Chapter Three
Blake
My aunt told me we were having dinner. At Noah’s. Tonight.
Okay. Just no.
“Do we have to?” I whined, not telling her why I didn’t. I know Noah’s a good guy…I think. He’s famous and completely drool-worthy. But I wasn’t about to jump into that pool without first testing out the temperature of the water.
If I went tonight it would go against the rejection I offered him early on. His ego would boost and judging from how little I knew him…his ego wouldn’t just boost. It would sky-freaking-rocket.
“Blake,” she sighed, “It’s just dinner. Elijah Hunt was your Psychiatrist. He helped you out a lot. Don’t you think it would be lovely to mingle?” she asked nonchalantly. “Besides, he has a nice son. You wouldn’t know him but he’s known as the Golden Boy. Oh, if I were young I’d give that a shot!”
Too much information. This woman wasn’t even paying attention to me! “Auntie L, I’m tired. School wore me out and I haven’t been around people who weren’t going to attack me with needles or straitjackets sine Juvie.” Plus, I have no interest in that pretty-golden-boy.
She sighed, “Don’t be absurd, Blake. They never put you on a straitjacket.”
I pouted. “They could’ve. You never know.”
She rolled her eyes. “But they didn’t. Now put on something pretty and come down stairs in about thirty minutes. We have some company before we head out.”
“Company?” I raised a brow.
“Company. You’ll find out later.”
Helpful.
I was making my way down the stairs when I heard hushed whispers. One thing I’d always learned was not to eavesdrop. But two names rung inside my head that told me I needed to stay.
“She can’t be kept in the dark forever, Linda.” A disapproving male voice said. “She’ll be eighteen soon and they’ll think that she has the information they’re looking for.”
“But she doesn’t!” Aunt Linda hissed, “she’s just a child. She went to high school today, met a boy and did her homework when she came home. Let her be normal.”
“That girl will never be normal. Years of Juvenile Detention does that to you.” The man sighed. “She needs to find out soon. Her life is on the line. Letting her become ‘normal’ in your sense will get her killed.”
“Like hell it will.”
I gulped. Were they talking about me?
Duh. My conscience replied.
No. I refuse to talk to you who is me.
Idiot.
“Blake!” Aunt Linda’s voice called. “Come down here, I need you to meet someone!”
I nodded to myself, took deep breaths and made my way to the sitting room. All the lights were turned on and Aunt Linda was sitting in all her pristine glory opposite to a big, burly, white-haired man.
“Who are you?” I asked. He was wearing suit and the fact that he was talking about my life being on the line made me scarcely nervous. “Are you from the SIS?”
He raised a thick brow. “I’m sure you’re asking if I’m from the CIA? SIS is a secret organization from James Bond’s MI6.”
Drat. “Whatever. So are you?”
“Well not really. I’m more of an affiliate. My name is Agent Smart but you can call me Marcus. I was part of the CIA but now I’m part of a more secret organization that I’d rather not disclose to you for security purposes.”
I scoffed, “I’m really going to understand a word that came out of your mouth?”
He chuckles and looks over to my aunt and back to me. “You’re every bit as smart as Isabelle was.”
“You knew my mom?” I almost choked on my words.
“She was an amazing woman.”
Yeah. Was. “So why are you here?”
“I just came to let you know that SIS are currently investigating the death of your parents Richard and Isabelle Deveraux.” A yellow folder was on the coffee table and Marcus picked it up and gave it to me. “Enclosed are the files from your parents homicide. Those are what we’re look into and we need you to sign some forms to allow us to further investigate as you are next of kin.”
I gulped, taking the folder shakily and hugging it to my chest. “Why me? Isn’t my aunt the next of kin?”
“No,” he shakes his head. “you are. Besides, by signing some of the forms that will arrive tomorrow you’re signing to the attest to the fact that by the time you reach the age of eighteen years old you will be able to claim your trust-fund and whatever your parents have left for you.”
I nod. “I just have to sign right? So you can investigate? I don’t need to make some kind of testament or link myself to this case?”
“Dear god no!” he sounded stupefied. “But, by signing the documents you are allowing the investigation of their homicides and,” he clears his throat, “You are allowing a day and a night guard to watch you for the time that the investigation is being carried out.”
My eyes widened at his words. “Hell no!” I shouted, “No to that! Yes to everything else but no to that! I’m not a child anymore. My parents might have allowed me to do that but I can take care of myself.”
His eyes soften. “I’m sorry. This is merely for your safety.”
Noah
Blake was avoiding eye contact with everyone at the table. Occasionally, when my four year old sister Libby would ask her about herself she’d answer politely, offering Libby a genuine smile, though her eyes were distant and faraway.
She didn’t even give me a second look when she came inside the house. She wasn’t snarky, snappy or overly sweet. She was just…blank.
“No, if you stare long enough her face is going to melt off.” Evie snickered by me. Evie was fourteen and going through some kind of emotional-angst-ridden teen phase. All she’d do was whine and lock herself up in her room like a spoilt child.
She’d been giving me all these comments towards Blake, all teasing and all to my expense the whole thirty-eight minutes of dinner. And yeah, I was counting.
I rolled my eyes. “If you don’t stop being an annoying little piglet, I’m going to pour water on you and you’ll be the one whose face will melt.”
She scowled at my use of her old nickname. She had an obsession for Winnie the Pooh’s ‘Piglet’ and ever since, my father called her it.
I was only thankful that he didn’t stop.
“Piglet why don’t you eat some meat?” Dad asked Evie from the head of the table.
“If you’ve forgotten, Dad,” Evie emphasized the ‘dad’, “I’m a vegetarian.”
“What’s a vegetarian, Blakey?” I heard Libby ask Blake.
Blake smiled at her sweetly, “It means you don’t eat meat, honey.”
Libby looked thoughtful for a moment, “But Evelyn always eats Mommy’s meatloaf at night.”
Oh god. If I wasn’t laughing for the fact that Libby always called Evie ‘Evelyn’ then I would laugh for the fact that the little ‘piglet’ couldn’t hold on being a vegetarian!
“Olivia!” Evie stood up, her hands banging on the table.
“Piglet, sit down. We’re not judging you.” Though my dad’s words were honest I could hear the amusement in them.
“Ugh!” Evie pushed away from her plate and went up the stairs, muttering some words about ‘Stupid nickname’ and ‘stupid meat’.
“Did I do something bad, Blakey?” Libby asked, confused.
“No, you didn’t.” Blake giggled, “but I think it was a secret that Evelyn wanted to keep.”
“Oh. Should I say sorry?”
Blake smiled, “Maybe later okay?”
Libby nodded and began eating once again. She was shoving food down her throat like a freaking monster and I was scared that my little sister would choke on it!
“Careful with the food, Libby.” Blake reprimanded, “If you eat like that you’ll have a belly ache.”
Libby nodded and my mom, who seemed to be watching Blake the whole time had a ghost of a smile on her face. “You’re very good with children, Blake.”
Blake smiled, “I used to babysit my foster mom’s real kids when they went out. I guess I’m attached to them.”
My mother smiled and returned to eating, not questioning Blake about her past and surprisingly, Blake looked shocked herself.
As soon as we were all finished with dinner, my mother began to clear the table and Blake decided to help. My mom gave her a thankful nod and they both left the room, Libby in tow of Blake.
“I saw Smart when I was checking for blowflies out my porch this afternoon, Linda.” My father said, eyeing Blake’s aunt disapprovingly.
“He just came for a visit.”
“Hmm.” Dad nodded, “I hope that’s all it is for the sake of all that’s good.”
Blake
“Are you liking Stonebrook?” Noah’s mom, Maggie, asked with a smile as she began to take the dessert out of the fridge.
“It’s lovely. Different from where I last came from.” First reason being it didn’t have metal detectors, fences wired with electricity and guards watching your every move.
Oh, not to mention the food was edible.
Maggie smiled affectionately. “I hope you don’t mind me asking but are you interested in my son? I witnessed him not being able to take his eyes off you at dinner.”
I would have blushed but that was something I grew to control. “Noah’s a good egg.” I smiled, “I shouldn’t mingle with him, with me being the way I am.”
Her eyebrows furrowed in what seemed like frustration. “I’m not trying to push you into a relationship with my boy but don’t you think calling yourself out to be a bad person is a bit presumptuous?”
I smiled crookedly, “I’m not a good person, Maggie.”
“You’re lying to yourself, Blake. And contrary to what you believe, opening up to people won’t hurt as much as you think it will.”
She left the room with Libby behind her and I couldn’t help but take a few breaths before I decided to follow. Sitting on my seat, Noah right across from me and smiling at something his father said I couldn’t help but frown.
Yeah, it won’t hurt me to open up. It will break me.
I refuse to let anyone hurt me again.