Tech and Cast

Conclusions and the Real Story

“Sorry.” was the apology Andrew whispered into my ear as he loosened his grip. I wasn’t quite ready to lose my safety just yet, so I held onto his arm. Andrew stopped moving away. I couldn’t tear my eyes from Jason’s, even though the longer I looked; the deeper the knife in my heart went. I searched desperately for some emotion, any emotion.

There wasn’t even a flash.

“This isn’t what it looks like.” the blonde at my side said calmly. At last; a raging fire exploded in those dark orbs as Jason’s inner thoughts were brought to life.

“Oh no?” he asked, sarcasm causing the knife to twist, “It just looks like my best friend is sleeping with the one girl on the planet I can actually talk to, but that’s not why she’s wearing his clothes, is it?”

I flinched openly. Jason lashed out at Andrew, who was still, for god-knows what reason, perfectly calm.

“Nope.”

“Bullshit.”

I felt the blonde tense at once, the dark register of his next words making me tremble. “You know what the rule is, Jase. If my sister even asks what you just said, you never step foot in this house again.”

I craned my ears, and through the tense silence, the faint splashing of the tub could be heard. Jason seemed to know what Andrew wasn’t kidding. Some of the intense rage left his eyes, but cold anger hurt just as much. “Have it your way.”

Finally his gaze dropped to mine. I forced myself to hold it for a few seconds, but shook so hard I had to look away. Jason’s disgust made tears burn in my eyes. “She can’t even look at me, Andrew. Wanna tell me why that is?”

The challenge crackled in the air like thunder. My heart throbbed in my chest, pulsing as Andrew put his mouth next to my ear. “Can I tell him?”

It was quiet as I weighed the outcomes; all I could hear was my own ragged breathing. Jason couldn’t know. At least, not now...not after everything he’d been through this past week. After what I’d put him through. I wasn’t going to add the burden of more of my problems to his. So, I shook my head. I shook my head, watching Jason’s face fall as his doubt won over.

And then there was Taren, just stood there, arms crossed, with a triumphant smile on her face.

-

“You have to tell him.”

I sighed a little, fingers full of red as I braided my hair. “I know.” I bit my lip, looking up at Andrew from my seat on his bed. “How can he think that we...” I couldn’t even say it. The boy just shook his head, rubbing his forehead with a hand.

“Sometimes Jason believes the first thing—and only the first thing—that comes to mind. He doesn’t give himself enough time to think things through, because he feels that if he doesn’t choose now, he won’t have any choice at all.”

Andrew watched as I struggled with my hair. “Need help?”

Stopping, I raised my eyebrows. “You know how to braid?”

He shifted closer. “Family full of women.” I relinquished the task to him, keeping as still as possible.

“Really?” A neat, Pippi Longstocking-esque braid fell over my shoulder a moment later. Andrew’s fingers brushed the nape of my neck as he started on the next one.

“Yeah.”

I shivered slightly, and sensing his discomfort, changed the subject. “So...what are Jase and Taren doing here exactly?”

“Brunch. Our families go way back; we do this every Sunday.”

A knock on the door interrupted my interrogation, followed by a familiar voice. “Andrew James Barden, I did not come all the way from B.C for you to have a fight with my idiot brother at family brunch.”

I groaned inwardly. It couldn’t be...

It was. Ashelyn Kane stuck her head into the room, surprise overcoming her features when she saw me. “Oh.”

My face coloured. Why did this always happen to me?

“Hold on Ashelyn.” Andrew said, and a few seconds later, he was finished. I turned to look at him. He smiled at me before turning to face the other girl. “It’s not a fight” the blonde continued evenly, “He’s just jumping to conclusions.”

Jason’s sister raised her perfect eyebrows. “And what conclusion would that be?”

Andrew exhaled slowly. “He thinks I slept with Emily.”

The brunette’s eyes wandered from Andrew, to me, and back again. I suddenly felt very exposed. Ashelyn’s expression wasn’t of anger, as I’d expected, or even of shock. She looked exasperated.

“Jason Dominic Kane, what is that girlfriend doing to you?”

-

I wasn’t going to lie; it made my happy, knowing that someone agreed with me when it came to Taren, now was not the time to gloat about it. Ashelyn pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Taren’s trouble. She treats him like dirt, and her attitude is rubbing off on him.”

Andrew and I remained silent, even though we both agreed. At least, I did. The young jeweller finally refocused her attention on us. “If you’re wondering why I’m not taking Jason’s side here, it’s because I know you, Andrew, and I know you wouldn’t cheat on Allison.”

I held back a smile as Ashelyn studied us. “Now that that’s been established, Emily is coming with me to find a nicer top, and then you guys are going to tell me what’s really going on here.”

Too stunned to do anything but obey, I followed the older girl out the door, squeezing Andrew’s hand as I left. This was going to be interesting. Two enormous suitcases sat on the bed of what I assumed was Zoe’s room. All the butterflies was a tip-off. The little girl was nowhere in sight.

I watched as Jason’s sister rooted through her things, picking up shirts and tops, muttering to herself before throwing them back in. Finally, a white, lace-trimmed camisole in her hands, she smiled. “Perfect.”

It fit surprisingly well. “How do I look?” I asked, unable to stop myself. The brunette cocked her head.

“Like Pippi Longstocking.”

I wrinkled my forehead, smiling anyway. “I’m going to take that as a compliment. And I’m going to assume you’re not going to force me to wear this alone in the middle of December.”

Suddenly, Ashelyn wasn’t smiling anymore. I shifted uncomfortably. “What?” I followed the direction of her now-horrified stare to my upper arms, and the fading five-fingered bruises.

“What happened to you?” the young adult demanded, moving closer to inspect. I backed away instinctively. Ashelyn stopped trying, a light dawning in her eyes. “Is this why you stayed here last night?”

“No!” I burst out, panic rushing me. “It’s why I can’t tell Jason what Andrew knows that he doesn’t.” I needed my safety. “He wasn’t there.”

-

All it took was a “What are you talking about?” and out came the story. By the end, I was shaking from the effort of holding back tears. Minutes ticked by, and at last I was in control again.

“You have to tell him.”

I dabbed my eyes and swallowed thickly, looking back at he eldest Kane. “I-I don’t know if I can.”

“You have to.” Ashelyn was firm, adamant. I pleaded, begging her to understand. “But...you know him better than I do, Ashelyn. You know how he is. He’ll be mad I kept it from him; that Andrew kept it from him. Then he’ll blame himself, because he wasn’t there to—”

“Save you? Protect you?” The brunette’s eyes narrowed. I fell silent but refused to drop her gaze before I shrugged. “Yeah.”

“Emily!”

A bouncing Zoe bounded into the room, her brother at her heels. I forced a smile, but I could practically feel Andrew’s eyes passing through my head. “Hey, Zoe. What’cha up to?”

The little blonde ran over to stand before me. “We’re going to my birthday brunch.”

“Birthday brunch?” I echoed, glancing at Andrew. A very faint smile sat on his lips. “Um, happy birthday.”

Zoe grinned brighter, nodding. “You should come too!”

“Well...” I faltered, looking from her, to Ashelyn, to Andrew, and back again. “If your mom says it’s okay, then sure. I’ll come.”

The young girl clapped her hands in delight, then bounced away, no doubt to ask my permission. I let out a breath of air in a sigh, moving to run a hand through my hair before remembering it was braided. I looked back at Ashelyn again, who didn’t look ready to end our previous conversation, then a second time at Andrew, and I could have sworn the little smile on his lips grew, just a little bit.

Author’s Note: Ha! Less than a week. I think it’s a record. For this story at least. Sorry for any mistakes, it's late. Coming up next, a disasterous Sunday brunch. And yet more drama. Cuz Em’s a drama magnet. Like me. :D

Reviews? Pwease?

Annie