families will work closely together in order to gain complete control. To assure that neither will hurt the other we are sealing the agreement with a marriage."

The hospital room fell silent. Claire felt her chest tighten. James gripped the sides of his seat. Diane pulled her daughter in closer.

The silence was cracked when Annie burst out laughing. Claire glared at her friend while Annie tried to cover her mouth.

"Oh come on. Can no one else see the ridiculousness of the situation?" Wheezed Annie in between fits of laughter. "This is like something out of a bad movie. Holy shit. Micheal, we have certainly had our differences but this is magical."

"Dad, I'm sixteen. Also, you can't make me marry someone."

"You won't get married until you both get through university. Then the merger will happen and James will run the combined company."

"You've lost your mind."

"Don't be dramatic."

"Mum tell him this is insane."

"Darling you are already dating the boy. Marriage will just be the next step. There is no reason you can't be happy as his wife."

"Get out!" Claire sat up in her bed. "Get the fuck out of my room. Now!" Shouted Claire and Annie was already pushing Brian, Micheal, and Diane out of the room.

Annie pulled Claire into a hug while Claire began to cry in her friend's arms.

James hadn't moved. He was relieved. If James had been perfectly honest he expected Micheal Whiting to shoot him when he had found out they were dating. He had not expected to force them to get married.

"Are you okay?" Asked Annie as she held a shocked Claire.

"I am just surprised, I think."

"Aren't you mad?" Snapped Claire.

"I think I'm just shocked. Maybe I'll feel mad once I've processed this."

Claire was frustrated. She felt like no one else seemed to be concerned with the fact that they were being forced to get married. Everyone else was acting like this was normal. It wasn't though.

James left eventually and when Claire's parents had tried to return Claire had Annie send them away. It was late that night when Claire felt ready to talk again.

"Do you want to stay with me for a while?" Annie offered not knowing if her friend wanted to anymore. This was so outside what they were used to that Annie had no idea how Claire would respond.

Tears began to flow down Claire's cheeks and a sob burst out of her mouth.

"I don't have a choice. I just don't have any options anymore."

James walked through the night. His head filled with images of Claire in white. He found himself not hating the picture.

Claire smiling as he reads out his vows, her crying as she reads out hers. A nice house, a few children, an array of pets. Growing old with Claire. They could be happy.