Studying The Star Crossed Lovers

❧Chapter 23☙

These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder Which, as they kiss, consume.

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A maid rushed into the movie theatre of the Whiting Mansion. 

"Claire, James, you have to wake up." Said the maid as she turned on the lights making the teenagers groan. 

"What?" Groaned Claire as she rubbed her eyes. 

"Claire, James you both need to get up, some people are here to talk to you." Affirmed the maid. "Annie dear you should probably come to." Everyone knew Annie was part of the family. 

The three teenagers followed the maid. Still trying to wake up and dressed in pajamas they were greeted by two policemen who were standing in the living room. 

"Please take a seat. We have some bad news." The policeman waved his hand towards the coach where the teenagers took a seat. "Are you Claire Whiting and James Dancy?"

"Yeah, this is just my best friend Annie. Is it okay if she is here?"

"That is fine Claire. I am Officer Rees and this is Officer Carter. James, Claire, I am sorry to have to tell you this but your parents have passed away." Claire began to cry while James looked frozen in shock.

"How?" Breathed James as he tried to stop his hands from shaking.

"That is still being investigated. Your families have been alerted and they are coming to take care of you until your new legal guardians are determined."

Claire's aunt was the first to arrive. Claire loved her Aunt Miriam. She was Justin's mother and they had always been a very tight-knit family. Now Miriam had not only lost her son but her brother too. 

"Are you doing okay, darling?" Asked the woman as she scooped her niece up in her arms.

"Yeah, I just miss them. I just want to hug Mum right now, but I can't and I never will be able to again." With that Claire began to cry while her Aunt hugged her even closer. 

"It's going to be okay. We will get through this. Come here, Annie." The three women hugged while Miriam and Annie began to cry as well. 

James' grandparents arrived and took him to their home. Before he left he hugged Claire closely and kissed her softly before the pair were separated. 

By the end of the day all of Claire's family, employees, and close friends had gathered in the home to support her. 

The deaths were on every newspaper, news channel, and rumors were circulating around the world as to what happened to the supposed enemies in that room. People waited outside the house in order to get a photo of Claire Whiting the now orphaned heiress who would be inheriting an empire. 

In the next weeks, the country saw two of the most lavish funerals they had seen in years take place. No expense was spared by the hired event planners in order to honor their deaths. Claire and James were at the center in these circuses with everyone wanting a piece of the two teenagers. 

Dressed in black and perfectly made up Claire stood in front of the hundreds of people there to say her piece. 

"My parents were some of the most important people in my life." Tears began to stream down Claire's cheeks. 

"My father worked so hard because he wanted to give me the world. He was a man who devoted his life to making sure the people he loved the most in the world were well provided for. He protected his own. If one of his employees was sick he would pay for the best healthcare for them. He taught me everything I know about trust, loyalty, and hard work."

"My mother was an angel. She doted on me and my father. She was always worried that we were sick, or tired, or unhappy. She would do everything she could to make sure the things around her were beautiful. I've never met a woman who adored art as she did. I will miss her hugs, how she would come and wake me up in the morning. I will miss her checking on me and all our little outings." 

Claire covered her mouth to prevent a sob from escaping and walked down to her parent's coffins. She lay her hand on them and cried. 

"I'm sorry." Said Claire to the audience as she went to take her seat. 

"That was beautiful, darling." Whispered Claire's Aunt while the next person when up to say their piece. 

It had been a month since Claire's parents had died when Claire saw James again. They had both been so busy with their families that they had never found a moment for each other. 

Claire jumped into James' arms when they saw each other. 

"God, I've missed you." Whispered James as he kissed his girlfriend before returning her to the ground. 

They spent a few hours talking about what they had been doing and how they had been feeling about the chaos that had rained down on their lives. 

"Where do we go from here?" Asked James as he looked down at his girlfriend. 

"We will finish high school and turn eighteen in a few months. After that, I am taking back the company and turning it into a legitimate business that doesn't engage in illegal activity." With that, Claire kissed her boyfriend goodbye, got into her car, and drove home to her family's mansion. 

Annie was there waiting for her when she arrived. 

"Everyone is out of the mansion, right?" Asked Claire and Annie nodded. "And the insurance policy has been filed?" 

"Yup, everything is in order." Replied Annie who threw Claire's last suitcase in the car. 

Claire threw a lighter into the puddle of gasoline and the house was enveloped in flames within seconds. 

"Let's go." Ordered Annie as she dragged her friend away from the flames and into the car. The pair drove to a newly purchased home for them and only them. It was theirs. A place they could be without the Whiting family ghosts haunting the large empty rooms.