New Beginning

Chapter Seven

Still, it was tough to remain neutral when Jeremy was the one who was supposed to inherit the pocket watch. Since it's technically his, he should've been the one to loan it out — and only if he wanted to.

Jeremy stared at Elena contemptuously and shrugged, "Maybe she did. Maybe Tyler took it,"

Elena looked at me as if I was supposed to jump in and yell at Jeremy for being childish, although she was acting just as annoying. I threw my hands out in front of me and shook my head.

"Not involved," I said.

Elena gave me her best 'so angry her eyes were bulging out' expression and turned back to our brother.

"Don't even play that card, Jeremy, you took it. If I go online, am I gonna find it on eBay? Is that how you pay for your pot?" she snarled.

At that, I stepped further into the room. Anger coursed through me — How dare she act so damned, holier than thou.

"Hey, Lena, that's not cool. You have no right to act this way — just 'cause Jer is handling mom and dad's death differently than you are, doesn't mean he would ever sell dad's watch." I said, jabbing my finger in her direction. "The one that was supposed to be his in the first place!"

They both looked at me in silence, shocked that I had said anything. It had been a very long time since I had gotten involved in direct family matters. After I took a few breaths, I nudged my head towards Jeremy.

"Where is it, Jer?" I asked softly.

He stood and walked over to his desk. Pulling out a drawer, he retrieved the watch and looked at Elena.

"Screw you. I would never sell this, okay? At least someone still understands me," he said, looking at me as he held the watch firmly in his hands.

I stepped away from Elena and put my hand on his shoulder. Elena sighed and looked anywhere but at us.

"Then why did you take it?" she asked.

I scoffed quietly. Of course, she didn't understand...

"Because it's supposed to be mine, just like Ellie said. Dad told me it goes to the firstborn son. His father gave it to him, and…now what?" he asked, handing the watch over to Elena.

I shook my head and walked back over to the door.

"...And he was gonna give it to you," Elena said, finally understanding.

Jeremy looked at me, and I nodded in support.

"Yeah," he said.

Elena looked down at the watch, frowning. "Look, Jeremy, it's still yours, okay? Mom promised Mrs. Lockwood. What do you want me to do?"

I bit my tongue trying to say out of it, but to no avail, I couldn't keep myself from calling Elena out on her bullshit. It was the classic Petrova 'only I matter' philosophy — they can't bring themselves to understand unless it matters to them or affects them directly. She was slowly proving to me how very much like her ancestors she was becoming.

"I don't know Elena, you could tell her to shove it. That the watch was never yours, nor moms, to give out. It was Jeremy's, and dads, and it's all he has left of him." I huffed.