U N T O L D
T R U T H
chapter four
Mom hasn't spoken much since yesterday. I listened with my head leaned against her bedroom door when I heard her on the phone to the psychologist, scheduling an appointment for us both.
Flynn Davis has caused grey clouds to gloom over the town of Hamilton. The tragedy everyone has finally healing from has been handed to us again.
I guess it's only a matter of time before the detective who still is trying to catch Ronan Kennedy and his three side kicks who were identified by my description I had given, start to question Flynn. It's impossible to not pass up the opportunity to judge his involvement.
After I had eaten the breakfast I had made myself, I had grabbed my keys and driven to school wearily in the car dad bought me. A part of me has always believed he gave it to me just so I have a reason to wander off and get out of his and mom's hair.
I hate the car.
It's not to car itself, it's the realisation my father had chosen his political career over his family. It made me feel even more guilty.
This leads me to where I am now, hastily slamming the grey car door shut with a little too much force, and leave it sitting in the back of the school carpark. If anyone figures out that it is my car, it would be trashed in an instant.
That's why I keep it in the garage most times. But it hasn't stopped reckless people from trashing mom's car.
My legs ache slightly from yesterday's intense track, but I push through it as I quickly walk through the cars and to Hamilton High's infamous doors.
"Not only is she the biggest bitch ever, she's also a skank." The moment I step foot into the main hall, Dianna marches up to me with a displeased look on her face.
I frown, but then my eyes move down the hall where Nancy Dennis has attached herself to the arm of some jock. A different jock then she was hanging off yesterday.
"She's been like that since she was a freshman." There hasn't been a day where Nancy isn't surrounded by guys, or attached to their arms.
"I'm surprised you haven't attacked her yet." Flynn suddenly appears by his sister's side, ruffling her hair as she swats his hand away.
It makes me think if the two are even related. Although they do look similar. They both have brown hair and a perfectly carved jawline, as well as hazel eyes. But I have to remind myself that so many other people have brown hair and hazel eyes. It can mean anything.
"Gosh, you make me out to be a monster." Dianna glares at her brother and fixes the mess of her hair he made. "Before you so rudely interrupted our conversation, I was going to ask Violet if she wanted to show us that ice cream parlour we drove by. Is this afternoon good?"
She turns away from glaring at her brother, to smile widely at me. My stomach twists because of her question. Being seen in public with Sebastian's identical match will be the negative talk of the town.
They're normal people who don't deserve this.
"Hamilton Melts?" I already knew the ice cream parlour she was talking about. It's the most underrated place in town, but it's been one of the only places I could go and workers wouldn't refuse me service.
One time when I was sitting by myself in the leather booth, devouring my sundae, Nancy stormed in and decided to throw insults and names at me. Barb, who owns the parlour, banned Nancy and all her friends from ever going there. It's almost a safe haven there.
"Yeah! That's the one." Dianna answers, her short brown hair bouncing on her shoulders as she nods. "Can we go there straight after school? Mom said they have amazing choc caramel swirl."
"Yeah, I can go." Mom has work until late tonight, so I take a mental note to message her that I'm going somewhere. "Has your mom been here before? In Hamilton, I mean."
Our town is tucked away on the outskirts of America, no one rarely knows of Hamilton. We're too small for people to care about. No one ever visits.
"Yeah but it was a long time ago." Flynn answers. "I was only just born when she came here."
His words sink in, and immediately my mind starts making connections. His parents had been here when he was born, and Sebastian was raised here his whole life. I don't think that would be a coincidence.
Maybe I could use our time at Hamilton Melts to start a casual conversation about family lives, and see what information I can get. For all I know, either Flynn or Sebastian could be adopted.
I know I'm not going to ask the question to Flynn if he is adopted, that would be cruel. But there is the possibility the two were separated.
I ripped them apart before they could ever meet.
My side is roughly pushed from behind, making me lose my balance from the unexpected push. I stumble forward and Flynn's hands shoot out, grabbing my forearms before I can face plant in front of him.
I tense from his touch, even more reality that he is real settling in my mind. "I'm sorry." Quickly, I regain my balance and stand up, taking a step away from him.
He frowns, turning his head to one of Nancy's 'boy toys' as they walk by with a clear smirk on their face. "Can you watch where you're going?"
My face drops when Flynn confronts the boy before he can reach his destination of Nancy. The boy who I recognise as David, stops in his tracks and looks at Flynn.
I feel the mild anxiety within me hammer in my chest, but it's a lot easier than it was last year. I'm only thankful my medication reduces it.
"Seriously Se- Flynn, you're defending her?" I try not to let David's words absorb into my brain. In one ear, out the other. "There's a reason no one here no one defends her."
By now, attention had been gained from everyone in the hall. My cheeks burn red, and I look down at my shoes to avoid the situation that is unfolding.
"Just keep to yourself, man. There's no need for any of it." I silently curse when Flynn continues to argue back, not dropping it so it would all stop.
"What? Has Killer Girl got her gang of prey's?" He snickers, his friends and Nancy joining his side. I don't want any of this. I want Flynn to stop and leave it be. "What is she threatening you with to be her friend? Immunity from being killed?"
The people in the hall all either giggle or laugh, some trying to muffle it with their hands. The jokes are old and not even funny.
My eyes widen when Flynn takes a threatening step closer to David. He tries to take another, but I latch my fingers to the sleeve of his cream coloured jumper.
He looks down at my hand, following my arm up to me. "Please, can we just walk away?" I ask in a whisper, knowing if it was any louder people would hear and laugh at me.
His lips part as if he was going to say something, but he shuts them and nods. I let go of the material of his jumper as he turns his back on David.
"Assholes." Dianna mutters under her breath when Flynn starts walking away. She grabs my arm and pulls me with them as I don't bother to move.
I hear David laugh from behind us. "She really does have you all under her command." The three of us all silently ignore his comment and round the corner, escaping the crowded hall.
I suddenly feel a wave of guilt wash over me. "I'm sorry about him." I play with my fingers when we walk down the hall lined with classrooms. "I won't be offended if you guys don't-"
"Want to be your friend?" Dianna finishes my slow sentence with a raised brow. Flynn and her both stop walking, making me do the same. "I'm not going to completely ditch you because of the heat the school puts on you. I'm sure Flynn feels the same, because we're two peas in a pod, so I know. You're the one person in this whole place that I've met so far that's not an asshole or stuck up."
I haven't heard words like that in what feels forever. She wants to be my friend, taking in consideration the negative attention I get from the school, but she barely knows me.
"Th-thanks?" I'm not sure what's the correct way to respond. I'm use to taking an insult and watching the ground as it flies my way.
"She's right, you know." My eyes meet Flynn's piercing ones, reminding me of Sebastian's frightened eyes that night. "You're not a complete asshole."
His smile forced me to mirror is as I playfully roll my eyes. Already I feel better. I don't feel judged for something I didn't do.
Over time, I hoped Flynn's identical features wouldn't bring up constant memories and reminders of Sebastian Reynolds.
Maybe the three of us could grow to be good friends. For the first time since the accident, I could have people who have my back. People I can call friends.
I fight away the nerves once more as I sit in my car. I managed to get a park right in front of the entry doors to Hamilton Melts, making it easier to watch if Flynn and Dianna have arrived.
My hands shake as I rub them against the leather steering wheel. I haven't been seen in the eye of the public with Flynn, I'm not sure if I'm prepared for the eyes turned my way.
I'm also scared about figuring out his relation to Sebastian. If I dig too deep and ask the wrong questions, I would look more guilty than I do now.
I steal a glance at the baby blue diary beside me on the passenger seat. I have always kept it in the glove department incase I got in an accident and needed to exchange information.
Now it's my investigative journal. I had already written down that his mother visited Hamilton when Flynn was a baby. The empty pages are aching to be filled with more connections.
I sigh and look away from the book, noticing that both Flynn and Dianna stand outside the doors, looking around.
I quickly climb out of the car, and they see me instantly. "I was starting to think you stood us up." Flynn jokes when I join the two.
I scoff with a small smile. "Yeah, the girl with no social life decides to stand up the first invite to do something in forever." The words slipped from my mouth before I could stop them.
The feeling of having possible friends has already taken it's toll on me.
Flynn's lips pull down their their smile, and purse, however Dianna smiles. "Well I'm glad it's ice cream we can share as a first step towards you having a social life." Her words are true. "Oh, I didn't mean- sorry, I have no filter sometimes. It's not what I meant."
"It's okay, Dianna." I reassure her. I'm use to getting words like that directed to me, but I know she didn't mean it in a negative way. It was simply a tease.
"Let's head inside? I'm dying to taste some proper ice cream." My lips part in shock from Flynn's words. Looking at him when he said that caused the image of Sebastian's dis-formed head to pop in my mind. My body shutters.
The Davis siblings walk in first, being hit with the immediate cool air. Immediately I spot Barb behind the counter, her eyes snapping to Flynn.
Her face pales, eyes widen, and she sucks in a breath as she holds her hand to her heart. I stare at her in hope she catches my eye before she says anything.
She does, and I discreetly shake my head, silently pleading her not to say anything to him.
"There's so many different flavours." Dianna says through a smile as her and Flynn look down to the many ice creams.
My eyes draw to the double chocolate fudge flavour, The Sebastian, as Barb renamed the flavour in memory of him. It was the only flavour he would get, so Barb decided it was best to name it after its best buyer.
"What can I get you all today?" Barn forces a smile on her face, her eyes glued to Flynn. She still looks uneasy.
"Can I get three scoops of the chocolate caramel swirl, please?" Dianna settled quickly for her flavour, taking her mother's suggestion.
Barb manages to tear her eyes from Flynn, who now is watching her curiously, and starts to get Dianna's ice cream.
"And you?" Her attention is back to the brunette boy beside me.
"Uh, can I please get the double chocolate fudge. Three scoops as well." His order makes my eyes snap to him. Out of all the flavours, he got The Sebastian.
Barb seems hesitant to get the ice cream, but she sighs sadly, and digs into it with her scoop. Flynn nervously scratches the back of his neck when Barb would steal a sneaky glance at him.
"Here you go." She hands him his order, and he pays rather quickly, telling her to keep the change. She wasn't being discreet with recognition.
"Can you guys quickly get the booth in the corner? I always sit there." It's obvious no one else would come into the parlour this afternoon. Maybe the kids from middle school would stop by for an ice cream, but they wouldn't stay.
The two nod, Dianna already taking spoonfuls of her ice cream when they turn around and walk to the corner of the decent sized parlour.
"Same order?" She asks me, taking another quick look at Flynn from afar. I nod. "Who is he?" She asks in an extremely quiet whisper, whilst getting my ice cream.
"His name is Flynn." I tell her as she hands me my Mango Magic ice cream. "He has no clue about or who Sebastian is."
I hand her my money, the last of what I have in my wallet. Cash wise, at least. "Lord, have mercy on him." She takes a deep breath and starts wiping down the counter.
I leave her, sliding next to Dianna in the booth. "Why is your cup so small?" Flynn let's out a small chuckle when he sees the kids cup my ice cream is in.
"I've gotten it like this since I first ever came here. It's small, but it's worth it." I answer and spoon out my first bite. "Enough about me, I want to know about you two. Why did your family decide to move to Hamilton of all places."
I want to curse myself so asking questions so quickly, but I started with the most standard question I could think of.
"Mom and dad both were tired of how busy our street was back in Fernleigh, so they wanted to move." Dianna fills me in, and I hold back my curious frown. Moving to a completely different town because of traffic on a street is not the most rational thing to do.
"Next thing we knew, they suggested we move here cause it's a really small town. They just thought it was best if we came here." I mentally note down everything Flynn tells me.
The move from Fernleigh to Hamilton isn't that far of a move, but it's still strange to me the want to be here. Especially after our town having a name for the gruesome murder of Sebastian Reynolds.
"What about your friends back at Fernleigh? Wouldn't it be hard without them?"
"Not really. It's only ever been Dianna and I. I do have my friend, Liam, who I still talk to, but it's not major change." Dianna has been cut out of the conversation by her older brother.
"What about family? If you moved here isn't harder to visit extended family?" My attempt at an interrogation is unnoticed by the Davis pair. They assume it's small talk about their recent move to the small town over.
"We-"
"We don't have extended family. No grandparents, no aunts or uncles." Flynn cuts his sister off before she could get a second word in.
His words are laced with sadness, like he wishes he did have a larger family. It makes the guilt rise again, knowing if Sebastian and Flynn truly are family, I ripped his chance apart.
"It's okay though." Dianna throws a glare at her brother, warning him not to cut her off again. "We're all close so it's fine. What about your family, though? Have you got any siblings?"
The conversation flips on me. I had briefly spoken to Flynn yesterday about the ghost like house, but now I have to cover it again for Dianna. "It's just my mom and I."
"Isn't your dad mayor?" Dianna's question's throws me off guard, her no filter is something I'd have to adapt to.
"How do y-" I stop myself before I can ask. "Well, yeah he is. Mom and him got a divorce at the beginning of the year. I haven't seen him in months."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't of said anything." Dianna slumps her shoulders and let's her spoon sit in her now empty ice cream cup.
"No, it's okay." I reassure her and take another scoop from my ice cream, my eyes glued to it. "It's my fault anyway."
My shrug and simple words of truth shock both the brunettes. "What? It can't be your fault. You're parents divorced, not you." Flynn lays it down bluntly.
"My dad divorced mom because she didn't agree to have me put in a halfway house then a women's refuge. He needed to maintain his political career, so he couldn't have me as a daughter but mom picked me over him." Speaking with friends about my complicated family life is different than with my psychologist.
The weight taken off my chest feels a lot relieving than it does in professional settings, and the reality of it all affects me less.
"That's not your fault then." Dianna places a hand on my shoulder and I look up from my ice cream. "That's his fault."
I sigh when I think back to the day I woke up in the hospital for the second time. It wasn't Sebastian's accident, it was my own attempt at one. I just wanted all of the blame, judgment, feelings, and memories to go away.
My father saw me as a result of looking like poor parenting. I was raised well, I always thought. But he thought his colleagues in the office would judge him for having me as a daughter.
It is all my fault.
It's my fault my parents marriage failed, it's my fault Sebastian is dead, and it's my fault for my own terrorising trauma's.
"Sure."
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Welcome back to a new chapter!
I updated this a lot faster than I thought I would.
This chapter marks the start of the rabbit hole into the mystery of Sebastian and Flynn :)
I hope you all are enjoying the story so far!
Until Next Time,
Hannah