Masquerade (Masquerade #1) (6 page)

Chapter Seven

A tear falls inadvertently down my face, and before I can wipe it, Chris kisses it away. He is eyeing me with uncertainty in his voice. “Jules, baby, you okay?”

I stand quickly and start pacing. “I’m surprised, scared, overwhelmed, but most of all, I am elated. I am so happy you feel this way. I didn’t ever think we could do this,” I say, motioning with my hands between us. “I just don’t know what to do now. I mean, I do but—”

“Sweetheart, quit babbling and burning a hole in my floor. We can get all this worked out, but right now, you have an hour to get ready for graduation.”

I stop to look at his gorgeous smile. “You’re right. After graduation, we talk.” I walk up to him and stand on my tiptoes to kiss him hastily.

I walk backwards towards the door to continue to marvel in his smile and the fact that he is standing in only his boxer shorts. Once my hand is on the door knob he says, “After graduation.”

I grin like an idiot. “After graduation.”

I open the door and haul ass out, hoping I don’t get caught. I never look up until I feel myself falling and arms holding onto me. I look up to see Alan. I feel all the blood drain from my face and the knots starting in my stomach.

“Hey, Red. You okay. You seem to be in your own world.”

“Umm, yeah. Sorry, I don’t know where my head is at today.”

“It’s okay. Where are you coming from anyways? I thought I wouldn’t see you until after graduation.”

Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Chris took me home last night because I had drank a little too much. He wanted to make sure I got home okay then I puked on his shirt. I washed it and brought it back to him, so I wouldn’t forget.” By this time, I hear and feel Chris behind me.
This isn’t going to go well, is it?

Alan looks over me saying, “Chris, man, thanks for taking care of her. She can’t handle her liquor sometimes. Sorry to hear about the shirt.”

I never turn around when I hear Chris say, “No problem, man. You know she is my best friend.”

I feel my heart breaking into thousands of pieces.
How can I be such a cold hearted bitch?
I finally get my thoughts together and walk past Alan to turn around and eye Chris.

“I better get going. I need to get ready.” I look back at Alan with the best smile I can plaster on my face.

He leans down to kiss me on the mouth, but I turn my head for him to kiss my cheek. He looks at me. “Is everything all right?”

I Rub my head. “Yeah, I am just still feeling my hangover,” I say, hoping like hell he buys it. “I need to go to get ready. See you guys later.”

I turn and haul ass down the stairs. Luckily, Alan doesn’t run after me to ask more questions. I walk out the door to start sprinting down the sidewalk back to my dorm.

He is going to know something is going on. I didn’t let him kiss me on the mouth. Why did I do that? I know why. I didn’t want him tainting my kiss from Chris. I could still feel him on my lips. Its official, I have become one of those two-timing bitches I always talk about. Damn me and my mouth.

I run into my dorm, stripping my clothes to start getting ready. I make the shower as hot as my skin will allow. I guess I am hoping that the scalding water will wash away the fact that I am about to hurt a guy who has never been nothing but there for me. I lean my head up against the back wall of the shower, letting the water hit me.

Feeling somewhat normal, I get out of the shower to get ready. My family will be here soon, and I have a stage to walk across.

I have a short, black, spaghetti-strap sun dress on underneath my graduation gown. I look in the mirror and adjust my cap to make sure it is in place. It’s as good as it’s going to get, so I get to moving out the door to the auditorium.

I walk in to find the spot assigned to me yesterday during the ceremony run-through. I wait with all the other students until we are told to be served out on the floor in front of the stage.

As I am marching out, I look up and see my little sister waiving at me with the biggest grin on her face. I love that girl. I would do anything for her. I waive and blow her a kiss. I look over and find Chris looking in the direction of my kiss blowing. He then turns back to me and winks.

              I sit and don’t pay any attention to what has been going on around me. I know the president and the dean of the college have spoken, but what about, I couldn’t tell you. Finally they tell us to stand up, and this is the moment I get to make that stage my bitch.

I’m getting my degree in Art History, something I have been in love with for as long as I can remember. I guess I should rephrase that and say, since my accident and my parents telling me. Anyways, I couldn’t be happier. I finally have a genuine smile on my face.

My name is being called as I am walking up the steps onto the stage. Once up there I walk to the president and shake his hand. My next stop is the dean who hands me my diploma with his left hand and shakes my hand with his right. I walk past him but not before I look into the crowd to see my mom crying, my dad holding Lucy on his shoulders, and her screaming my name. Waiving back, I can’t help feeling love. Also, can’t help feeling accomplishment. I walk off the stage back to my chair.

With everyone having received their diplomas, the dean says, “Congratulations, Class of 2013.” Everyone removes their hats and throws them in the air. College is now behind me, and I will be saying bye to all my friends and hurting a boy who has been my world.

Finding my cap on the ground, I pick it up to hear Lucy screaming and running towards me with her arms wide open. I pick her up, spinning her and kissing her face. “I love you, Julia.”

“I love you too, Lucy.”

My parents are next in line to give me a hug and kiss me. Alan walks over to us, saying hello to my parents. It’s funny because as long as we have been together, Lucy has never really cared too much for Alan, but she says hello to him anyways with her hands on her hips and an annoyed look on her face.

“Alan, we are going to take your girl out and steal her away from you for a while. We are going to take her to lunch,” Mom says, hugging him.

“Sounds good. I will see you later then, Julia.” He kisses my cheek and walks back to his parents.

“Julia, I’m ready to eat, and you might want to wash your face where he just kissed you. That’s yucky.” Lucy says matter of factly.

Laughing, I pick her up. “You’re something else, you know that?”

We end up at a local diner that my parents are fond of and is close to the campus. After eating, my mom and dad present me with a present. I open the box to find the family heirloom that my mom always wore: a gold ring with an opal in the middle and sapphires surrounding it.

Tears spill down my face. “Really? You are giving this to me?”

She kisses my head. “I got that when I graduated college, so now I am giving it to you since you have graduated.”

“I love it. Thank you two so much. I love both of you.”

Lucy stands up, nearly yelling, “What about me? Don’t you love me too?”

Leave it to Lucy to make a sentimental moment into a funny one. “Yes, I love you more than my big toe.”

After looking up and thinking of what to say, she responds, “I love you more than my pinky finger.”

I shake my head and smile at Lucy. We gather our things together to leave the diner. I kiss them goodbye, telling them I will see them tomorrow. I want to stay one more night, so I can go to the after party.

I walk back into my dorm, and as I am sitting on my bed, I hear a knock at my door. I put my head in my hands. I know it’s Alan, but I really don’t want to discuss this all right now. I just don’t have it in me.

I get up, dragging my feet to the door. I open it to see a gorgeous pair of blue eyes looking back at me. Immediately, I pull him in, lock the door, and put my lips on his.

He deepens the kiss and lays me back on my bed. “I have missed these lips.”

“Mmm. Me too.”

He kisses me again before pulling me back up to stand on my feet. “What the hell are you doing?”

He begins to chuckle. “I told Alan I would come get you to take you to the party. He was still with his folks but wanted to make sure you got there.”

I reach up, putting my arms around his neck. “Just lay me back down.” He does for only a few minutes until he pulls me up to my feet again and pulls me along beside him.

The party is in full swing when we finally get there. Chris leaves me while I am talking to Mindy. He comes back with two beers and hands me one.

“So are you excited that it’s all over?” Mindy says, yelling over the music.

“Yes and no.”

“Yeah, me too.” She leans down to whisper in my ear. “I never want to lose you as a friend, so I am going to say this because in all honesty, I am happy for you. Good luck with Chris. You two were always meant to be together.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“I came home early last night. I saw you two in a heavy make out session. I thought it was Alan to start with until I saw Chris’ face in the moonlight. I snuck back out giving you two privacy.”

I stand stunned when she continues. “I have seen the way he looks at you too. Just promise me you will let Alan down as easy as possible.” She kisses my cheek and walks off.

Fuck. If she knows then surely Alan knows.
Chris turns towards me, and his eyes go wide.

“What the hell did she say to you?”

“She knows.”

“Knows what?”

“About me and you,” I say, pointing between us with a shaking finger.

“How the hell does she know?”

I put my hand over my mouth. I feel sick. I shrug my shoulders, turn, and run out the front door. I run till I hear someone calling my name. I stop to turn around to see Alan with a concerned look on his face.

“Julia, I have to tell you something.”

I can’t say anything. I just give him a look as if to say, “Go ahead; I deserve it.”

“No one could find you anywhere, so I got a call from the police.” He starts getting frantic.

I shake my head in confusion. “What call from the police? What the hell are you talking about?”

Chris is standing beside me now waiting on Alan to elaborate. “Your parents and Lucy where in a bad car accident. They have been rushed to St. Joseph’s Hospital. It’s not looking good.”

“No. This isn’t happening. Please tell me this isn’t happening.”

“Julia, I’m so sorry.”

Looking at the pity on both of their faces, I yell louder than I probably should have. “Somebody take me there now.”

Alan walks to his car and opens the door for me to get in. I grab Chris’ arm and pull him with me. I let Chris into the back of Alan’s Honda Civic, and then I jump in the passenger’s side ready to go.

Chapter Eight

My eyes are completely unfocused to everything going on around me. I feel like I’m having an outer body experience.
This has to be a dream. I have to be in my dorm asleep.
I could almost make myself believe it too until I look over at Alan to see he is in fact driving, and that Chris is in the backseat.
This is happening.

The whole ride to the hospital a hand is on my thigh while a pair of hands are on my shoulders, rubbing lightly, and all I can do is stare out of the window. I see things zooming past me like a blur. All I can think about is getting to the hospital as fast as I can. I need to see their faces to know everything is okay.

The car stops, and my door is opened with Alan standing over me. “Were here.” He reaches his hand out for me to hold, but I just stare at it. Getting out of the car, I look at my surroundings and find the emergency room door. My legs start moving towards it. Before I know it, I am running.

The doors automatically open as I dash through them, looking around to find someone to talk to. A lady is sitting at a desk, typing on a computer. She looks over her glasses at me. “May I help you?”

“Yes.” I say quietly. “I am looking for Mike and Tara Falls. And for my sister, Lucy Falls.”

She starts typing on her computer. “Are you related to the patients?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She is still looking at her computer. “How?”

Huffing, I say, “I am their daughter, and Lucy’s sister. Julia Falls.”

Her eyes drop from the computer and shoot straight up to me. “They are both in surgery, and your little sister is in a room back in emergency. Let me call a nurse to come and get you to take you back to her.”

She calls the nurse to let her know that immediate family is here to see Lucy. I step back from her desk to wait for the nurse. Alan and Chris come barreling in the entrance doors.

“Have you heard anything?” Alan says, rubbing my arms.

As soon as I open my mouth to answer him, I hear, “Miss Falls.”

Turning around to see the nurse addressing me, I sprint towards her.

“Miss Falls?” I shake my head yes. “You can come back to see your sister, but . . .” She stops mid-sentence to eye Alan and Chris up and down. “Only you can come back.”

“That’s fine.” I turn back to the guys. “I will let you know what’s going on as soon as I hear something.”

Alan hugs me tightly and tells me he loves me. I feel sick to my stomach. Chris hugs me tightly and says he is never leaving my side again. I let go and start following the nurse who has already taken off to my sister’s room.

The nurse opens the curtain, and I see Lucy sitting and eating ice cream. I walk towards her bed and sit on the edge of it. I envelop her in a big hug. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I am. Look, I have ice cream. Wanna bite?”

Letting her go, I start my inspection of her. She has stitches on her head where she says her forehead was cut open. I look down her face to see her lip a little busted up. Then I make my way down to see she has a cast on her left arm. Other than that, I don’t see any more scratches.

“The doctor will be here in a few minutes to explain all her injuries and to give you an update on your parents.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

She smiles and walks out, closing the curtain back.

“I am so happy to see that you are okay. You scared me.”

“I’m sorry. Are you mad at me?”

I hug her. “No, baby. I love you more than my big toe.”

“I love you too. More than my new pink cast,” she counters with a giggle.

The curtain starts to open and the doctor walks into the room. Lucy goes back to eating her ice cream.

He reaches his hand out to me. “Hi. I am Dr. Weber.”

I shake his hand. “Hi. I am Julia, Lucy’s sister.”

“It’s nice to meet you. Lucy sustained very little damage considering how gruesome the car wreck was described to us. She has an abrasion on her forehead, which we sewed up. Her radius, which is her outer bone of the arm, is broken as you can see, but it was a clean break, so it will heal nicely. Other than a busted lip, she is doing great. She has been a champ. I am going to discharge her in your care. Do you have any questions?”

“Yes. How are my parents?”

“They are both still in surgery. I don’t have the specifics of the injuries. The surgeon will be in touch with you soon to let you know their progress. Once I release Lucy, if you will just wait in the emergency room waiting area, he will be in touch.”

“Thank you,” I say, rubbing my face.

“You’re welcome. I will send a nurse in here to get you to sign paperwork.” On that note, he leaves the room.

I sit back down to hold Lucy and wait on the nurse. Lucy is watching cartoons and seems to be in a really good mood.

The nurse comes back in with papers that I sign and also a prescription for pain medication for Lucy. She opens the curtain and leads us back out to the waiting area.

Alan and Chris both stand, giving me pleading looks.

“Good news is that Lucy is okay. She has a broken arm, busted lip, and stiches in her forehead. As for my parents, I still don’t know.”

We all sit down and get comfortable when the lady comes from behind the desk and squats down to look at Lucy sitting in my lap. “Would you like to watch cartoons?”

“Yes, ma’am. I would love to.”

She pats her knee, gets up, and walks to the television to turn it to the same thing Lucy was watching in the back: SpongeBob. At least she is entertained.

“Hey, guys?”

“Yeah,” they both say at the same time.

“Can you ask the lady up front if there is a pharmacy in here to get these filled, and if so, could you take them for me?”

Alan jumps up. “I will. Chris, do you mind staying here with them? I need to do something to occupy my mind.”

“Go ahead, man. I’m not going anywhere.”

Alan walks over to the receptionist, and she apparently is pointing him in the direction of the pharmacy. He waves at me and mouths that he will be back.

Lucy decides to lay her head on my lap while watching television. I start rubbing her head as we sit in pure silence. Chris is rubbing my neck with his hand, comforting me. How did my life get so fucked up in the matter of hours? Between my parents’ accident and Chris having the same feelings as me, I feel like the world has tilted on its axis.

All I can do is stare at Lucy, thanking God she made it with very little injuries. Her eyes start getting heavy and close several times before she finally lets sleep take her. She looks so peaceful.

I feel like we have been sitting for hours when I see a man walking towards me wearing green scrubs and a surgical mask hanging around his neck.

“Mrs. Falls?”

“Yes.” I slide Lucy out from my lap without waking her.

“I am Dr. Bryan. I’m the surgeon that has been operating on your dad. I hate to tell you this.” My stomach drops. “But your dad didn’t make it. He had a lot of damage to his head. His brain was bleeding, and we tried to save him by getting some of the blood off, but during surgery his heart stopped. I am so sorry.”

Tears fall down my face. “Umm, what about my mom?”

“She is out of surgery but in ICU. Dr. Middleton has performed the surgery and as of right now, we are just keeping her comfortable. If you would like to go see her, you can.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

He hugs me. “I’m so sorry.”

I watch him walk off then turn back to Chris who is standing behind me. I fall into his arms and sob. He holds me, saying words I can’t make out. What the hell just happened? My family is gone. My mom is alive, but for how much longer?

Alan walks around the corner. “What happened?”

“Her dad didn’t make it, and her mom is in ICU being kept comfortable.”

Alan takes me from Chris and smooths my hair. “It’s okay, Red. It’s okay.”

Lucy wakes up. “Julia, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

I wipe my face with the back of my hand. “Lucy, let’s go see mom.”

She smiles and nods her head. I take her hand, and we walk to the elevators. I see a Coke machine. “Lucy, are you in pain?”

“My head hurts a little bit.”

I dig in my purse and find a dollar to buy her a drink to take her medicine. Alan fills up the cup with the right amount of pain medicine, and Lucy downs it.

We continue walking until we find the ICU waiting area. We walk in and ask the receptionist if we can see our mom. She tells me only one at a time, so Lucy sits with the guys while I walk back.

I walk into my mother’s room and see her hooked up to all kinds of machines. She has a tube down her throat, a blood pressure cuff on, a heart monitor, and an IV stuck in her arm. Walking over to her, I look at her face, not even seeing my mom lying there. She looks so much older than she actually is.

“Hey, mom. I know you can’t hear me, but I love you. Dad’s gone, mom. You are all me and Lucy have. Please come back.” All of a sudden, alarms start going off. My mom’s chest starts convulsing. Doctors and nurses run into the room in a blur.

They have a crash cart and are trying to revive her. “One, two, three, clear.” They did it several times before they said, “The time is 12:14, and the patient, Tara Falls, is deceased.”

“No! No! No! This can’t be happening. No! Please, God, no.”

Nurses are surrounding me, holding me while walking me out of the room back to the waiting room.

Seeing Lucy terrified, I turn to the nurses whispering, “Please let me go. I am okay. I don’t want my little sister to see me like this. I need to tell her outside of the hospital.”

They let me go and pat me on my back before leaving the room. I walk towards Lucy. “Let’s get home, okay. We are all tired, and you need some sleep.”

She yawns. “Okay.”

We walk to leave the hospital and a nurse stops me in the hallway. “Ma’am, I need you to sign some paperwork.”

Snatching the papers from her, I sign them quickly and shove them back into her hands. I turn to continue walking and leave this place. I can’t stomach to be here at the moment.

Alan takes us back to my parent’s house. Lucy falls asleep on the way home in Chris’ lap. When we get home, Chris carries Lucy to her room, laying her down in her bed.

The guys decided to spend the night with us, which I am glad for because I don’t want to be left alone right now. I sleep in my bed with Chris on the couch and Alan on my bedroom floor. Sleep evades me. I can’t cry. I can’t scream, but I can’t do anything. I just lie there numbly.