Bitter Heart √

Forty Seven

"I know this box was bought from my brother's shop." He stated, almost glaring at me. "Do you know how I know about that?"

I really didn't want to know. I just wanted to leave this shop.

"He got killed just after that lady bought this box from his shop." He stated. "Those bunch of guys came there looking for this same box. And killed him."

A small shiver ran up my spine as my eyes widened a bit.

Why did it always lead to death?

"Bunch of guys?" My voice sounded strained for some reason.

His stare finally broke away from me as he picked up a cloth and started wiping the counter. "Heartless idiots." He muttered in a voice that clearly told me how better it would be to just leave. "Ruining families."

Moving towards the door, I stuffed the box back into my bag. I gave one last glance to the man before exiting the shop. The clouds seemed to rumble the second I stepped back on the street. It was going to rain soon. The weather had been kind of like that since yesterday night. Since Mom and Dad came back. Since Alex left.

Something tugged in my gut, a feeling of unease settling at the pit of my stomach.

I didn't believe him. Alex, I mean. I trusted Caden, didn't I? Enough to not believe in such assumptions about him. He'd saved my life so many times. He liked me. I more than just liked him. He did act a bit heartless sometimes, but that doesn't mean...

He couldn't have killed his own parents.

If Blake had lied earlier to Alex, why couldn't he be lying again? He hasn't ever given me a reason to believe him. Why should I believe him now?

Maybe Blake had forced Alex to feed those lies to me, just like every single time before.

But then again, who was Kevin? Why had Alex mentioned his name?

I pushed off the thoughts far back in my head just like I had done yesterday. Just like I had been doing every single second since Alex left my house. The hollowness in my chest seemed to increase at that.

I just ignored it, though.

Alex must've been lying.

Everything was fine. Everything was.

Then why didn't it feel like it?

•••••

"We were hoping you'd like to participate in this since your parents themselves have contributed a lot to such events." Principal Stewart looked at me.

It wasn't the first time I wished my parents weren't lawyers. Them being lawyers and well known among the town made it a lot harder for me in such situations.

"I think I won't be able to--"

"I'm sure it would help cover up your lack of extracurriculars, Ms Anderson." He cut me off. He surely was not taking a no for an answer.

Our school was having this charity thing for some organization. And I would've loved to help only if a lot of things hadn't been going on with me at the moment. I still hadn't gotten the chance to pull out that wooden box from my bag and see whatever that was inside it. I'd been caught up with so many things--especially my parents.

It had been a mess when Mom saw a handful of paintbrushes under the couch in our lounge (which I forgot to take back up in my room). And the mess had only increased tenfold when she and I both noticed her most adored silk cushions spotted with bits of my yellow paint too. An absolute fucking mess, believe me.