Taking It (Rewritten

Snippet #1

After a few moments of contemplation, I had thought to speak. To spill the secret that no one knew. Not Blaire, not Cassidy, my father, and especially not Julie. I tried to forget the secret myself. Although saying no one knew was a lie. My lawyer knew, my guardians through the years all knew, the people who worked the night shift at the hospital that night knew. Only them, and me, no one else. But as I went to speak my phone started ringing.

Relief flowed through me instantaneously. Muscles in my arms relaxed and I almost cried from sheer joy. Raven looked disappointed in the fact that we had been interrupted, but I didn't care. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and answered Cassidy's call.

"Hey, where'd you go?" she sounded worried, tried—and failed—to hide the panic in her voice.

"I'm okay," I assured her and hoped that it would ease her panic. From the corner of my eye I spied Raven grab his plate and start eating again. He stared at his food and not me. "The coffee smell was giving me a headache," I lied and winced. The lie hadn't even sounded convincing to me, but I couldn't tell her I left because I felt trapped.

"Well where are you? I'll meet you there." Very faintly I heard the bell of the café jingle and the sound of jazz diminish. I look across the square where the café was located. I couldn't see her, but I knew she was there.

"I'm eating at a diner across the square." I forgot the name of the diner then. Struggle to recall it now. I never bothered to really look. I just knew it was tucked between a nail salon and a clothing boutique. Both of which I didn't know the name of either.

"Alright, I'm on my way over." Before I could object, tell her she didn't have to, she hung up. I sighed and placed my phone onto the counter.

"Maybe some other time then." Raven looked up at me and gave me a tight cornered smile. It still pressed a dimple down his cheek.

"I thought we'd never run into each other again?" I arched my brow, grabbing a few of my own fries to each.

At this he chuckled, the other half of his mouth lifted as well. His eyes seemed to chime with laughter as well. A part of me yearned for that. To laugh and mean it, no matter how small. It's been so long since I laughed and it wasn't out of obligation, same with smiling. When I smiled it was only because I knew it was the polite thing to do, not because it came naturally to me.

"Oh, Princess, we'll meet again."