𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐒. ᵒᵘᵗᵉʳ ᵇᵃⁿᵏˢ ¹

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 35.

"What's your mom's name, then." He asked, with a nonchalant shrug.

My stomach tensed. "Melanie," I said after a moment. I was too focused on finding a quick name, that I didn't even make sure my face was alright. In my expression, it was obvious that I was lying.

He looked at me. "Then why do you look so much like Cecile Collins."

"I don't fucking know, Jj," I spat, "Maybe you're high, seeing shit."

"Daryl looks exactly like Danny too," Jj said, sounding sure.

"And?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

"That means you're related to them." He shrugged again.

"No, Jj," I rolled my eyes, "that's not how it works."

"Then where are your parents right now." He asked, tilting his head at me.

"I already told you guys, they're on a work trip," I stated, sounding sure of myself.

"How long are they gone for?" He questioned.

"A year," I shrugged, careless. I figured that if I told him the most logical-fake information, he would believe me and drop the theory.

"That's funny, because you know what," he sat up straight, his eyes pinned on me, "Danny and Cecile are also gonna away for a year to film that new show, you know what show I'm talking about?"

"That doesn't mean shit, Jj." I said strongly. "And no, I don't."

"No, Charlie, I think it does," he retorted, "All the dots are connecting perfectly."

"You have zero proof," I looked him straight in the eye.

"You look exactly like Cecile Collins, Daryl and Danny Collins are practically the same exact person, you've been homeschooled your whole life, same fucking last name, lived in a damn penthouse apartment in New York City— the city where the Collins coincidentally live too— that band around your wrist is at least ten grand, your parents are gone for a year— oh and so are the Collins— you don't have any social media, and you've never said your parents names, ever." He said in one breath. "Oh, and," he put a finger up, "Your grandpa literally just said your dad's name out loud."

I swallowed the air in my throat, and looked down at my hands. I didn't know what else to say. Even though there was no written-proof, or a damn birth certificate, it made sense. I bit down onto my bottom lip.

"You're parents are fucking famous, Charlie." He said with a calmer voice, staring down at me.

I breathed out unsteadily. As of that moment, other than my grandparents, Jj was the only person in the world that knew Danny and Cecile Collins had a daughter. "You can't tell anyone." I said, lower than a whisper.

"Holy shit—" Jj's eyes widened at my words, and he slowly sat up straighter, his hand gripping onto the dash board as if to keep himself steady. "I'm right?" He breathed out, "Holy shit, Charlie! I'm right!"

"Jj, I'm serious, no one knows about this," I looked up to him with sad eyes. I couldn't believe myself that I let him know about it.

My whole life, I've been cooped up in the same penthouse apartment, had no friends, and was online-schooled for a reason. No one in the world was supposed to know my parents had a kid. And I just told a teenage boy, the biggest secret that I was forced to keep inside, that I've been keeping inside for a whole sixteen years.