Hey guys, so just so you know, I have several other chapters finished, and I am editing them, so I may post multiple chapters in one day! Hope you enjoy this one! R&R!
Jessica came down stairs an hour and a half later when she heard new voices.
"Honestly Love, you cant expect Artie to tell us everything about his personal life," a distinctly British woman was saying. Jessica poked her head around the door into the dining room. A woman with straight black hair was standing behind Myka's chair rubbing her shoulders reassuringly, while the rest of the group sat in chairs around the table. A man she hadn't seen before nodded his head, agreeing with the British woman.
"Yeah, C'mon guys, we don't know why he didn't tell us." he said logically. Jessica stepped forward and cleared her throat.
"I do. If you really want to know why he didn't tell you, I can tell you." she said softly. The two newcomers looked at her curiously. Finally the black haired woman stepped forward.
"Hello, My name is Helena Wells," she introduced herself, holding out her hand. Jessica smiled,
"Hiya, I love your books." she said with a mischievous glint in her eyes. H.G. smirked,
"Then I think we will get on quite well." she replied. Jessica grinned, then turned to the only person she had yet to meet.
"Hi, I'm Jessica." she said simply, holding out her hand. He smiled,
"Steve Jinks," he said with a grin. Jessica shook his hand, then turned to address the rest of the group.
"Artie didn't tell you about me and my dad because he had no reason to believe he would ever see us again." the girl sighed, the memory still hurt.
"See, my dad and Artie had a little sister, Amy, and when she was sixteen, she told her family that she was in love with a girl," she smiled gratefully at Steve as he pulled a chair over for her.
"Uncle Artie was really close with her, and he accepted her fully, but my dad disowned her." The pain in her eyes was clear to Claudia.
"When my dad told her that he never wanted to see her again, she left our house crying, I was five. She got in a serious car accident on her way to Uncle Artie's and died." everyone in the room gasped, shocked.
"Uncle Artie blamed my father, and the two swore never to speak to each other again." she finished, looking down. Silence fell over the group, and Jessica looked up.
"So don't judge him for not talking about it, please." she said seriously. H.G. was the first to speak.
"I am sorry about your Aunt darling." she murmured. Jessica smiled sadly at her,
"I was too young to remember her very well, but thanks anyways." she said. Suddenly Leena stood.
"I should start dinner!" she said trying to break the tension, and the group disbanded as one, all mumbling about something they needed to do. Claudia glanced up, and noticed Jessica disappearing out the patio door, and she stood to follow. When she stepped out the door, she saw the younger girl, standing on the deck, tears running silently down her face.
"Hey," Claudia said softly. Jessica jumped and wiped her eyes furiously.
"Hey." she replied, turning away from Claudia. The red head stepped closer.
"Whats wrong?" she asked. Jessica sighed and turned to find Claudia much closer than when she turned away,
"The memorys still just a little raw I guess." she murmured, looking away. Claudia, instinctively, reached out and brushed the teen's hair out of her face.
"Thats not all. I can tell." she whispered, looking into the younger girl's eyes. Jessica looked up, moonlight flashing in her blue eyes.
"Why do you care so much?" she asked, honestly curious. Noone had ever cared this much about what she felt. Not even her own mother.
"Because- I dont actually know. I just know that I do." Claudia stammered, because she herself had no idea.
"You've been hurt, pretty bad." Jessica murmured, looking into the older girl's eyes. Claudia blinked, and sighed.
"Yeah, but so have you." she murmured.
"Yeah. I have. So I guess we're both pretty messed up." Jessica said, only half joking.
"Yeah, I guess we are." she replied. At that moment, both girls noticed their close proximity. Claudia blushed and moved to step back, but Jessica flung her arms around her neck.
"Thank you for being messed up with me." she whispered, before pulling away, and going inside to help Leena with dinner.
Claudia sighed. She knew she was already falling hard for this girl, and it terrified her. She waited until the spunky girl had disappeared inside, before murmuring,
"My pleasure."