His Secret [Completed]

Original: Chapter 30 - James

(Above is a picture of Jackson's date outfit)

"So Sophia, where are you from?" James asked as we all sat in the living room drinking hot chocolate. 

I took a sip then answered "Umm well I've always lived in New York, but you know here and there, we seemed to move a lot when I was growing up." 

"But you're here now, how come?" James said resting his head on his hand looking intently at me. 

"It's a bit complicated, I was evicted from my first apartment and then was kicked out of another and had no where else to go until Kelly asked her Mom if I could stay for a while." I said and he raised his eyebrow slightly then laughed. 

"Ahhh... Aunt Sherry, she's always been so kind." He chuckled to himself.

"How long have you been out of town for, James?" I asked curiously and he froze slightly, he seems like he forgot who his aunt was for a moment, has it really been that long?

"I have't been here in a good 8 or so years," He replied shrugging. Wow 8 years without seeing people he appears to be close with must be really difficult. 

"So where were you?" I asked, was that too invasive? Asking that to him may be like asking a woman her age, something you should apparently never do but I've never understood why.

James smiled and replied "I was working in London for most of that time." 

8 years is a long time to not see the people you love. It was hard for me every time we left my grandparents house, they lived around an hours journey away which wasn't too far but we rarely saw them and each time we had to say goodbye it was difficult and we saw them once month!

"Was it difficult...you know...leaving?" I questioned getting to know James a little better, he told me that he didn't really have much of a choice and of course it was hard, moving away from the people you love is sometimes harder than actually losing them. We all know that death is inevitable, but sometimes that is easier to overcome than not being able to see the people you love knowing they are still walking the earth hundreds of miles away from you. 

We stayed and chatted for a while, Jackson and Kelly catching up with their cousin. I didn't want to intrude so I excused myself and went to the boathouse. I tidied the place a little, changed my bed sheets and even did a little laundry. All along I was thinking of Noah, how kind he was to me earlier but also how strict and possessive he was being; I'm sure this man is bipolar. 

Bzzz

I pulled my phone from my back pocket and glanced at the screen, who would be texting me apart from Kelly.. I typed in the code and unlocked my phone then clicked on the message app. 

Jasmine? 

Why is Jasmine suddenly texting me, from out last encounter I gathered I had annoyed her in some way and she wanted nothing to do with me, I mean that usually happens to me a lot. Warily thinking about the possibilities of what this text could say, I clicked on it closing my eyes. Why was I so nervous, this makes no sense Jasmine was my best friend, she still might be depending on how this conversation goes. 

Hey Soph, I'm sorry for running out on ya the other day, I just needed some space. I'd love to get coffee sometime I have some important news to tell you X

I typed a quick reply saying that I was up for coffee and we arranged a place to meet next week. After texting Jasmine I put my phone into my pocket and went back to the house to make lunch, it took so long for everyone to clean up the mess that I hadn't realised it was 2 o'clock already.

"Hey Soph, you want some hot chocolate?" Jackson asked as I stepped through the back door, I shook my head with a sly smile then he added, "With Marsh mellows?"