CHAPTER 61

I wake up, feeling the sunlight on my face. I sit up, coming to the conclusion that I'm in one of the guest rooms. Looking round, I meet Kimberly who is brushing her hair. 'You're awake.'

'Why am I here?' I ask, confusion clear in my voice.

 'You had a nightmare and I made you sleep here,' Kimberly admits, making eye contact with me through the mirrors. I nod, lying back down on the bed and ask 'What time is it?'

'It's only ten,' she replies and I nod. She walks towards me, sitting on the bed and looks at me.

 'What?' I ask feeling uncomfortable.

'I heard about the business thing.'

'How the hell did you hear about that? It hasn't even been twenty four hours,' I reply annoyed.

 'You slept through most of yesterday so you didn't know that Andrea came over and she told us.'

'Great,' I sarcastically mutter.

'Hey, there's nothing wrong with her telling us, we were going to find out Kiera.'

'I never said there was anything wrong with it,' I mumble quietly.

 'You didn't need to,' Kimberly responds. She puts her hand on my leg and asks 'do you want to do it?'

'No, not really,' I reply quietly, hoping this conversation will end soon.

 'Why not?'

'I'm supposed to be starting university soon. How am I supposed to lead something like this?' I ask, waiting for her to answer me.

 'I can't give you an answer Kiera but I'll support whatever you choose,' she says patting my leg.

 'Wow thanks Kimberly you were such great help,' I sarcastically say and she shakes her head at my comment. 'When are you going back?'

'Today,' she replies instantly.

'What do you mean today?' I sit up to face her.

'I'm going back to New Castle today,' she repeats. I scoff loudly as I say 'When were you going to tell me this?'

'I was going to tell you now but you just beat me to it.' I sigh because I think it’s too soon for her to be leaving.

 'Do you have to leave?' I quietly ask, afraid of the answer that I'll hear.

 'Kiera, you know I have to,' she replies in the same tone that I had used. Facing the fact that she'll leave, I decide to suck it up and ask 'What time are you leaving?'

'In an hour because my mum wants to go to work after.' I nod my head, taking in this new piece of information. 'I'll text and call and visit Kiera so don't give me that look.' I chuckle as I realise I didn't hide my feelings too well. 'My mum is probably packing and she wanted to talk to you.'

'Now?'

'Yeah.' She nods and I get out of bed. I take a deep breath as I walk out of the room.

I knock on the guest bedroom that Aunt Rachel has been sleeping in. I hear her voice after some shuffling as she loudly says 'come in.' I walk inside the room and she stops the packing that she was doing when she sees me. 'Kiera, come here.' She pulls me into a hug as she tightly wraps her arms her arms around my shoulders and I return the embrace. 'Sit down.' She pats the bed as she sits down when we pull away. 'How is your head?'

'It’s okay,' I reply and she nods. 'You need to take it easy and follow all the advice that your doctor gave you okay?'

'Yes, I know,' I reply causing her to smile. 'Kimberly told me that you were leaving today,' I quietly say even though I want to avoid this topic for as long as I possibly can.

'Yes, I was going to tell you yesterday but you were fast asleep.' She strokes my hair softly. 'I wanted to talk to you about the clockwork business that your father left for you.'

'I don't really want to talk about it.'

'Kiera, you can't keep avoiding this and you know it.' I sigh because I know she's telling the truth. 'What do you want to do?'

'I want to go to university but I can't really do that if I'm, the leader of his stupid business can I?' I question, tilting my head to the side as I look at her.

 'You can do anything you set your mind to. You don't have to be there all the time and you can still go to university as well as be the leader. I believe you can do so and your dad believed that too. I'm sure everyone you know believes you in Kiera, it's about time you started believing in yourself.' I remain silent, not knowing what to say to her. 'I've spoken to your university and told them you're taking three weeks off because you were in an accident and had severe head injury.'

'Really?' She nods her head and continues, 'you need to take it easy Kiera,' she says and I nod my head, trying to assure her that I'll take it easy. She wraps her arms around me again and says 'this is not goodbye.' I inhale her scent as I hug her just as tightly.

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I sprawl my body out on the sofa, talking to Lily about university. I listen to her speak even though I'm not really interested. I nod my head and shake my head at the right times preventing me from speaking. 

I focus my eyes on the TV in front of me and Lily quietens down. I look at her because her silence usually means she's asked me a question. 'Well?' She asks confirming my suspicions and without thinking I nod my head. 'Kiera!' She loudly says and I ask 'What?'

'Do you even know what I asked you?'

'What did you ask me?' I ask instead of answering her question.

'I knew you weren't listening so I asked "shall I jump off a cliff?" And the answer you gave just proved you aren’t really listening to me.'

'Oh,' I quietly reply and she raises her eyebrows. 'Well you've been blathering on, I just zoned out.' Before she can reply, Lucy walks into the living room and sits beside pulling me in for a hug 'what are you doing here?' I ask when we pull apart.

 'I can go you know,' she replies.

 'That would be amazing.' I smirk and she rolls her eyes.

 'I'm going to choose to ignore that,’ she replies and my smirk widens. She looks at Lily and me before asking 'what were you two talking about?'

'I don't really know so you should ask Lily. She's been talking to herself for the past twenty minutes,' I admit and Lily gasps whereas Lucy chuckles.

'I was saying that we need to go university shopping even though she's not even going to come for three weeks.'

'What? Seriously?' Lucy asks shocked and Lily nods her head. 'Talk about lucky,' Lucy replies and Lily agrees with her.

'You guys are forgetting that I had a severe head injury and I need to rest,’ I say getting their attention.

'So tell me Kiera, why aren't you resting?' Lucy challenges and I roll my eyes ignoring her question. 'I thought so.' she says once I don't reply and I roll my eyes.

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When the clock strikes twelve, Aunt Rachel heads to the car after hugging me one last time and Kimberly walks into the living room. 'Are you going now?' Lily asks and she nods. Lily gets up first and hugs her. When they pull away, Lucy pulls her in for a hug and Kimberly returns it. When they pull away, I walk towards Kimberly and wrap my arms around her.

After she has hugged all of us, she leaves the house and Aunt Rachel says her goodbyes to us.

 As soon as Kimberley and Aunt Rachel leave, I walked back to my room and lie down on my bed. 'Hey,' Lucy says as she walks in.

'Do you not know how to knock?' I tease and she fakes a smile.

'Do you want to go out?'

'I thought you were with Jamie?' I joke and she raises her eyebrows.

 'Shut up Kiera, you know what I mean.' I change into a comfortable position and say 'No, I don't want to go out.’

 'I was going to Kara's cellar.'

'Now?' I question with a serious face and she nods. 'Fine, I'll come with you,' I say and she smiles before hugging me tightly.

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The car ride to Kara's house doesn't take very long and before I know it, we stand on her doorstep. My body tenses and Lucy's laces her fingers with mine before ringing the doorbell. It takes a few seconds for Ronald to open the door. 'Hello Lucy,' he says, greeting her and she replies by saying 'Hey Ronald.' He smiles and looks at me.

 'Kiera.' I ignore him, pretending he doesn't exist. 'I heard I'm currently looking at the future boss of Clockworks.'

'And where did you hear that?' I fold my arms annoyed that everyone is aware of this.

 'I never reveal my sources,' he replies and I scoff.

 ‘We’re just going to go to the cellar, I left some things there,' Lucy says taking his attention off me and he nods.

'Are you okay?' Lucy asks and I roll my eyes at the repetitive question 'why wouldn't I be?'

'It doesn't matter, come on, she replies dragging me into the cellar. The floorboards creak as we step on them. Spider webs begin forming in the corners and dust can be seen everywhere.

'This place is giving me the creeps.' I break the silence, switching the light on.

 'When was the last time you came in here?'

'When I was eight. It used be my escape when my dad started hitting me,' I admit remembering the memories, taking in the new atmosphere. Lucy drapes her arm over my shoulder as she tries to comfort me. 'Let's go look for those photos,' I say and she nods. She looks at the back and I look at the front half of the cellar. 

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Half an hour later, we fail to find anything. The door opens and Kara walks inside. 'What are you guys looking for?' I look at her, allowing her to reply. She looks at Kara and says 'Just something I left here.'

'What?' Kara asks, clearly desperate to know. I notice Halo in her arms and I walk over to her. 'Halo!' I squeal and he barks. He jumps up at me, and tries to lick my hand when I pat him on the head.

 'Kiera,' Lucy calls me and I walk over to her with Halo in my arms and I treat him like a baby. I follow her gaze and realise a board she turned around contains pictures of her since she was a baby till the age of sixteen.

'At least he stopped when you were sixteen,' I say trying to lighten the mood.

 'Are you actually being serious?' She scoffs with a horrified expression.

'Luce I'm sorry.'

'At least act like you mean it,' she instantly replies.

'Oh my God!' I turn around to see Kara right behind us. 'Who the hell did this Luce? I'm going to kill them. I swear I'm going to make sure they die a painful death,' she begins ranting and I bite my tongue. Lucy looks at me, silently apologising and I taste blood in my mouth. I put Halo down and walk out of the cellar, into the bathroom to rinse my mouth.

I take a deep breath as I try to calm myself down. 

I walk back to the cellar and Lucy says 'I thought you went home.'

'I bit my tongue so I went to rinse it,' I reply. She nods her head and Kara says 'I'm really sorry for what I said.'

'Its fine,' I reply not wanting to dwell on it.

'Seriously I really am sorry.'

'Its fine, I just want to forget about it.' I look at pictures of Lucy that are on the desk and I realise some of them are when she used to go swimming as she used to be a swimmer. They look innocent but they've been captured in the wrong way. 

All the photos on the desk are inappropriate and I can't bring myself to even look at them. 'Luce I'm sorry,' I quietly say and she nods emotionlessly. I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her neck as I repeatedly apologise but she pushes me away.

 Kara hugs her and Lucy returns it. I can't help but I feel like I should go. 'Do you guys mind if I take Halo for the night?'

'Sure,' Kara replies and I look at Lucy who says 'He is your dog Kiera, he just lives with me so you don't have to ask.'

'Thanks,' I reply ignoring her attitude and stroke Halo's ear. I walk out of the cellar and leave the house.

As the cold air hits me, I can't help but think of those pictures me I just saw moments ago that will scar me for eternity.