Heritage (38 page)

“Huh... Well. He is a hypocrite, he is always trying to control me and make me feel trapped. No wonder I’m trying to rebel so much,” I mumbled.

“I know you feel trapped Adabelle. I have seen you walk these halls for the past eighteen years with your father and sometimes alone.  I hear you mutter and exclaim to yourself as you pass me...”

“Why have you never spoken to me before?” I asked.  I’ve walked through this hallway over a million times and not once had I heard even a whisper from him. That was a little odd.

“Your father didn’t want me to. I travel through these statues through the castle...”

“Wait what?”

“I can transfer my spirit to other heads they are all the same of course. I don’t want to transform into a woman that would be a tad inappropriate, especially as the best part of a woman isn’t there,” He winked.

“Grandfather!” I exclaimed, laughing at his rudeness. Come to think about it, there were a couple of these heads placed in and around the castle. I don’t know why I hadn’t noticed it before.

“Can I ask you something? And promise me you will tell me the truth,” I asked.

“I can try,” He replied with a kind smile.

“Do you think I will be ok?...”

“Adabelle my beautiful granddaughter. Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.”

“Ambrose Redmoon said that,” I replied.

“You are a smart girl and very powerful, and I have complete faith in you. As does your father.”

Funny it didn’t seem that way with all the protection my father wanted me to have. If he had faith in me, he wouldn’t feel the need to keep me under lock and key.

“Thanks... Grandfather. Does this mean I will be seeing more of you?” I asked. The only memory I have of my grandfather when he was alive and not a statue head, was when I was four. He took me on my first horse ride. I held onto him so tightly out of fear I was going to fall off.  When we stopped he told me I was a brave girl and that he was proud of me for facing my fears. I suppose he was the first person to guide me into facing my fears and not running away and hiding.

“Perhaps if you don’t tell your father,” He winked.

“I promise I won’t.” I didn’t mind keeping a secret from my father. If it meant that I could get some straight answers from someone wise for a change.

“Elle? Is that you?” Josh called from half way down the corridor.

“That’s my cue to leave.”

Kissing him on his marble forehead I thanked him again, as the statue turned back to non moving marble. His spirit escaped through the mouth, and it flew by me in a glittering mist.

“Hey Elle,” Josh greeted as he ran up to me.

“I’m not talking to you,” I muttered, walking away from him and down the narrower corridor that led to a set of stairs.

“Why not?!” He exclaimed, running after me as I raced up the stairs, towards my father’s office.

“Oh I don’t know. A little meeting you had with Logan to discuss...Now what was it. Oh yeah, who had me and who didn’t!” I yelled stopping at the top of the staircase. We were only a couple of feet from my father’s office, and I didn’t want him to hear this argument.

“Oh...That,” he muttered, ducking his head and ruffling his hair. Like he usual did when he knew he had been caught out.

“Yes that. What were you playing at Josh? I’m not yours...”

“So you’re his then?”

“What! I’m not anybody’s. Bloody hell!”  Letting about a loud frustrated sigh, I walk back half way down the stairs. He followed and smiled at me trying to deflate my anger and frustration. It wasn’t working. Why did I have to belong to anyone, I was my own person.  The vibration in my pocket made me curse under my breath, and I pulled out the phone.

What happened to you?

Logan texted. I had almost forgotten about leaving him.

“I guess that’s him then,” He snarled, taking the phone from my hand with harsh force.

“That’s nothing to do with you Josh,” I yelled, taking it back and placing it back in my pocket.

“You’re so naive!” He yelled.

“You know what Josh. You don’t get to make my decisions for me. You are my best friend, but you’re not my decision maker. So what If I Like Logan because Josh I do. That’s my problem, not yours!” I exclaimed.

Did I just say I like Logan, Yes I do believe I just did. Apparently voicing it was a lot easier than working it out in my head. Punching the wall with his fists, he glared at me for a second before controlling himself.

“I don’t have time for this Josh.” Walking past him on the stairs, he grabbed my arm loosely pulling me to a stop.

“What!” I sighed taking his hand from my arm.

“He will hurt you! I don’t trust him, and I know that he is somehow connected to this thing with Lorias!” He growled.

“That’s my mistake to make. I trust him, I don’t know why and I know there are so many reasons telling me I shouldn’t...”
“Then why don’t you listen to them”

“Because...”

Yes, I really knew how to answer that, not.  I didn’t know the reason why I was ignoring all signs to stay away from him. Signs that pointed towards him knowing more about Lorias than he was letting on.  I know that I shouldn’t be doing what I am doing but why do people apart from Alex, keep insisted on telling me that I was doing the wrong thing. The word Naive was cropping up a lot to. I was a lot of things, but naive was not one of them.

“You’re not fooling anyone not even you,” He sighed.

If he says what I think he is about to say, I think I may scream.

“Elle I’m asking you for the sake of our friendship, don’t see him again.”

There it was, the old friendship plea. He knew he had a hold on me with that statement. I was always putty in their hands when Alex and Josh said that to me. They knew they were two of the most important people in my life, and I would do anything to keep them. Usually it wasn’t used on big things, but this, this was something new.  The tense look in his eyes made me consider what I was going to say next. He was one of my best friends, I’d known him forever, and my attraction to Logan wasn’t as strong as that bond.

“Josh...”

“I’m serious Elle. It’s him or me?”

“What!  This isn’t a movie Josh. This is real life, you can’t give me ultimatums like that.”

“I just did,” He replied scrunching the lines on his forehead as he crinkled his nose. He was serious, and he wasn’t one to let things go when he was that sure of his decision.

“Fine!”  I sighed. “I won’t see him again! But you can’t use that again for another year.”

“Fine,” He chuckled, lightening his facial expressions as he gave me a hug.

I didn’t feel like giving him a hug, but for the sake of not starting another argument, I patted his back.  A frown crept onto my face before Josh could see it, I replaced it with the familiar fake smile I had learnt over the years to master.

“I have to go... See my father about something. I’ll catch you later,” I fake smiled at him and walked back up the stairs. He grinned widely at me as he said goodbye and marched off into the opposite direction.

This was ridiculous how can one boy strike up so much mayhem in my life. It doesn’t matter now though, I’ve promised Josh I wouldn’t see Logan again and I couldn’t break that promise. No matter how much it hurts me. I suppose I’d better to text him. I can’t leave him not knowing what’s going on.

I can’t see you anymore, it’s too much stress. I’m sorry, I really am.

Pushing my side fringe off my face. I felt disorientated and defeated. I give up on trying to find something that makes me happy. The moment I feel like I have something to take my mind off this chaos inside my head. It gets taken away from me and replaced with more chaos. I’m so drained right now, it would be a good time to go see what my fate is with my father.

Knocking on the office door, he called for me to enter.  Why did that sound fill my whole body with complete dread.

“Hey Dad,” I called, stepping into the warm office.

He sat at his desk with papers surrounding him with his serious work expression on his face. Of course,  I came at the worst time ever. This wouldn’t help my cause at all.

“Take a seat Adabelle,” He gestured for me to sit in my usual seat, in front of his desk. Not once looking up from the paper he was reading, he grunted as I sat down.

“I see you came back then,” He muttered, from behind his paper.

“Yes,” I replied.  Glancing around the big office, I smiled as I saw my grandfather’s head stood proudly next to my father’s reading chair. It didn’t seem to have his spirit in as it stood motionless.

“What are you looking at?” He asked, putting the paper down on his desk and removing his glasses.

“Nothing,” I smiled weakly. The awkward silence continued for a couple of seconds, as he stared disapprovingly at me. Staring idly around the room to look anywhere other than his analysing look, I sighed. This was pure torture. I wish he would just say something, anything.

“I’m disappoint in you Elle.”

Anything but that. Why did that make the whole world crash down on top of me.

“I don’t know who you are anymore,” He continued.

That’s it continue making me feel like a huge disappointment.

“You are not my little girl anymore. You are out going to parties when I asked you to stay home, and then I see you with a demon,” He sighed.

“Maybe this was a mistake, tempting fate. I should have never brought you to the coming together feast.  It’s my fault you can’t resist your dark side!”

“Dad...”  I whispered, tears forming into my eyes. I couldn’t handle another word of disappointment.

“Katelyn told me I should keep you away from them. Said that I was calling to your dark side.  I should have listened to her. You weren’t ready to meet Logan. I knew he would corrupt you!”

So I was being corrupted now. Well that was a new one. Looking at the floor I couldn’t stop a tear falling from my eyes onto the dark blue carpet. Wiping my eyes, I looked back up to my father as he sat with his hands over his eyes.

“He hasn’t corrupted me...”

“Right... You are becoming so naïve.”

“I AM NOT NAIVE!” I yelled. “I wish people would stop saying that.”

“Don’t you dare talk to me like that. You are already in enough trouble.”

Oh my days, how could I possibly begin to get my point across when he wouldn’t listen to me. I can’t be bothered to fight against his disappointment anymore. I might as well just sit here and take it.

“I think it will be best if you stay here for a while and that’s an order Elle!”

“Ok.” I replied.

“What no comeback?”

“No,” I replied. It would be pointless anyway. He would just make me more upset by putting me down.

“Do you have anything to say to me?” He asked strongly.

“I’m sorry for being such a big disappointment, and for being easily corrupted,” I sighed, pursing my lips together to stop them from quivering.

“Don’t start Adabelle with the hurt look. You bring this on yourself. Maybe you should try making better decisions with your life,” He exclaimed.

“I was just...”
“I know what you were just, doing.  Now go before I change my mind about forgiving you.”

Standing up I made my way to the door with tears in my eyes.

“Sorry again,” I sighed as I closed the door behind me.

Running down the stairs, I ran as fast as I could. The running stopped the tears from rushing from my eyes. I didn’t want to cry, it was stupid to cry about this.  So what he was disappointed in me. A lot of people were disappointed in me.  Everyone thought I was naive and stupid but why did he. He was father, he should be there to support me. Console me when I made mistakes and hold my hand when my heart was broken. I never thought he would ever make me feel this low about myself.  Emotions washed over me as I reached the stables.  Making it to the inside of Peggy’s pen, I collapsed onto the hay covered floor. Tears flowed freely down my face as Peggy nudged me with her muzzle.

“Elle? Oh my god! Elle are you alright!” Alex cried, throwing her arms around me.  My tears soaked her shoulder before I could speak through my uncontrollable sobs.

“I’m useless Alex. Why do I even bother?” I sobbed.

“Don’t be silly Elle. You’re not useless? What happened?” She asked, pulling out of the hug and sitting down next to me. Keeping her arm firmly attached to my shoulders.

“I can’t do this anymore Alex,” I cried.

Consoling me, Alex rocked me as I continued to cry on her shoulder. This was it, I was physically and emotionally breaking down in the arms of my best friend. If this wasn’t a picture perfect moment, I don’t know what was.

“First Josh has made me promise not to see Logan again and then my father tells me I’m a disappointment. Oh and that I’m being corrupted by Logan. Not to miss out, that he doesn’t know who I am anymore,” I sobbed.