October 30, 2009
11:27 p.m.
I know I didn’t write anything yesterday, but I did not think my day deserve to be in this notebook pages. You know your day was pathetic and boring when the most interesting thing that happened was your consultation at the psychologist. But today it was all very different.
When school finished I went straight to home. Audrey tried hard to convince me to stay and go to the race tonight, but her attempts were in vain. I came home, I took off the stupid uniform, took a backpack with my stuff and I left the house without saying goodbye. I kept my bike and I got on the bike that Alex had chosen for me.
I started it feeling the motor gently vibrating under me. It took me an hour to get to West Rose Hill and fifteen minutes to find the Alex’s house.
"I told you I came to visit Alex," I said to the man for the tenth time through the doorbell Intercom.
“First they didn’t warn me that you would come and no Alex lives here,” he said and I kicked the metal railings frustrated.
“Let me in!” I yelled.
“Don’t you get violent or I’ll call the cops.”
“For God’s sake. Let me in. I came to visit Alexis Cohen.”
“What’s happening here,” I heard a woman’s voice.
The man tried to explain her that I had demanded to be let in since half an hour ago.
“Clara? It’s me, Niall.”
I heard a murmur and then the gates were opened. I sighed and got on the bike. I went in and parked next to Alex’s car. Clara opened the door with a smile on her lips. Two children were hiding behind their legs. I adjusted my backpack feeling uncomfortable.
“Hi, Niall. Please, come in.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled.
The two kids looked at me like if I was something from other world.
“Mom, why is Jason so angry? You should...”
Alex went downstairs and looked at me. She was wearing jeans, a pink shirt with long sleeves and black sneakers. A small smile escaped her lips when she saw me.
I hugged her tightly. I didn’t know if the bruises they had done her still ached, but did not care. I pressed her against my body while the smell of raspberries filled my lungs.
“I didn’t think you’ll come,” Alex whispered.
“So I understand that your parents do not know I'll stay for the weekend and I have to drive an hour back home.”
“No, they do know that you will stay... It’s just that I didn’t expect you would actually come.”
“Your brothers are stalking me,” I whispered feeling they gaze in my back.
She laughed and shook her head. I took her hand and kissed her fingers.
“Are you hungry, Niall?” Clara asked.
“Say you are,” Alex mutters while looking other way.
“Yeah.”
Alex took my hand and we climbed the stairs. I looked at every detail of the house. There were many windows and the white walls were full of pictures and paintings. We walked through the corridors until we came to a white door with a black D. She opened the door and pushed me inside the room.
She closed the door behind me. We were in her room. There is a wall covered with photos and other things in a huge collage, against this wall a desk with a laptop, notebooks and several pens of many colors.
There are only three walls; the fourth was a huge window through which I see the garden. There is a bookshelf that occupies one wall and the remaining space is occupied by a fish tank with several fishes of bright colors. And on the wall opposite to the window is her bed.
I left my stuff on the side of the door. It is very feminine for my taste, with all those colors and lights. The fabrics hanging from the ceiling from one side to another, forming ripples and the shelves above her bed are filled with glass balls with little figures inside.
I turned to speak to her, but before I could say anything she crashed her lips against mine. I smiled. I hugged her against my body. Her hands intertwined with mine. I missed feeling her tongue playing with mine. I squeezed her hands and she smiled.
“Oh, how I missed you Alex.”
I brushed my fingertips against her cheek.
“Diana! Dessert is ready.”
I heard the laughter of her brothers and their steps going down the stairs.
“Diana? I think you've given me a wrong name,” I muttered and she gave me a light tap on my shoulder.
“That’s my name. Diana Alexis Cohen.”
“Hmm... I like Diana better. I think I’ll call you like this. Diana.”
I liked that name. It is sweet and delicate. It strokes my tongue when I pronounce it. Diana.
We went down the stairs while I bothered Diana about her name and poke her waist making her laugh. I wanted to feel her skin. It was so frustrating having her so close and feeling her so far. We sat at the kitchen island, her brothers staring at me.
Clara placed a small raspberry cupcake in front of me. I smiled.
Skander was five years old, blue eyes and brown hair. Matthew was three and looked a lot like Diana. Brown eyes and light brown hair. Matthew copied everything Skander did. I was playing with Diana’s fingers above the table while I ate her cupcake.
“You have to come with us, Niall!”
“Tomorrow is Halloween!” Skander said smiling at me.
“Skander, you can’t force Niall to go. First you have to ask him if he would like to go,” Clara placed her hands on her hips.
“I’ll go, if Diana goes,” I said.
The rest of the afternoon was quiet. The spent it watching movies in the living room, Diana sitting on my lap as we laughed about what was happening on the screen. When the "time to go to bed" arrived we went up to Alex’s room.
I didn’t ask anything, I just prepared myself to sleep with her. She took off her shirt and I helped her into her pajamas, a good excuse to touch her skin. I saw the bruises on her skin had that yellowish green and I just hurried to cover her skin.
“I don’t understand why they did it,” she whispered.
“Who?”
“They. I don’t understand why they punched me. I... I never harmed them; I didn’t even talk to them. They never had a reason to do it.”
“Well, there are good people around you and bad people even more close to you,” including me. “You do not need to understand why you simply must open your eyes and walk away before they can hurt you.”
“They tried to blame Audrey, but I don’t think it was her. I mean she might not like me, but she wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
“Diana, Stop thinking about that. The past is past. Tomorrow will be another day.”
“But I cannot stop thinking about that. They also tried to blame you, Niall. I don’t think it's fair that they incriminate someone just to avoid problems.”
“So Audrey did not keep her fucking mouth shut, she told them that I was ahead of the plan. Fucking liar,” I thought.
“But you know that that’s not true and that’s what really matters. Now let’s go to bed.”
“I have more things to tell you Niall. It's important,” she looked at me with pleading eyes, but I didn’t want to search up more about it or I would expose the entire plan.
“We can talk about that other day, now sleep.”
I tugged her under the sheets and lay down beside her and in whispers I recited a poem until she fell asleep. She realized many things, but she was still ignoring others. I had to keep hidden plan. God knew what would happen if she figure out everything.
That is why this journal should remain hidden from the eyes of anyone, especially Diana’s.
Hanna is in her room. She turns around in bed, unable to sleep. She cries silently. She had discussed with Josh, again. She was hugging a pillow and dries her tears. She has so many thoughts spinning in her head. She looks at the journal.
It would probably be good to read, to clear her mind. She takes the book, but leaves it in its place again remembering that she promised her grandfather not to read anything while he was not present.
She takes the book; she will only skim through it. Caress the worn black cover and open it. She passes the pages slowly, looking at the small details of every page, resisting the urge to read what is written in black ink.
All pages have little doodles on the edges. Some have photos glued to the pages. Dried flowers, buttons, stamps, ribbons and other small insignificant things are attached to the pages.
In the back of the last sheet there are many scribbles, but there are some written in another handwriting. Hanna notes the handwriting; it's definitely not Niall’s.
“Diana hearts Niall.” “Can you see with your soul?” “Anything is better than this.” “These shoes are killing me” “It was not necessary.” “Tomorrow will be another day.”
Small draws of flowers and hearts. A conversation that probably took place during some class. Lyrics she could not read because the writing was very messy and dirty.
“If you die, I die. It’s like a game.” “The song on the radio...” “You can see me.” “They’re coming for me.” “Niall.” “Niall hearts Diana.” “Diana hates Niall.” The Word hates is crossed out. “Diana loves Niall.” “Niall, laugh more.”
There are small drawings of smiley faces and crying faces.
“The wheel of death, blood and roses, spins, spins, spins..."
Hanna closes the journal. She could not read more. Hanna stands up and leaves her room. Walks quietly to her grandfather's home office and opens the door quietly. She turns on a small lamp on the desk of her grandfather. When the room was lit Hanna goes straight to the shelf where she found the diary. She searches, moving books until she finds what she wants. A sealed envelope, a key and another journal.
November 1, 2009
4:02 a.m.
31 in the morning I woke up feeling something touching my face. First I ignored it, but then it became more insistent and I was forced to open my eyes. Alex was caressing my skin with her fingertips.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning,” my voice came out huskier that I thought it would. I took her hand and kissed her fingers.
“What time is it?” I asked while I pressed her body to mine.
“9:15 a.m. But breakfast will be ready in a few minutes and we need to shower.
“Is that your subtle way of telling me I suck?”
“No, it's my subtle way of telling you to get up.”
I rolled my eyes but I didn’t resist. Diana opened her closet door and I noticed that there was another door. She opened it and walked to the bathroom.
“You know that it’s weird that your bathroom is inside your closet, do you?”
“It was supposed to be a closet, but they split it into two and one of the halves became in a bathroom. I don’t have so many clothes anyway.”
I took off my clothes as she turned on the shower. It was not as if she'd never seen me naked. Diana took off her pajamas and yawned, chuckling at the end.
“Come here,” I said entering the shower and helping her in.
She hugged me when we were under the warm water.
“I missed so much, Niall.”
“Me too. I got used to having you around very fast.”
“I hope that’s something good.”
“You have no idea,” I thought.
I took her chin and gave her a small kiss on the lips. We didn’t not exactly shower. More than anything we played with soap and water for about fifteen minutes. When we finally left the shower we let out giggles while trying to keep quiet and not to raise any suspicion about anything.
I dressed in the clothes I had in my backpack. Diana returned with a blue bottle of body lotion on her left hand while brushing hair. I remove the bottle and put a little in her arms, her torso and her legs.
She smiled and dressed quickly, letting her hair down to dry. We both went downstairs and sat at the table together. I felt strange. I never ate with my family and it was weird to do it in Diana’s house.
The ones who talked the most were his brothers, saying everything they would do this afternoon and everything that would happen, almost without letting us comment. The day went very quiet. We played in the garden with her brothers, and then saw a couple of movies. When the time came they went up to put on their costumes while I forced Diana to wear a coat.
“Niall, it’s enough.”
“I don’t want you to get sick, now put on the globes,” I ordered her while I put her a beanie.
“You’re exaggerating.”
“When you go out and notice the cold that is outside because of the wind you will thank me.”
We left the house, following his brothers. She gasped as she felt the cold air against her face. I smiled to prove my point.
We walked slowly, following her brothers while they asked for candy. I took her hand as she was talking to me.
“Maybe we could make something tomorrow,” I suggested.
“Like what?”
“I don´t know, maybe go to the movies,” I shrugged.
“You're inviting me on a date?” She laughed at me and I clenched my teeth.
“You know what? Forget it.”
“Don’t get upset, Niall. I just... I just thought that you weren’t that kind of boy.”
“I’m not.”
“Oh, c’mon. I would love to go with you. I like to be with you.”
“I like to be with you too, I suppose I’m not that good with words.”
“We could say that, even thought you are good reciting,” she winked at me.
I kissed her temple and continue walking through the streets. The sky had begun to darken and houses were lit and decorated. I felt Diana tense beside me and how she tried to get me to accelerate the pace.
“What’s wrong?” I asked her stopping.
“They are Nick’s friends,” she mumbled looking over my shoulder.
“You don’t have to worry; you are no longer his girlfriend.”
“Cohen! Why are you hiding?” one of them screamed.
“Don’t listen to them. Let’s continue walking,” I told her.
“Don’t run! You left Nick for him?”
They followed us. The dumbasses followed us.
“I don’t understand why Nick defends you.”
“Are you scared Cohen? Why don’t you come here and face us?”
“Why did you left Nick, when you were the love of his life?”
“Liar!”
They followed us yelling a lot of crap. I had an arm around Diana's waist, so they didn’t dare to touch her. I whispered her to ignore them and hugged her tightly.
But one of them dared to take her by her arm.
“I always thought that you were so saint and now I realize you are a bitch.”
That was the straw that broke the camel. I pushed him away from her.
“The only bitch here is your mom,” I shouted him. He clenched his fists but before he gave the first blow I had already punched him in the jaw.
He hit me back; I felt the blood run from my brow and down my cheek.
“Son of a bitch!”
“Don’t call my girlfriend bitch!”
“Then tell me what is she,” she punched me again in the eye.
“She is a lady, you should know that. You hit like a girl,” I hit in the mouth and his lower lip began to bleed.
Several began to gather around us. I could hear Diana’s voice calling among the others. The other boys who had followed us didn’t dare to stop me.
He gave me another blow on the chin and I gave him a kick in the stomach. He fell to the floor and knelt over him to give me another punch. One in the eye, another on the chin, one on the cheek. I felt his nose crunch under my fist.
Someone pulled me away from him. He staggered to his feet and holding his nose as blood fell to the sidewalk. One of Diana's bodyguards took me to the house; she followed us holding the hands of her brothers.
Christian looked at me with disgust when I walked through the door. Clara hastened to bring the first aid kit.
“What is this supposed to mean, Diana? Your boyfriend can’t fight with our neighbors,” he scowled her daughter while she took of her coat.
“Dad, I-I...”
“Jordan told Alex a bad Word and Niall punched him because of that,” Skander hurried to defend me and Christian looked at me as one of the maids heals my wounds.
Diana took the alcohol soaked cotton and sat opposite from me. I winced as she put the cotton on my eyebrow.
“I’m sorry.”
Christian sighed and ran his hands over his face.
“Okay. We’ll talk about this when Jordan’s parents call.”
(Hi!! I know that I have taken a long time but I had many things these weeks. They operated on my brother because of apensisitis, my other brother changed house, it was the birthday of my mother and I had exams. So really it rwalyy got complicated this week to make this cap but finally I could upload it. thousand thanks for waiting wait and let's hope everything gets back to normality for me to write. DON'T FORGET TO VOTE AND COMMENT IF YOU lIKED tHE CHAPTER. ILY ALL. xoxo)