What?" I said dazed for a moment unable comprehend what he just said.
"I want you to...move in with us."
I shook my head confirming that what he just said was fact.
"Dylan, I can't." he looked at me startled, definitely not expecting the answer I had given him.
"Look, it's bad enough I have already caused enough trouble here. Trust me I am the last person anyone would want to be with right now."
He shook his head in disagreement. "Now we both know that's not true."
"Look. Dylan I can't come with you and maybe staying here isn't such a good idea. And to be honest I can't say I like the idea of you leaving too. I can't tell you what to do, but leaving, I don't think it's the best option right now. Your mum needs you and especially with these things that are happening with Norman. You really think it's a good Idea to even take Norman with you? I mean from what you told me, and what I saw, his blackouts seem quite serious. Plus, he and Norma are so close... I don't think Norma will be pleased with Norman not living here anymore."
Dylan sighed as I waited for him to respond.
"Elissa. Let me tell you something about Norma. Staying a couple of weeks in this household means nothing. I know Norma and you have no clue. She is insane. The things she does and the way she acts is just not normal. She is not normal. All she cares about is for her or Norman. I on the other hand, I am nothing but crap to her. So no she doesn't need me. Proof is when they first moved here, she didn't even have the decency to tell her own son where they had moved to. I made my way here after a long time. Norma doesn't care."
He paused, catching his breath before continuing.
"The only thing Norma will ever care for is Norman. Her obsession with him is unbelievable. He is an eighteen year old kid who needs to act like his age! Now he can't do that when his 'mother' is around him twenty-four hours of the day. She is too overprotective of him. Can you believe she freaked out at me for letting him spend the night with a girl? Big deal! He needs it! He is eighteen for goodness sake. All I am trying to do is help him." He let out a long breath.
I sat there unable to speak. I didn't really know how to even respond to Dylan. Maybe he did have a point. Maybe if he and Norman move out, then Norman will be able to live his life for once without having Norma running all over him. Who knows it might actually do him good.
"I just thought if you came..." I cut him off before he could finish.
"Dylan I'm sorry...but I just can't." I got up and walked towards the window and looked outside. I felt bad saying no but there was no way I would do that. The whole point of leaving was so that I could get away from everything and to start fresh.
I could see his reflection from the window and he did not look at all pleased. I folded my arms and stared out into the dark as I spoke to him.
"Honestly since coming here, it's been crazy...definitely not how I was planning on spending my time here. You know I was sent to come and live with my uncle and find out why my whole life is a lie...but instead I find out that I am living with the person who killed him. Not only that, but your mum is hiding something for sure. She always hates it when I bring up my step parents and I've always wondered why. But I never got my answer and don't think I will." I mustered up my strength to hold back the anger and tears slowly building up inside me. The room went silent for a while, until I turned around to face him.
"I just think leaving is the best thing for me right now. I can't have anything else happen here knowing that it will somehow involve me or turn out to be my fault."
"Where are you gonna go, and what about everything you came here looking for? This was the one thing that meant something to you and your just going to let it all go?" Dylan had a good point. Well, two good points actually. Where was I going to go? There was no way I wanted to go back to Jack after everything he's done I just couldn't.
"I guess I will ask one of my family relatives and see if I can stay with them for a while." I could see that he wasn't satisfied with any of this. "And as far as everything else I guess I am just going to let it go."
"But why? You came here for a reason Elissa."
As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. I was literally throwing everything away. I was ruining my chances of finding out why I've been lied to my entire life and who I really was. But then a part of me was telling me that if I were to find out, things would never be the same, and that scared me. But who knows? Maybe I would come back again to White Pine Bay and I'll be ready to find out the truth. But right now I didn't feel that way. I felt I needed to get away from everything.
"I guess I am." I replied. He took his hands in mine and looked at me. I could tell he was clearly upset with the decision I was making.
"Elissa. Please just listen. Forget everything that's happened. The truth is...I need you here, with me. If you leave I honestly don't know what I am going to do without you. The first time I laid my eyes on you, I knew you were the one. I love you Elissa, I really do. I just can't live like this knowing that you won't be here anymore. Knowing I won't get to spend time with you. You are the only one who has tried to make this family work, if you leave everything is going to go back to the way it was. We all need you..." He sighed. "Even...Norma."
I felt him caressing my hand as he was speaking to me. I could feel my eyes tearing up. Truly, everything he just said to me is what I have always wished to have said to him. I love Dylan more than anything and I don't know how I would cope without seeing his face every day. I never really knew how much I loved him until now. He brought the words right out of my mouth. I could feel the tears from my eyes rolling down my face because as much as I love and have fallen for him, I just couldn't stay. It pained me to say it so much and I know I am going to regret this, but I just can't stay here any longer.
"Dylan...I...I'm sorry." I moved my hands from his and wiped my eyes. I got up from the bed. I sucked in a breath and calmed myself down a bit before turning to him and speaking to him.
"I...know you are not happy, but maybe it's for the best. It's not you, it's me. I'm tired of everything that's happened and the things which still are. My Life has been one big lie from when I was young..." Dylan cut me off.
"Why do you keep saying that? Why is your life one big lie?" He creased his eyebrows. I wiped my tears before getting up. I went to my bedside table and took out the letter. I removed it from the envelope and walked back up to Dylan and gave him it. I watched him patiently as he read the letter. His face made different reactions, probably what I looked like when I read it. I waited. He looked up in front of him, the letter still in his hand unmoved. After a few seconds, maybe more he turned to face me.
"Oh my God." was all he could say. I nodded not able to say anything to him in return.
"So...your mum is alive?" He said folding the letter back up and giving it back to me. "Yep...somewhere." I sighed before getting back up and putting it back where I got it.
"Well...that's good news right?" I looked at him, almost annoyed that he would say that. I jumped off the bed and paced back and forth. "Good. Huh. I would love to know why she has been lying to me for all these years! I cannot believe her. Everything I had been telling everyone was one fat lie. My mum is not dead; she's probably somewhere out there having the time of her life right now while I'm here angry and frustrated about all of this!" He got up too and placed his hands on my shoulders to stop me from stressing even further.
"Calm down." And in them few seconds I had. It's as if everything had just been erased with a click of a finger. I felt my whole body tense from his warm touch. His presence alone had always made me feel calm. I felt him slowly spin me around so I was now staring into his beautiful brown eyes.
"We are going to get through this okay? I will help you I promise. We will find everything that you want to find out no matter how long it takes. But please Elissa. Don't leave." I could see that he was somehow hoping me to just give up and stay here. But it was no use. The only thing that was holding me back was Dylan. But knowing that he would be leaving soon, I knew there was no point and I didn't want to keep my hopes up because as much as I tried to persuade him to think otherwise, I just knew he wouldn't give in. I had made my mind up I was going to leave White Pine Bay.
------------------
Hey guys,
So I would really like to start off by saying I am so sorry for not updating in forever. For the past few weeks I have been quite Ill and I haven't had the time and energy to do anything. I know I said I was going to upload, it's just school was getting in the way so much and then now I've become ill, it's been adding to my worries. Nevertheless, I felt so bad for keeping you all waiting for so long, I had to upload.
I know this is not the best chapter, but I have tried my best and really hope you liked it. I hope you guys all understand and I'll try my best to upload again very soon.
xx