Let me just restate that I live in Australia, yes there are other countries besides America 🤭🤭. So the seasons are switched, when it's winter over in America it's summer here; therefore when i say it's Christmas and it's hot- Christmas is in December which is when it's summer here. Summer is in December, January, February. I'm not writing an American story, I am not American so it just wouldn't work.
For a little while, everything was okay. Everyone was just pretending that the events that occurred earlier, didn't happen. But we all have to face the fact that I tried killing Valentino, then myself.
We are all sitting around a Bon fire, silent conversations between people going around. But I'm silent. Everyone is acting like everything is okay, I was too but I know that nothing is okay; it's not going to be okay after a little conversation. "Are we all just going to keep on pretending that I didn't try killing myself and Val?" I blurt out. I just need to know.
Everyone looks at me, Isaac is gone because he apparently has a meeting early tomorrow morning. Amalia and Jarrad decided to come to the Bon fire that is now occurring, no one has spoken about the events earlier today. "What are we supposed to do, Willow? You tried killing two people today, well technically one but you're a person... We can't do much though, it happened already. For a while I think that everyone just wants to forget what our normal lives are like and enjoy some peace," Landon speaks up, I've never heard him speaking in fluent English that doesn't involve pickup lines for girls.
I can tell that everybody is surprised as they stare at him, "wow, Landon." Aidan whispers, his eyes widening slightly.
"What? It's true. Everyone here hates the lives they live, that's why we smoke, take drugs, get drunk, street race, do illegal things and have one night stands; we just want to forget our everyday lives cause honestly? They suck. None of us want to be monsters that kill people to strike fear in the hearts of everyone. And you tried escaping that everyday pain and torment, everyone knows what you tried doing but they don't want to. So they aren't mentioning it, I of course hate the fact that you tried doing that- surprising, I know. But you deserve much more than what you get Willow," Landon clears his throat and runs a hand through his blonde hair.
"Right," I whisper. "Well how about we all share our problems with one another, it can help us understand each other's feelings more," everyone looks at each other then back at me, they all nod.
"I'll go first," Amalia says being the only brave one here. "I hate that I never get to see my family because we are always here or visiting your family, Jarrad. Don't get me wrong, I love your family and you guys but I never get to see my family," Amalia sighs. Jarrad frowns and wraps his arm around her shoulders.
"Amalia, I'm sorry; I didn't know you felt like this, how about we see them this weekend?" He suggests, "we have to tell them we're having a baby anyway." She grins and literally jumps on him, her arms tightly wrap around his waist.
"I'll go next," Landon says. "Everything is so hard for me, no one really ever notices me and I feel more lonely than ever all the time; maybe that's why I always have one night stands," he shrugs, everyone looks more surprised than ever.
"Wow, we didn't know you felt that way Land," Cadence says, what Titus says next surprises everyone that knows this person.
"I want to talk about Jasmine." Everyone stays silent. "Jasmine was my girlfriend and I loved her more than anyone, yes, I loved someone. She told me that she was going out for 30 minutes to get some food; I waited an hour and she didn't come. Then my phone rang, some idiot called saying they had Jasmine. I-I was frantic, scared, and I didn't know what to do..... I tracked the phone call and I found her, but it was too late- she was beaten until she was weak, she was raped, everything was drained out of her. If I had gotten there earlier, she could've been alive; she could've been here with me. But then again, none of this would've happened if she hasn't died. You would've have met us Willow, Emberly.... you know. It just hurts still," a twig snaps, all of our heads snap to the bushes only to see Chris.
"We were having a heartfelt conversation, Chris," Nova hisses, he sheepishly shrugs.
"Do you know who did it?" I ask, he nods slowly. "Who?" I ask in a rush, they should be dead by now right? They deserve to be dead.
He looks at Val then shakes his head, "I can't say, but when the time is right.... We will all tell you." I nod with furrowed eyebrows. Everyone looks to Chris, he waves slowly.
"I came back just in time for Christmas, which is tomorrow," did I tell you that Chris went away to visit his sick grandfather? Well, he did...
"This is a confession thing right?" Val blurts out, we all look at him with dumbfounded looks on our faces. His mouth opens and he nods slowly, "okay, I have one... I think I'm falling for you..." he whispers not saying a name. But he doesn't have to for us to understand.
"Me too," I whisper in the quietest voice possible.
||
"GET UP! IT'S CHRISTMAS!" The blinds and curtains are opened straight away, Nova's voice rings in my ears and I groan. "Come on sleepy head," she whines.
"Just two more hours," I grumble, the sound of her scoffing makes me frown. "One?" I suggest. There's really not much for me to look forward to, maybe last year and the previous years but not anymore. Family is the most important part of my life and I have none, on Christmas we'd celebrate and we were happy.
She throws the blankets off me, I blink not even knowing why I had blankets on in the first place. It's summer. Finally after some debate with myself and Nova, I get up. Let me tell you that it took a lot of effort. I check my phone and read that it's 8:00, sighing I drag my feet out of the room and follow Nova down the stairs. I see everyone, all with bags under their eyes except Emberly, Amalia and Chris . The three brightest people of the group, of course. Everyone has their presents that haven't been unwrapped, around them.
"Merry Christmas! We waited," Chris smiles. I smile at him and decide to sit next to Val, he grins at me.
"Merry Christmas everybody," I say, everyone replies with a merry Christmas to me too. "So, whose do I open first?" I grin, everyone thrusts their gifts towards me; I chuckle and grab Nova's first cause she's my best friend. My fingers tear at the paper until I can feel the material beneath my fingertips. I grin when I see the presents, one is a gold necklace with my name engraved on the heart and hers engraved on the other heart. Then there's a best friend t-shirt, my face on one side and hers on the other. "Awe," I love it!" I exclaim, reaching over to hug her tightly.
We all unwrap each other's gifts, I feel terrible because Val got me so much gifts and I gave him a shirt with my face in it as well as a photo frame with a picture of him and I in there. Well then... he got me way too expensive gifts, I feel so bad. He got me a silver infinity ring, then a rose gold pandora tiara ring. He also gave me $200 to spend on whatever I wanted, is it rude of me to accept or decline? I'm not one of those people that expects people to buy me heaps.
"I think that you will love what I got you," Emberly grins, eagerly waiting for me to open the present she got me. I fear at the wrapping until I feel fabric, when I pull out the item Val immediately snatches it away from my grasp. It's a white bikini that looks super expensive, "you will not wear this." His possessive side comes back yet again, to think it was gone for a little while...
"Why not? It's a gift," I frown, "do you think I will look ugly in it?" His jaw clenched and he runs a hand through his hair.
"No actually, I think the opposite. You will look too perfect, bikini's show way too much skin Willow. We can't have any guy thinking they can have you," he grumbles, a scowl appears on his face at the thought. "You're mine," he whispers.
"Valentino...." Amalia earns. He huffs and crosses his arms over his chest.
"Here's my present, it's simple but I couldn't think of anything," Chris kindly hands me my present. It confuses me as to why he is in a gang, he's too nice for this crap. I unwrap it and smile when I see the gift, a 100 dollar gift voucher to any shop.
"You didn't have to get me this," I teach forward to hug him but I hear a growl like a werewolf. I look at Val and glare, he glares back and I hug Chris even tighter than intended.
||
"Willow! You have grown into such a beautiful young lady, you know that right sweetheart?" Maree- Nova's mum gushes. Ryan chuckles and ruffles my hair, I'm like a second daughter to them and they're like parents to me.
"Thanks Maree," I smile. "How many people have come tonight?" I ask looking around their large home, Nova's parents aren't exactly rich but they're well off and they have a massive house. Since Nova is an only child she got heaps, then they'd give me a lot too- but it didn't really expect anything.
As I'm looking around I notice Carly and Josh scolding Leon while Ruby takes to Nova. I wonder what Leon did this time, Leon is Mike's brother by the way. And Josh and Carly are his parents, "the whole family! Josh and Carly's side as well. Since our house is the biggest we decided to hold the Christmas lunch here." As Ryan explains, I look over at Valentino. He is wearing a black shirt and his arms are crossed making his muscles bigger, his hair is neatly done and he has an emotionless look on his face. I take note of him watching the children run around outside.
"Excuse me," I say, Ryan smiles and goes back to helping Maree. Val doesn't notice when I stop next to him, he just keeps watching.... silently. "You okay?" He jumps and his eyes find mine, blue to brown.
"Yeah..." he trails off slowly. "I'm trying," he blurts out. My eyebrows furrow and I told my head in confusion, he clears his throat and looks outside.
"Trying what?" I ask curiously. He doesn't look at me when I ask this, then he faces me- his whole body.
"I'm trying to not get overly jealous and snap off the guys heads when they look at you. I'm trying to not be so protective but I can't help it, you're my angel and I need to protect you. I can't let anything happen to you, Will," Valentino breaths out slowly. I stay silent for a moment, not knowing what to say.
"Thank you," I decide to say, his eyebrows furrow and his lips part. "For what?" He asks.
Then I do what he did, I look outside and think for a moment. "For simply trying," I shrug. The sound of Maree shouting that lunch is ready makes me look up at him, he is staring at me. Clearing my throat, I let my feet lead me away from the situation and Val follows silently behind me.
I take a seat and Val sits next to me, the food comes out plate by plate and my stomach grumbles looking at all of it. Delicious. Then two simple words turn everyone into wild starved animals, "eat up."
||
Everything is so dark. My thighs and calves hurt from squatting down and my arm hurts from leaning against the car. At this very moment we are playing spotlight with the little kids, it is the most fun game in the world. Only because a headache was forming from all the kids screaming, now they are as silent as they can be. Kind of like prey not wanting to be found, like the hunger games. Everything is peaceful and the air is warm and muggy, kind of disgusting.
Everyone voted Val to be it so now he is out searching, knowing him he will find people easily. But I can tell he has a soft spot for kids, it's surprising but true. So he will most likely pretend he can't see them, just to be nice. He's been acting kind to them all night, soft smiles and laughs. Now I'm just gonna be honest and say that I'm 100 percent surprised.
I try to make the least noise possible as I switch my position to sit down on the ground in my butt. Luckily, I'm quiet enough. I hear squeaking and I immediately know that someone has been found. "Jarrad!" I hear Amalia hiss in the bushes, let's not imagine what they are fighting about. My head is leaning against the car and I yawn out of tiredness, today has been a busy day. It's been fun and I can slowly feel myself becoming happy again. No fake smiles and no fake laughs. It's all real.
It's been about five minutes and they haven't found me yet, I'm just about ready to give up and lay on the couch then fall to sleep. "Gotcha," a deep husky voice murmurs next to my ear, I scream in surprise and jolt away. Deep laughter rumbles and I glare when I realise who it is.
"Val!" I slap his chest in anger. He chuckles and helps me hand up, "you scared me."
He stares at me, I can't see his eyes in he dark but I can feel them on me. "I'm sorry," he whispers. We stay silent, it's peaceful. Valentino leans forward, so do I. His warm lips brush against mine and my eyes close, I don't know how it happened but it happened. We both felt it- the spark. So our lips connected in a soft and innocent kiss. He pulls away quickly, the hurt and disappointment sinks into me. Sighing, I walk to the light I can see.
Mostly everyone is outside already being tagged, so I walk inside. They have two lounge rooms and they are in the adult one at the moment, so I walk to the kids one. With a heavy heart, I lay down and let sleep come to me.
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Hey! Either next chapter or the one after I'm going to skip everything to like a month later :)
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Keely