What Really Happened

Chapter 16

Maybe they thought I was joking, or that I was lucky, but when I lowered my head into my hands, curling up into a ball in the seat, they knew that I was doing neither of the above. 'They had this account for me and put huge amounts in it often, plus they had all this other money that has been given to me.' I sobbed into Tori's chest, she tried hushing me, 'how much money?' I replied slowly, 'seven, seven million.' I looked up just in time to see at least three of them mouth 'wow'

'But it just doesn't make sense.' Tori sat me back upright looking at me in the eyes, 'Nothing has been left to Caleb and I did calculations, dad earned $200,000 for 18 years, that wouldn't even get him half of what is in that account, and that is before he paid for anything over the past 18 years, mum never worked. Somethings not right.' The others all nodded in agreement, and we all started thinking of scenarios, just as we had at the cafe, as to why this would have happened, but when Luca stood up to make his point, it made me stop to think, 'look, I know, in fact I don't know, how hard all this must be for you, I imagine it must be excruciating. but girl, you got $7 million in your hands, you have to do something with it.' I smiled at him, 'yea, but if there is something dodgy about this money, I don't want to be responsible for it, so that is why it is going to stay safely hidden away in the bank, there is one account that I am going to use, and that is the one that I know is legal, and with that, I am thinking of buying a new house.'

It took a while before they reacted, various comments were made like, 'ohhh, mmmm, that's a good idea,'

'Why?' Tori's question stuck out to me, 'Well I would be moving out at this age anyway and there are so many bad memories in that house, well supposedly bad memories, and I just want to start fresh you know?' They all nodded in agreement, 'look no need to be rude but,' Luca started off, 'but you know that if you buy a new house, it will have to have space for the homeless,' he motioned to everyone else in the room, them all nodding in agreement. I laughed at that, then I looked at Brooke, 'and I am guessing it is going to have to accommodate for everyone?' My eyes flickered towards her wheelchair in the corner of the room. Again everyone nodded in agreement.

'So I need to get this right, We all got accepted into Berkeley and Noah, Tori got accepted into Stanford? Then I am going to one of the two, How will we decide?' Noah was the first to answer, 'When you first came out of hospital, you mentioned going on a road trip. I think we should wait for you to graduate in a couple of weeks, get in the car and go up there! Then we can all decide in time for the semester to start.' I nodded in agreement, but had to add, 'honestly, if we have the choice, why would we separate? College isn't going to be college without us all being together.' I grabbed the two people's hands who were closest to me, which just happened to be Brooke and Tori.

'Well then it's settled, I am gonna be in here for two more weeks, and while I'm in here, I'm going to sit my finals, you,' she pointed straight at me, 'are going to do everything you can to graduate ASAP then we can be on our way to California!' We all cheered, but were rudely, not really, interrupted by Rebekah, 'hey guys, I'm sorry but visiting hours are over.' I smiled and said 'okay, thanks Rebekah.' 

We all gave Brooke hugs before leaving, Elijah only staying a little longer. I knew that he had been leaving a lot, hiding away for something that I didn't know about, but now I do. Elijah had been coming here to see Brooke while she was asleep, and it was the only thing she could remember from her state of oblivion. She couldn't even see him, yet she had been falling more and more in love with him every day, and that made me so happy. I ran to catch up with others ahead of me, not realizing that in my thoughts I had been left behind. My arm dragged against Noah's shirt, he wrapped his arm around me so that I could nuzzle into him. Tori and Luca kept talking to each other, oblivious to this semi-intimate moment between us. He leaned his head down to kiss the top of my hair. 'What's the time?' I asked him, he checked his phone, 'just after 7,' I smiled, and stole the keys from his hand, 'I'm driving!' he rolled his eyes but got into the passenger seat. Tori and Luca got in and we waited for Elijah, once we were all there I started the car and drove the directions that I could never forget.