"A masquerade ball?" Jon replied puzzled, "Really? I don't want it."
Alex, Jon and I were at the benches after Jon finished his football training, he smelt like sweat and cologne which was a horrible mixture to my nose but I ignored it as we tried to convince him about our father birthday plans.
"Come on Jonathan," Alex said, "Don't be like that, Dad's doing this for you."
"If he's doing it for me then I suggest nothing fancy and something close to his heart," he replied with a shrugged, "I mean who does he think I am?"
"Heir to the Haystack Industry," I replied.
Jon frowned, "I don't want it."
Alex eyes widen with shock but I just nod, "I know."
Alex turned to me, "You knew?"
"Of course," I replied my eyes glancing at Jon but he avoided my gaze. He didn't had to tell me how he felt but I knew he didn't wanted anything from our father and I don't blame him, look at us, we were separated after our parents divorce, our grandmother wanted to keep only me and my mother couldn't afford to take care of both Alex or Jon and pay for her rent for her Flat as the same time so Aunt Claire had to take Alex.
Dad didn't want any of us.
He was so absorbed in his work and now he only wanted us back because we were getting older and we had sense, children didn't had sense, children needed to be taken care of and he didn't want that, he wanted us ready made and he got his wish.
"Look it at this way Jon," I told him, "Father will spent all his money on us, pay for a good education and we'll just throw it back in his face."
Alex shivered, "That sounds cruel."
"It does," I replied, "But he's cruel too." I remembered him threaten Timothy and still even though Timothy stayed away he still got his friend Charles fired.
Jon seemed to understand what I meant, he took a sip of his water and then sighed, "I don't want any part of this Elizabeth, and even if he's cruel he's still our father."
"I guess you're right," I replied looking at my hands, they were trembling suddenly I clenched my fist and shook my bad thoughts out of my head.
Alex clapped her hands cheerfully clearing away the chilly mood around us, "So it's decided, we leave tomorrow after school and your birthday will be Saturday, and Sunday will fly back before school starts."
Jon frowned, "Gosh so much traveling, that's a reason I don't want it."
Alex shook her head, "I agree with somethings Elizabeth said, it's about time dad spends his money on us."
I grinned at her. Looks like she was by my side again, I was happy. The memory of seeing her getting kissed by Luke didn't seem to matter to me. If she likes him then I guess I should at least try to be there for her.
***
Jon went to change and told us not to wait for him, Alex and I walked back to the Academy passing through the pathway in the grass, we made it to the lake and she unconsciously picked up a pebble and tossed it in the water.
I smirked remembering what Chloe told me about the Lake. Students always caught throwing pebbles at it, I guess Alex was frustrated about something. "Are you going to invite Luke?" I asked curiously.
She didn't seem stunned by the statement, only shaking her head, "I don't know would it be obvious."
"No."
"How would you know?"
"The Anderson family was always close to ours, if father or mother questions it I'll just say I invited them."
That surprised her, "Why would you –"
I shrugged, "I know you like him Alex, I'm not a dummy, you're my sister." Alex face turned crimson red and looked away, I smiled at her expression, "I – I don't."
"He likes you too," I replied. She turned back to me, eyes stunned, I don't know how much more she can be surprise I found hilarious. I laughed and shrugged at her expression, "Come on Alexandria, I use to hate him, reading his expression was like a duty of mines to figure out his motives."
I saw her pressed her lips firmly together, she looked grim for a second but when I looked more closely her expression changed from grim to confusion, "You use to hate him?"
I grinned, "Yeah well I thought if you like him then I guess I should try not to hold a grudge and be there for you."
Alex smiled, "Thank you Lizzy."
"Yeah well sure, and if he hurts you that'll be more reason to hate him and I swear if he does he will regret it."
Alex laughed thinking it was a joke but I could never be more serious. "You know you sound just like Luke when he's talking to Lisa."
"Well we have to be there for our little sisters after all," I replied pulling her in for a hug. "Yeah but Lisa and I thinks it's annoying."
I rolled my eyes, "Whatever, be grateful."
***
That evening as the sun was going now I thought it was the best to relax underneath the trees. I sat there on the bench breathing in the amazing view of the grounds. I had to admit this Academy was beautiful. Carl West Moore didn't destroy the nature having the buildings around. The sun shone it last light between the branches of the trees and I smiled feeling a little at peace with the picturesque view.
Then I wasn't alone anymore.
Luke sat besides me silently admiring the same sight, "Thank you."
I hummed softly a response not feeling it in me to say anything. He turned, I could feel his eyes on me, I shifted in my seat and faced him. "Do you trust me now?" he asked.
"No." It was the truth and he wasn't surprised by it, just hurt.
"I trust my sister and she trusts you."
He nod but I wasn't done yet, I moved closer pressing my index finger in his hard chest, "I swear Luke if you hurt her I will make sure it's not my family that gets destroy but yours."
I was ready for him to say something sneering but he just sighed as if he was exhausted and in pain. His blue glasses were shimmering, was that tears. I looked away pulling myself far from him, my heart beating out of fear and maybe uneasiness.
"You were my friend," I said softly trying to remember the childhood I had before my time with my grandmother. Nothing came to me.
He nodded, the sunset and we were in the darkness now but I still didn't dare face him. "We were but you don't remember."
"No."
"I do," he spoke, his voice soft and fainted, "I remembered and – and I'm sorry that our lives grew apart, we will never get back that childhood again, us running on the beach picking up shells and stones." I heard him chuckle at the thought and I felt the guilt rippling through me.
I got up before I started to get teary like him. I didn't want to be like that. "My parents don't know you and my sister are together and I would like it to be like that for how long as possible."
"I know."
"Good," I replied making my voice stern but I was trying not to sob. I walked away going to my dorm.
Luke you have no idea how much I wish we could be friends again but I don't see it happening and I hope my sister and your brother and everyone around us is right about you and you're not such a bad guy.
Because if you are, then you're truly terrible to make me think I could actually trust you when I knew I shouldn't.
----
A/n -
Sorry for the late updates, I finally got my last two exams out of the way and now I can finally be a little free to read/update. Instead of two chapters I added this last one as payment for being late.
Right now my real focus is on Checkmate as my earlier project for a friend of mine is finish, I don't like to write two stories at once since it makes me a little confuse and my styles for both of them mixing together being out of place, it makes me a little happy to know that I can write easily now just for this story, but anyways I hope you stay for this ride with me as the characters especially Elizabeth and Luke has more to grow ;)