The girl behind her smile

- 23 -

ELIZA

I wake up to the sound of my alarm blaring into my ears. Memories of yesterday flood back into my mind, yanking me out of my groggy state. Alert, I sit up scanning the room frantically, when there seems to be no signs of Jasper, I look down and notice the duvet covering the lower part of my body. I was on my bed, but I was sure I had slept on the floor last night.

Did Jasper place me here before he left?

Pulling the cover off, I stand, moving away from my bed and towards the note sitting on my desk. The writing was placed on the back of a scrap piece of paper, and definitely not as messy as I though it would have been

Be ready by 5, I'm taking you somewhere.

As I go to place the note down, I notice a small necklace sitting in it's place. I reach out for it, holding it in the palm of my hand. The charm rests against the lines on my hand, intact and unscathed.

Jasper never threw it into the lake.

And although I was flooded with relief, part of me was unsure on what I should feel like. Should I still be angry - for something he didn't do? Was my pain all he wanted to see? I don't know what to feel. Do I thank him for not destroying the remnants of my dad? Or do I harbour my grudge for making me loose my mind? 

I close the clasp of the necklace around my neck, placing it under my top as I head to the bathroom to freshen up. 

I don't know what to feel.

Am I crazy for not feeling resent?

He had it with him, but why did he choose to return it to me now? Wouldn't I have 'forgiven' him faster if he had just handed it back the same day, or even when he came to apologise the first day he came here? Why now?

I head out of the bathroom, and down to the kitchen, where Elijah sat, eating breakfast. I place a bowl on the counter, trying not to remember how Jasper had walked through the very same room, les than 10 hours ago.

"Has he left?" Elijah speaks up.

"Ezra? I think he's still sleeping." I reply absentmindedly.

"No, I mean the guy you snuck in last night." 

I freeze, turning around slowly to face him, my voice slightly high pitched, "What are you on about, I didn't sneak anyone in."

He chuckled, still scrolling on his phone, "First off, you're a horrible liar. Secondly, I saw him in the garden last night, and you guys weren't as quiet as you thought you were."

I open my mouth and close it like a fish, what do I tell him?

"Don't even try to deny it, Izzy."

I look away, pursing my lips, "I wasn't going to."

"Right. So, did he leave?"

"Yeah, he left before I woke up." I bite my lips, "I hope he's alright, he was injured and trekking through the rain. I'm not sure if one blanket was enough, to be honest."

Elijah chokes on his breakfast, "Did you guys sleep in the same bed?"

I side eye him, watching him as he tries to recover from the coughing fit, "No. And even if we did, would it be a problem?"

"Yes. You're a child."

"I'm 16."

"Exactly, a child."

"You slept around so much when you were my age!" I protest, "Is it because I'm a girl? Are you being sexist?"

"No, it's because you're my sister, I would say the same to Ezra." He swivels on his chair facing me, "And I did not sleep around, I was just in some... multiple relationships, ok?"