Chapter Sixty
Trace POV
"Damn, Trace!" I turn to see the face that owns the loud voice.
"What?"
Lucas shrugs, eyeing me up and down. He bites his lip in a teasingly gay way, gesturing for me to come closer. I know he's only doing this because of my outfit.
After football I quickly showered and threw on a pair of blue jeans and a white button up shirt. My hair is still a mess but that doesn't matter. I don't even need to dress up but I wanted to look at least a little professional to tour an apartment.
I've got an appointment to look at one in less than an hour. Speaking of which, I should hurry or I'm not going to make it on time.
"This body is for my girl only, Luke." wink.
He rolls his eyes, "Get your sexy ass out of here before you're late."
I laugh and climb into the truck. Her paint is beginning to chip off along the doors too. Before it was only chipping at the handles and a little on the hood but now the doors are losing their paint. I need to get her fixed up soon.
I drive out of the parking lot and somehow I find myself thinking about Emma. No matter what I'm doing, my mind always wanders back to her. The thought of her makes me smile. Her delicious smell, the way her eyes hold so much innocence and desire. The sounds she makes when I kiss her.
She can do whatever she wants to me, she knows that. I'll take anything she wants to give me too. I want all of her. Every last thing about her is completely beautiful.
Everything about her drives me f ucking crazy.
I wanted to invite her to come with me today. We could look at my apartment together, maybe one day she can move in with me and it'll be ours. Even if she doesn't want to move in, she's always welcome to stop by. Spend the night even.
Spend the night with her: that'd be a dream. Even if we don't do anything I'd just love being next to her all night long. Drowning in her smell, her cuddled into my arms. That'd be the perfect night.
I asked her if she'd join me on this apartment browsing adventure but she declined my offer. She said she needs to help her sister set up her new room.
Laila moved in with them, I was surprised when Emma told me. She only told me because the topic was brought up.
She's been a little off lately. She's upset about something, confused. But every time I try to ask her about it she shuts me down.
I feel like she might be mad at me for something but I don't know what I did. If I did something she'd tell me, right? How could I improve if I don't know what I did wrong?
Maybe she isn't even mad at me though. It's hard to tell now. She's closing herself off more than she used to. She's never been easy to read but paying close attention she's an open book. Lately it doesn't matter how much I study her I just come up blank. She won't allow me to see past what I've already managed to figure out: she's upset. Not knowing why is killing me though.
I slide into a parking spot close to the room I want to look at. It's on the bottom floor since there's no way in hell I'm going up an elevator everyday. Stairs are different than elevators, but I sort of hate both.
An apartment is different than a home and I don't want higher than level one.
I check the time: ten minutes early.
I go ahead and check into the front desk. A woman walks out from the back. She looks about age thirty in the face but all of her hair is a perfect shade of brown letting me know she dyes it. After a certain point you can no longer fool people because it just becomes unnatural. Her lips hold a friendly smile.
I tell her why I'm there and she nods, saying she'll be the person showing me around.
I take notice of her baggy jeans and sweatshirt. Looks like dressing up isn't that important. I'll have to remember that for next time if this one doesn't work out. On the last apartment tour I wore my usual sweat pants but I felt underdressed.
"My name is Linda." she shakes my hand.
We walk to the room, she unlocks it and allows me inside first. The first thing I see is the living room. It's small but spacious enough to be comfortable. The carpet matches the wall, Emma will like that. She's got an eye for interior design. I've already planned to ask her to help me decorate my apartment.
Across from the living room is the kitchen. It's got brown wooden strips lining the floor. There's cabinets placed strategically above every counter except the counters coming into the room with barstools in front of them.
There's windows on one wall of the living room showing proof of the outside world but other than that the house is dark. That'll take some getting used to. Not having a yard or pretty windows to showcase colorful curtains.
We go to view the bedrooms. The price went up almost double because I have to get three bedrooms. It was my original intention to try and save on money and have the kids share a room, it's not like they'd mind and we could just work around the changing clothes arrangements. I found out later on that it's against the law to put opposite genders over age six in the same room though.
A three bedroom apartment is definitely more expensive but by the looks of the room, it may be worth it after all. I'm looking at a room right now that I can already view as Olivias. She could put her dollhouse in the corner with her bed right beside it. She likes to sleep with her barbies, but not with them in the bed with her. This way she can sleep with them without risk of breaking her toys.
The next room I see is Dylans. It's almost the same as Olivia's except their closets are in different places. In between their rooms they have a bathroom. It's a small bathroom but it'll be big enough for the two of them.
Linda takes me to the last room in the apartment. It's across the hall from Dylan.
I open the door and only mere seconds into it I'm thinking of all the things Emma and I could have in here. She can put a bookshelf along the back wall if she wants too. My closet is big enough for her clothes as well, it's not like I have a whole lot of clothes anyways since I have to buy all new stuff.
I know we're still in high school, but we graduate soon. We both want to go to college. That's one reason I wanted to look at it. An apartment isn't permanent so if she wishes for college five hours away then it'd be easy enough to move with her.
Overall, the apartment isn't as big as my last house was but I was already prepared for that. I think it'll take some getting used to but this place could be called home.
"I'm ready to sign for it," I smile at the woman and she grins.
"Great, you already know the price for it and the expected policies?" she asks politely.
I nod, "Yes, ma'am. I spoke with Martha over the phone and she sent me some forms to fill out. I've been notified of all the rules already."
"That's good. Then just come back with me, we can talk paperwork and payments for a minute then if you still want to sign the lease it'll be yours."
We head back to the front and after almost an hour of signing, reading, and discussing. I own the apartment room.
I walk out to my truck, about to get in when my phone rings.
It's from my old neighbor Mrs. Watkins. She's an old lady that used to babysit the kids for me a lot when her grandson, Jack, would go visit her.
"Hey," I give her a friendly greeting.
"Trace?" her voice sounds concerned.
"Is something wrong?"
She sighs, slowly exhaling. A moment passes and I begin getting impatient. I'm about to ask her again when she starts talking, "It's about the fire at your house."
"What about it?"
"I've got cameras in my yard to monitor my garage. I checked the cameras a few minutes ago and saw something interesting. In my cameras I have a clear shot through your old kitchen window.
"I can see the man who burned your house down."
My breath hitches.
She's got proof of who destroyed my home and nearly got us killed.
"Are you sure?"
Her old voice is soft as she speaks, "I'm sure Trace. I can see it clear as day, he has the lighter and everything."
My heart feels like it's about to pound out of my chest. She's got footage of the man that burned my house to the ground. The man who almost got us killed. As soon as I find out who it is, he's going to wish he'd never messed with us.
"I'm on my way."
She hangs up and I jump into my truck, skidding out of the parking lot.
My heart feels like it's about to burst out of my chest. I guess after a little while I just accepted that I'll never know who did it. I was able to come to terms with that. I figured eventually we'd be able to figure it out, I just didn't know how soon that would be. Now the mystery is back up and I'm on my way to see the culprit in action.
I wish Emma could come with me. I could just swing by her house and she could come out to my truck. She'd get in and lace her fingers with my own like she does every time she sees me in distress. That action alone would be enough to calm me down. But she's busy today and it'd be selfish of me to make her cancel her plans just because I need her company.
When I pull into Mrs. Watkins', driveway I can't seem to pull my eyes away from the ashes that used to be my home. I've only been back once since it burned to the ground. The day we got out of the hospital I left the kids with Adalyns mother and came back to help the fire marshals clean up and go through stuff to figure out what I'm owed.
Nothing was at it once was. Everything is destroyed.
The area definitely looks better than it did a few weeks ago but there's still black grass marking the territory of my used to be home.
But the worst part of it is that I'll never see it again. I didn't know that I would have my last night sleeping in the bed until I did. Dylan fell in the shower for the last time he ever would in that house, without even knowing. All the moments I should've savored are gone now and I can't get them back.
The only thing I still have is the memories. I'll hold onto them forever. But now we have a new home to make memories in. Maybe this time Emma can be in a few of them.
Mrs. Watkins walks outside to greet me.
Her husband died a few years ago so it's only her, sometimes her grandson too.
"Come on in dear. I can make you a cup of tea if you'd like?" she offers.
I hold the door open for her, we walk inside.
She still has half a dozen candles burning like she used to. At least that hasn't changed.
"No, ma'am. I'm okay."
She nods, taking my hand and leading me to the living room. Her old hand is cold and soft. I can feel her thin skin shifting as it moves against mine.
I sit on the couch and she sits in the chair adjacent to me.
"I don't know who this young man is but I'm fairly certain you do. If I remember correctly he'd visit your house a lot, I just can't put my finger on what his name was."
The video pops up on her television. It's an old TV with what looks like the footage from an even older camera. The quality to it isn't the best but I can still see well enough to make out enough details.
It shows the inside of her garage but on the edge of the screen I can see inside my old kitchen. All of it looks so foreign now. The green curtains hanging around the window, Olivia always called them ugly but I thought they looked cool when I bought them. My decorating skills suck.
I can see the tall, white refrigerator that held all of our preferred foods: grapes, yogurt, jello. In the distance there's a picture on the wall. It's impossible to make out through these circumstances but I remember the photo. I can still recall every detail of it.
It's a photo of me, the kids and our mother. She was in the hospital when we took it next to her bed. Neither Dylan nor Olivia ever got to really know her but I did. She was incredible. The kindest person you'd ever meet.
Movement through the camera brings me out of my thoughts.
I can see the shadow of someone walk up to the kitchen window. From the stance I can tell it's a man. It's practically impossible to know who it is without them turning around though. I'll need a clear shot of his face.
And then I get one.
Clear as day, he turns in the direction of the camera and I see the face.
He sparks the lighter, grabs a corner of the curtain and it catches flames.
Then, he tosses the lighter into the sink and walks away.
"Do you know the man?" she inquires.
I nod, "Very well, it's my best friend."
He couldn't do that. There must be some mistake, he'd never do that to me. I trust him with my life. He'd never betray me.
I've invited him into my home. He's played with the kids and been a friend to me for a while now. I refuse to believe he'd do something like this. There has to be a misunderstanding.
I stand up, confident of my thoughts, "Thank you so much for showing me this, Mrs. Watkins. But I need to leave now, there's people I've got to go see."
We say our goodbyes and I get a quick copy of the video onto my phone before leaving.
I get in the truck and my thoughts take over. All of this is becoming too much. I believed I'd be able to see the video and be fine with who it reveals but I can't. The video just proved to me that my best friend is a liar. But I know the video has to be wrong. I'm sure of it.
All I want right now is to see Emma. I want to hug her, hear her tell me everything will be okay and we can talk through this. I'm such a wimp. I should be able to handle these things without her. Now that I've had her be there for me I don't know what to do when she isn't.
I bring out my phone and quickly dial her number. It starts ringing.
A few moments pass by, and then she answers, "Hello?"
Her quiet voice is soothing.
"Hey, Ems." the shakiness in my voice betrays me.
"What's wrong?"
I love it when she gets concerned about me.
"Can I come pick you up? I'll explain everything then."
She's quiet for a moment.
I'm about to tell her nevermind, that I apologize for trying to pull her out of this family thing she's doing. I know she despises her sister but maybe helping her set up her room is an attempt to grow closer to her.
"Of course" she breathes out, "I'll be ready in five."
Then she hangs up.
All I've got to do is pick up my girl, then we can go figure out Cameron's side of the story.
Authors Note:
Hello guys! Thanks for reading! Have a great day and stay safe!
So most of you were right, Cameron was the culprit but I didn't think it'd be as easy when writing it lol. I never imagined you'd all think so hard about it but I kind of like that you did!
Do you think Cameron did it to hurt Trace or was it just a misunderstanding?