by Akaku Red
“Wow, you can speak up for yourself. I am impressed! I didn’t mean it in a bad way. It’s just that I find the sudden passing of your father suspicious, which made me …“
He started searching for the right words, but I finished the sentence for him.
“It made you think that she is also hiding things from me, and that’s why you don’t trust her.”
He nodded, which made me sigh. The whole situation was a crazy, and my thoughts were spinning. I had too much on my mind, which didn’t help me at all, and now that Bob was bringing new thoughts in, it didn’t make things easier.
“Yeah … I do understand your reason.”
I looked down on my lap.
I noticed my bare legs because the long shirt I was wearing had ridden up. I pulled the shirt down and tried to think of an excuse to tell my mother.
“I have an idea,” Bob said out loud which directed my attention back to him.
“Since I found you in the garden shed, you can say that you tripped over the mower, hit your head and were unconscious. Your friend called the police because she was afraid since you were no longer talking to her. It is simple! Maybe they won’t believe it, but I will accompany you and confirm it.”
As he finished his sentence, I agreed to his idea.
“Yeah, that sounds like me! I think this could work.”
“And you would really like to accompany me?”
He nodded.
“Of course! Now that it is settled, let us get you back to your mother!”
He helped me out of the car, and then he lent me his arm whilst moving to the door.
I didn’t have my keys with me, so I rang the doorbell. It took a little while before somebody opened the door— I was surprised to see Olivia standing in front of me.
“Miss Brown! Oh god! You are here, I am glad.”
She jumped when she recognised me and without further explanations, she turned and rushed to the living room. We followed her inside just to see her grabbing the phone. She dialled a number and after some time, she spoke up.
“Mrs. Brown, Miss Brown just came back! No, she isn’t alone, a police officer is with her.”
After she had exchanged some words, she hung up and turned back to look at us.
“Oh God! We were starting to get worried!”
Then she suddenly stopped, her cheeks blushed.
“Oh my! Excuse my behaviour, please take a seat! I will get you something to drink.” She bowed a little before she rushed to the kitchen.
Bob looked at me confused, but I couldn’t explain what was happening since I didn’t know myself. I had never seen Olivia acting like this.
“I guess we will get an explanation later,” I muttered while I took a seat on the couch in the living room.
Bob did the same. He smiled at me and patted my shoulder.
“Are you okay? You look pale.”
“I am all right. Thank you!”
Before he could say anything else, Olivia came back and served us something to drink. She looked at me with concern written in her eyes.
“Mrs. Brown called me. She was in pure shock. She had looked for you all over the house, but she couldn’t find you. I rushed over just to find Mrs. Brown with Miss Walsh. They found blood, and your broken phone in the garden shed. Now they are searching for you at the nearby hospitals since Miss Walsh thought you could be in one of them.”
Wow… Charlotte had rushed over here, and now they were looking for me? — I made so much trouble!
“That’s my fault… I am sorry,” Bob apologised.
“Indeed! You should have left a note! Anyway, I am just glad that Miss Brown is fine.”
Olivia sighed.
“It won’t happen again,” Bob assured her. He didn’t sound like he regretted his doing, and somehow, I had the feeling that he was suspicious of Olivia.
He looked at her normally, but there was something in his brown eyes … as if he was analysing her every move. Ever since we had arrived, I had the feeling that he was observing everything carefully. Bob noticed my stare, he took a sip of the juice, and winked at me with his left eye. I smiled a little, even though I didn’t feel good.
Was he really suspicious of Olivia?
She didn’t do anything. She was behaving normally.
Well, she seemed just a little helpless, but I think she behaved like this due to the shock.
Yet again, maybe he saw something that I didn't see.
Olivia didn’t come back. She stayed in the kitchen, and Bob and I didn’t talk as we waited for my mother to come home.
The silence was somehow suffocating. I wanted to break it, but before I could say anything, we heard a loud noise coming from the front door and loud steps following the noises— the steps were coming towards us.
It was a creepy moment, even Bob looked alarmed and was moving himself into a different position, preparing to attack if he needed to.
But I sighed in relief when my mother came running in with Charlotte, Tyler, and Linette behind her.
My mother cried and hugged me tightly.
“My child! I was worried sick! What happened? Where were you?”
She asked all these questions in one breath. I wanted to hug her, too, but my back pain was giving me a hard time.
“Excuse me, but you are hurting her!”
Bob tried to help me out, but my mother glared at him.
“Who are you to tell me what to do?”
“Mrs. Brown, he is the police officer who found Miss Brown,” Olivia said as she entered the living room again. Bob nodded his head, confirming her words.
But who told her that he was the one who had found me?
It could have been another person.
She hadn’t even asked any questions when we arrived!
Now I understood why Bob was listening carefully to everything.
“What happened, my angel? Are you all right?”
My mother ignored everyone and made me look at her, her beautiful green eyes were watery and puffy as if she had cried the whole way.
“I-I was on the phone with Charlotte when I heard noises from the garden shed— I wanted to take a look, and somehow I got scared by a mouse. I felt and crashed against the lawn mower and hurt my back. I wanted to get up, but somehow … I stumbled and as I hit the back of my head, I became unconscious. Then I woke up at the hospital,” I said.
She sighed deeply and hugged me again.
“We got a call from a young miss, I was nearby, so I was the one who found your daughter. She was unconscious, and she was bleeding, that is why I called the ambulance,” Bob added.
My mother loosened her grip and turned to look at him. She smiled softly.
“Thank you so much for taking care of my daughter!”
“This is the least I could do.”
Then she turned to Charlotte.
“Thank you for your concern! Because of you, Jenny was taken care of. Thank you so much.”
Charlotte just nodded her head and said nothing. Her green eyes were wide open, her face had turned pale— she didn't look well.
“Charlotte called me because you were no longer answering her on the phone. I told her the address, and we both rushed over here. On the way we met Tyler,” Linette suddenly said.
“I am glad you are okay,” she added.
Charlotte’s eyes had gotten even bigger. She looked uncomfortable.
My gaze jerked over to Linette, she smiled at me and seemed relieved. But then I noticed Tyler.
Elise started talking to Bob again, but my attention wasn’t on them.
Tyler was sweating, his blond hair was a mess, maybe from rushing over here, since he was breathing heavily. Yet still, he looked handsome … his blue eyes looked at me with concern, but he also seemed glad when he had made sure that I was safe.
He noticed my stare and then our eyes met. The way he looked at me now was different again. Those deep blue eyes were like big waves, they rushed over me, my whole body was cove
red in goose bumps. I was captured in his beautiful sea, and I couldn’t look away.
His gaze was wandering down now, slowly to my lips, down to my chest until he reached my thighs, and there he stopped.
I felt the heat creeping up in my face, my heart was beating like crazy. I tried to cover my legs with the white shirt I had on. It made Tyler smile a little, and then he closed his eyes for a while.
I took the chance and started to look somewhere else, my heart couldn't take this anymore.
“I think I am not needed here.”
Bob got up, my attention returned to him.
I tried to control my heartbeat and also tried to ignore the stare that Tyler was giving me.
“I can rest assured now that you are okay,” Bob added and looked at me with his bright smile again.
“Y-You are leaving already?”
“Yeah, but we will meet again,” he promised. I slowly got up and carefully moved towards him.
“But in the near future, not in a few years!” he reminded me. I nodded.
“That sounds great!”
I hugged him tight. He returned the embrace but more gently since he didn't want to hurt my back.
He smelled like blueberries with a hint of cigars.
Ever since we met, he would chew on blueberry gum or drink blueberry juice to hide the smell of the cigarettes he smoked. He wouldn’t light up when he was with me.
Whenever he did smoke, he would try his best to cover the smell— yet, I could still smell it.
“Be careful, Jenny. Don't let anything scare you again,” he whispered.
Slowly, I let go of him, and then he bid his goodbyes to the rest.
After he had left, everybody turned to look at me. My mother was still in shock.
“You aren't afraid of him?”
Oh, she didn't know.
“No, he is very precious to me. That was Bob Morgan. He was the police officer who helped me out in the past… And I also met my old doctor at the hospital.”
As I explained, Elise’s eyes widened in embarrassment.
“He was the one who helped you? Oh my! What a coincidence, I shouldn't have kicked him out,” she suddenly said.
So, she had wanted him to go away?
If I hadn’t stared at Tyler, maybe I would have heard it.
“I guess he is fine.”
I tried to calm her down since she was becoming hectic.
“Oh, my child! I am so glad you are fine.”
Her mood changed like a roller coaster. Her emotions were all over the place.
Well, I felt the same — everything was a mess.
“You need to rest! Let me help you get you to your room.”
Before she could come over, Tyler appeared next to me.
He lifted me up like a bride in his arms and carefully he pressed me against his chest.
“I will do that! Linette, please help out Elise, she is still in shock.”
Without arguing, she rushed over to Elise and made her sit down on the couch.
My mother was pale. She couldn’t keep up with the events — she looked helpless.
“Olivia… Thank you for helping us out on your off day. You can go home and rest now,” my mother said, stopping Olivia who was on the way to the kitchen.
“Oh, no problem! I just did what I had to do.”
My mother nodded her head.
“Then I will take my leave.”
Before Olivia passed by me, she added, “Rest well, Miss Brown.”
Then she left the house.
My gaze jerked over next to the couch were Charlotte was standing. She was still pale and looked down on the floor, but I couldn't talk to her because Tyler was already on the way to the stairs.
“Thank God…” he whispered.
I covered my face since I knew I was blushing hard.
His hand on my bare legs made my body tremble. A strong, yet gentle touch which had given me little shocks, and I didn’t know if he was doing it intentionally, but he was circling his hand … slowly on the same spot.
My skin was burning up from his touch.
A deep sigh left my mouth.
I felt too much these days.
Tyler opened the door to my room and gently helped me lie down comfortably on my bed.
“I am glad you are okay.”
His voice was soft, caring.
“We need to get you a new phone,” he muttered while leaning his head on my forehead.
“I was worried sick.”
His words made me swallow hard as his breath was brushing over my skin — his scent was captivating.
“I couldn't bear it if something happened to you.”
A small kiss was placed on my forehead.
The sensation from his touch rushed from my head to my toes, it made me stop breathing.
Again, this was too much for me.
“How is your head?”
He asked, his hand moved up to my hair, as he slowly brushed over it.
“I-I feel better.”
“And how about your back?”
“S-Still hurts a bit, but I am fine.”
Damn my stutter.
He smiled and placed another kiss on my forehead.
“You need to be careful.”
I nodded shyly since he was still too close.
“May I see your wound?”
As soon as he mentioned my wound, I felt cold again.
I shook my head instantly. Even if it was Tyler, I still didn't want him to see this. He sighed sadly, but then he covered his disappointment with a forced smile.
“Okay… I will call your mother to look after it. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable.”
I felt guilty, my heart was against my decision.
But my mind was telling me that I was doing the right thing.
Yeah … I didn't want him to be disgusted by my body.
“I—”
Tyler was interrupted as the door opened.
Linette and Charlotte were standing behind the door.
They rushed in without any sense of guilt, even though they were intruding and had interrupted Tyler.
He looked displeased, as he unwillingly made some space between us.
“Sorry, but we need to talk to Jenny,” Linette said harshly as she saw Tyler’s expression, but he didn’t let that happen. He got up, roughly grabbed Linette and pulled her closer.
“I don’t think so! I am going to take you back home since Jenny needs to rest!”
“NOOOO!”
She tried to get away, but he was obviously stronger.
“Charlotte! Please, help me.”
Charlotte still looked pale and shook her head.
“I will take you home, too.” Tyler said, but she shook her head again, which confused me since she always acted like a fangirl around him!
“I will stay,” she muttered.
“Okay. If you want to, then it shall be… But you, young lady, you need to go back home!”
Tyler dragged Linette out of the room before she could even bid her goodbye to me.
He was pissed, not just pissed, he was really mad, and I didn’t get why he was acting like this or why Linette was forced to get out— but it was better like this, since my head was spinning. I needed to rest.
Now it was only Charlotte and me.
Her face showed me that she was frightened.
She slowly walked towards my bed, and when she reached me, she hugged me gently and carefully.
I noticed that her body was shaking.
While she hugged me, she whispered the next sentence in my ear.
“Why are you lying?”
Chapter 12
Charlotte was still hugging me, as she patted my shoulders softly.
“And why did Linette lie?”
She looked like she was going to pass out any moment.
“Please, calm down,” I muttered as I made her sit down on my bed.
“I heard a voice! I heard a man’s voice!”
Her tone was tense. It was not just her voice – her whole body was trembling.
“Something happened, I am sure of it! I was still on the phone, I heard how you got pushed— I heard loud noises and that creepy voice.”
She stopped for a moment before she continued talking.
“I didn’t know what to do! I was afraid that if I hung up on you, you would be gone. B-But I didn’t know your address, that’s why I wrote Linette a message, and as jealous as she was, she didn’t want to tell me, so I needed to call her! After that, I called the police. Linette somehow reached your mother, so we were both at your house at the same time. And you weren’t there!”
I tried to keep her calm as I held her hand. She had never shown me this side of her. She was clearly shocked and even a little traumatised— I hugged her tightly.
“I am sorry, I didn’t want to … make you worry like that,” I whispered.
“It is not your fault, you didn't do it on propose, but why did you lie?” she asked again which made me sigh deeply.
This was now a difficult situation. If I told her the reason, then I needed to tell her everything so that it would make sense. Although I didn’t want people to know about my situation … Now, I was forced to tell her. — Because she had shown concern, and had rushed over her just to find me. If I lied to her… I was afraid that I might lose her.
This wasn’t an easy decision… I just wanted to live a normal life like a normal girl.
Why couldn’t I?
Why did the past not disappear?
But … in the end, I chose the truth.
“I-It is a long story.”
She took my hand and held it gently.
“I will listen to it.”
Her touch made me feel at ease … She was here, and she was willing to listen to me.
“I hope… you won’t look at me differently.”
This was the first time that I was telling somebody my whole story.
From my birth to where I was now.
I didn’t even tell my mother about it.
Bob, Jeffrey, and Alice had made me show them my past, but I never once spoke about it out loud.
At the hospital, I had just talked about what had happened recently, to tell her how people had treated me. Telling her about my scars was the first time ever.
My scared mind didn’t make it easy for me since I needed to take breaks every now and then.