I glance over at Catherine who is starring at us. The way she is looking at me is cold. I look up at Jack unable to erase the frown on my face
"Okay" I murmur. He lets go of my shoulder. As I am about to walk towards the stairs, a man comes in the living room from the kitchen. He's dressed in a black suit, very short hair, piercing blue eyes and a moustache.
"Couldn't find the Whiskey in there Cath" he says annoyed
"Ah, Jack. You're here son" his tone warmer
"Dad" Jack says curtly
"Oh young lady would you be a peach and bring us some whiskey?"he orders. I instantly look at Jack. You could see the anger on his face.
"Not the maid Conrad, it's his girl Friend" she laughs "I made the same mistake" she carries on
He nods with his head gesturing I leave. I do as I am told. As I make my way upstairs I hear Jack swearing at them
"What the fuck are you two fucking doing here? And now this?" He spits out
I lock myself in the room and sit on the bed trying to wrap my head around the fact that I just met his parents for the first time and they both treated me as if I was a maid. They were so rude. Now I understand why Jack got away from them. After a while upstairs curiosity got the best of me. I sit at the top of the stairs trying to listen out. I mean I have the right to after how his parents just treated me.
"You don't really think you could just leave and abandon everything the family has worked for did you?" (Catherine)
"You're mother is right, we allowed you to have your little fun. Now it's time for you to start acting like a Preston!" (Conrad)
"Listen Jack, I know right now all of this seems appealing and nice but I know you, you'll get bored. Even that girl.. You don't think a scruffy, no name girl will be good enough for our family do you? We've got standards to uphold. You've had your fun with her now it's time to move on. We both know what you're like, you'll get bored of her soon enough" (Catherine)
My jaw drops. Tears well up in my eyes, how could they talk about me like that, like I was nothing. Could she be right? Jack might think he wants me now but eventually will get bored and leave?
"Mom Stop!" he grunts
"You both need to leave, I left the company, my old life, you both and everything else behind. I am not coming back"
"Jack be reasonable. You know exactly what you stand to lose if you don't come back. If it is about this girl, you know she's nothing compared to Alice. You know she's still waiting for you. She says you two still talk. Come on now Jack, This one is probably after money" (Conrad)
Who is Alice? My heart sank, my head was a mess. Jack never mentioned anyone of that name, 'she's still waiting' was he in a relationship with her? he told me he never had a girlfriend or was it just a lie to get me into bed? My head is spinning from everything I am hearing and all the thoughts flying around in my head.
"I'm going to ask one more time. You both need to leave right now" His tone harsh
"Okay, okay. We'll go, we've already outstayed our welcome. We're staying at the Ivorian hotel. Do come by when you've had a chance to think and done with your plaything" (Catherine)
I quickly retreat back in the room before they see me. I hear the door shut and they drive off. I don't even know how to look at Jack after everything I have just overheard. He didn't even defend me. Was that what I really was? his plaything, his shot at a trial 'normal life'. I couldn't help the tears streaming down my face. I grab my stuff and my bag and make my way downstairs. I don't want to be here anymore
I walk into the kitchen, Jack is on his phone in the garden. His face furious, he catches me standing and looking at him. He says something and hangs up and walks back into the kitchen. His eyes glance at the bag in my hand.
"You heard?" (J)
"I heard everything" I mutter. I'm looking at the floor, trying to avoid the obvious fact that I was just crying. He walks over to me and lifts my head with his finger and gently skims his thumbs over my eyes. "I'm sorry about them" he says softly
"I thought I would be able to keep you away from them" (J)
"Why? because I'm the scruffy no name girl you are having your fun with?" I spit out. I was pissed, pissed at the fact he let them say all this crap about me and didn't defend me.
"Hey, it's not like that you know this. My parents, they're so toxic" (J)
"What I know Jack, is that was the most humiliating thing that has ever happened to me. How dare they?They don't even know me. And you! you didn't even defend me. They spoke about me like I was some kind of leech, a gold digger, a nothing!". My tears are back, I couldn't even stop them if I tried.
"I'm sorry, I know you think I should have defended you but it doesn't matter what I say to them. They are so toxic. Even if I defended you it wouldn't mean nothing to them. I just don't want them to know nothing about you so they can't hurt you. but I see they have hurt you" (J) His rubs his hand on his face and sighs.
"I just want to go home please. I don't want.. I." I struggle to get the words out.
"I don't want to be here" I look down again unable to look at his face
"Anna, I'm truly sorry. I will fix this, please stay...." I cut him off before he has the chance to continue
"Why don't you ask Alice to come, since she has been waiting for you? Last time I checked you have not once, ever mentioned her to me" (A)
He runs his hand through his hair and leans against the counter.
"She's my ex " My mouth slightly opens in shock, he told me he never had a girlfriend
"But you told me .."
"Yes I know, She wasn't my girlfriend like that, we were involved but never put a label on it. It started out casual, it was my parents and hers who call her my girlfriend and me her boyfriend. I never saw her like that, we had a connection but that was it"
"Why aren't you two together? why did you?" I know I am going down the rabbit hole but I want to know
"I cheated on her, kind of.. I. I was drunk after a night out with Ty..Tyler. When I woke up I was in bed with a girl. I didn't even know who she was but it happened. I made a mistake. But again we were never in a relationship, so technically it wasn't cheating" He sighs
"She ended our casual thing after she friends told her about what had happen" (J)
"And this whole time you have been in contact with her? So every time you'd say something came up" My eyes open wide realising that maybe I am the plaything until he gets back with her.
"Yes I still talk to her, but it's not like that . I hurt her and she.. I haven't spoken to her in a while. And the reason I had to leave a few times was solely down to shit with my parents not her. Do you think I would leave you for another woman?" I ignore his question
"Did you know she still has feelings for you?" I ask softly
"Yes, I did but I was never going to.." he trails off "None of this matters. I'm here with you, I want you" he says walking towards me. I stretch out my hand and take a step back.
"And the man, outside. Did he follow me?" (A)
"I'm guessing my parents sent him to spy on me and he realised I was seeing you and maybe followed you too. I know all of this is insane, this is why I wanted to keep you away from them" (J)
"I want to go home" my voice coming out croaky
"Anna please stay, we don't have to stay in the same room or hang out with each other. Just stay I'll drive you back tomorrow" All I wanted right now was to curl up in bed and cry. I've been such a fool!
"Please ?"
"Okay, I just want to be alone right now" I place my bag on the floor and leave the house. I wander by the lake. My heart was in pieces, I can't believe that our day went from romantic to a pit of despair so quick. I find a spot under a tree overlooking the lake. I sat there until the sun started to set, it was beautiful. As much as this was the most beautiful sunset ever I couldn't take my mind off of the whole situation.
How can I be with Jack knowing there's a chance he is just toying with me, I can already see his parents will always make things difficult or insulting me. As for Alice it seems that there's history between them and they still need to sort things out. I don't stand a chance, do I ?
I walk back to the House to find Jack sitting on the steps. He looks up at me with a smile.
"You okay?" he asks softly
"Yeah, you?" (A)
"Could be better, I've been missing my girlfriend" he smiles. How can he do that, pretend like nothing has happened
"Hmmph, should've occupied yourself with your other girlfriend then" I glare at him
"Anna, believe me it's not like that. I hurt her and I fell bad I thought talking to her would give her closure. I hurt her a lot, I was never planning on ever getting back with her or continuing our thing. Being with her felt like it was arranged. Our parents are close so, it never felt natural to me. If we did end up together it would have been to make both families stronger not because we we're in love"
"Do you love her, did you?"
"To be honest, I don't think I did. she was..is a nice girl but I didn't see it going anywhere. I had no attachment to her"
"Okay" I reply bluntly. I walk up the steps past him and he grabs my arm. He looks up at me, searching my eyes.
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