Double digits baby! Here's the 10th chapter and it took me a while to formulate but hopefully it lives up to your expectations. Without further ado...

Enjoy!

I was shocked. Truly. It was Sunday, a day after Joseph tried to claim me as a bargaining chip for the feud. In front of me was something someone had left at our door. It was small and light and covered in brown paper. But it also had the crest of my father's family house stamped on the front. I unwrapped it carefully, frightened of the contents. I saw a small, royal blue box with gold trimmings and the crest on the top. Attached was a note that said:

"You won't forgive me but please take it for our parents. It was meant for you~ Joseph."

He had sent me something that was always meant for me...Why? As I heard footsteps, I decided that I needed the extra willpower to open it. As Koutei walked in, I told him about what my actions were doing for myself. He listened the entire time, not stopping me once. In the end, I mustered the power and I opened the box. Inside; on a bed of velvet, sat a silver ring with a medium sized, royal blue gem. I looked closer and in white, I saw the message: "For our darling son, who forever remained at our side. May you grow up stronger than our two families and find true happiness. Your parents."

I stared, emotions overflowing but I would not cry. Too much had left me with those tears. I smiled. My parents, Jonathan Truman and Annabel Montague, had left me a piece of them. And yet it didn't fill any void, solve any problems. It just kept my past in check. For the rest of the day I remained in the study, writing books. Stacks upon stacks of writing filled the room, diamonds in the rough waiting to be picked up. Yet it was only an outlet. But I stare out of the window, the sky painted orange, red and purple. The sun set on an old day, yet the past would forever remain.

ZZZ

I awoke the next morning the sound of a fire alarm. I smiled at the thought but frowned again. Monday. I hated Mondays. And the school had the cheek the have us in today and then break up for the summer holidays. I changed into my uniform and tried to speed out the door bt was promptly stopped by Koutei in his chefs apron that I always laughed at.

"You remember that I'll pick you up today right?" He asked, not taking his eyes off of his breakfast

"Of course, after you finish at the shopping centre nearby yadayadayada I know. You've been telling me for the past week." I said, jogging on the spot.

"Just making sure."

I sprinted to school, making use of my knee. The doctors said it was close to shattering completely but it didn't scare me. Not one bit. After ten minutes of out speeding cars, I saw the building ahead of me. I thought to myself "Just one more day and then I'll be on my way to Miyaji academy." Another great thing was we finished early and we spent the entire day in our first subject: English.

I walked and the room went quiet. Honestly I was confuse as to why. So I decided to break the ice.

"For God sake guys do really have to talk about me behind my back. I know I'm awesome and all but seriously." I joked, earning chuckles from the class.

I went to my seat and sat down in my chair, surrounded by my best friends. They all looked away from me, unable to speak. I could tell by their expressions that they knew everything. Even Anya seemed to be tearing up, scared that I would be angry. Instead, I hugged her.

"Thank you Ann. For everything." I turned to Sammy and Luke "And you two have been here with me all along so thank you. And don't worry about me. I'm slowly getting over it." And all wounds were healed and soon we were doing what we always did. Chatted, laughed and created precious memories. I was soon listening to the news as that's what we decided to do in English. Nothing special but then...

"To international news and in England, something has happened which can only be described as a civil tragedy. A conflict has broken out at Gatwick airport in which someone has been brutally murdered and several have been injured. At the same time, a war broke out in Winchester and we have been informed that these are related. A family feud between two families known as the Montague's and the Truman's has resulted in the deaths of many people over the centuries. The man killed at Gatwick was thought to have been the primary target for this but war has broken out between the two families and police are trying to intervene and stop this chaos. Also... Ladies and Gentlemen, we have the name of the man responsible and the man who was killed. William Montague has been apprehended for firing several shots, all hitting and killing Joseph Lance Truman. That is all we have, I shall see you in thirty minutes." I smiled, the feud had indeed started again like I warned Joseph and he chose to ignore. I now had nothing to do with that family.

"Hey...Blake?" Anya said carefully.

"Yeah Ann?"

"Are you okay?"

"Just peachy. Those dogs deserve to be put down. It was their fault my parents are dead from may angles. I have nothing to do with their petty squabbles." I said bluntly.

Soon, everything was settled with Luke and Sammy and that's when my phone that Koutei brought me went off. But the ringtone...I looks at my phone to see my fears materialized for it was the emergency contact from Yuri. I answered the phone only to be met with frantic breathing. I stepped outside the door with Anya and put it on speaker phone quickly.

"Blake? Please say you can hear me!"

"Yuri, I can hear you, what's wrong?"

"Gai's coming to pick you up. Listen. Koutei and I are in the shopping centre. We were just doing some shopping and Gai went to put some bags in the car so we decided to take the lift to get lunch. It was only me and him and it was only a few floors and...and..." She sounded scared.

"Yuri, calm down, take a deep breath and tell me: what's wrong?"

"It's Koutei! He has bad claustrophobia!" My heart froze. And that really only meant one thing. "He always had it bad but it was quicker and he insisted but the elevator stopped and he's having a panic attack!"

I was so scared but I had to keep a level head. "Yuri listen to me very carefully. Until I get there, just try and comfort him, keep saying that you there and he'll be alright. Do not panic anymore okay. Can you put me on to him for me?"

"Sure..."

"Koutei? Koutei are you there please answer me." I only heard a small whimper in response. Not good.

"Listen, I'll be there in a minute just hold on and please calm down. Can you do that for me."

"Yeah...Just please hurry. I need you..."

"Yuri, I'll hang up now but please just try and clam him down."

"Sure thing Blake just hurry."

"I will. I promise." And soon, I was driving out of the school with Gai, internally panicking. Because the panic attack that Koutei seemed to be having was not normal. It was the vey thing that caused me to shut myself from the world. The harm it did was horrific and I was racing time and fate to save the only family I had and wanted.

Cliffhangers work wonders in these sort of chapters. Don't hate me because plenty of my friends have called me evil and a murderer for this chapter which I am slowly agreeing to. Until next time, Tempest signing off!