C H A P T E R 2 8
?Secrets are revealed only if they are carelessly kept or smartly figured out.?
I almost forgot that I had to meet up with Heather at her house. It dawned on me when I was eating breakfast and replaying the previous night's happenings in my head.
I looked at the clock hanging on the wall and it read ten-twenty three. I remembered her asking, no, more like ordering me to be present in her room at sharp eleven. That meant I had a little over thirty minutes to get to her house, wherever it was.
I asked Samara to check if Heather had sent a car here to pick me up while I gobbled up as many waffles as my mouth could possibly manage. Leaving half of it uneaten, I gulped down some juice in less than fifteen seconds.
I didn't have time to go upstairs and change and my outfit was not bad anyway. Samara then came to inform me that the driver had been waiting for me for about twenty minutes already.
I quickly ran to my room to see if I at least looked presentable. I brushed my hair a little and slipped into a pair of wedges because I couldn't find any sneakers or flip flops. All of my shoe stand was crowded with a couple dozens of stiletto heels.
I told Samara to tell anyone who asked about me to say that I had gone over at Heather's.
When I reached the driveway, I found the driver waiting. When he noticed me, he started up the car as I slid in, and drove out of the mansion gates.
It was quite a long drive or maybe that was what it felt like. The ride seemed to go on forever. I was scared to meet Heather. She just told me that she wanted to hang out with me but I knew there was more to it. There was a reason she wanted to meet me.
I suddenly remembered that she had asked me to wear the bracelet Juliet and Heather gave each other. What the hell was I going to say to her about that?
I could just tell I forgot it at home. It was not like I had the bracelet with me so I had no other option but to tell her that. I hoped she'd not make a big fuss out of it and would just let it pass.
I wasn't sure if I'd be able to dodge her questions about the bracelet more than a few times. Too many times would make her suspicious of me.
The car drove through another mansion gates and pulled into the driveway. I made my way out of the car and towards the main door. Hesitating for a moment, I reached out a hand and pressed the doorbell.
Almost immediately a maid answered the door and let me in. I asked her where Heather was and she told me she was waiting for me in her room. I glanced at the watch on my wrist and it showed me the time fourteen minutes past eleven.
She had been waiting for nearly fifteen minutes.
After getting the directions to her room, I walked towards it.
It was on the fourth floor of the mansion.
I walked through a long hallway with rooms on either sides.
The hallway was bathed in dim lighting and flower vases and paintings adorned the walls.
I stood in front of a particular door which was supposedly Heather's bedroom.
I smoothed my curls from yesterday and took a few deep breaths. I just hoped she wouldn't decide to have a walk down memory lane with me today because I honestly wouldn't be able to get through it without my secret being revealed.
I gently knocked on the door and her voice came through a few seconds later. "Come in."
I cracked open the door to see her in front of her mirror as she brushed her hair. I closed the door behind me and took in her bedroom. It was almost similar to mine.
Her bedroom was done up in light pink and grey colors. There was a queen sized bed in a corner and her wardrobe in another. Her room appeared more bigger than mine.
She looked at me through the mirror.
"Take a seat," she said, gesturing to a chair on the side. I nervously went and sat on it.
She continued with her hair even though it was already more than perfect. The silence was killing me and I wanted nothing else but for her to break it.
"You didn't wear the bracelet," she spoke after some time.
"Oh, yeah. I forgot. I woke up late today and almost forgot that I had to meet up with you.
So I was in a hurry and in my haste, I totally forgot about the bracelet.
I was going to wear it. I didn't intentionally not wear it.
And I didn't want to keep you waiting any longer so it kind of slipped out of my mind, I'm sorry I-"
"It's okay," she said quickly, cutting off my drivel. "Relax."
She finally put her comb down and turned to me on her swivel chair. She watched me for a few moments before smiling.
"I've missed you so much, Juliet."
"I know. I missed you too."
"Then tell me. What happened to you all this time."
The question caught me off guard for a few seconds. I didn't expect her to directly question me on it which was pretty stupid of me. She is Juliet's best friend. Of course she would be curious about what happened.
"Oh, about that, well I..." and then I repeated the same damn story for the third time.
"Sounds like quite an adventure you had," She commented at the end of my story.
"Yeah, it was fun, I guess."
She pushed her chair forward and grabbed my hands in hers. "Juliet, you know I don't like being lied to, nobody does so I just want to ask you, is there something you're keeping from me, or - lying to me about?" She asked seriously, looking into my eyes as she if she was seeing my soul.
Words got stuck in my throat. Yes, I answered her internally. About everything.
I looked down from her gaze. It was my chance to tell her. She might understand and forgive me.
"No, it's nothing like that," I forced out.
She freed my hands from hers and I buried them between my thighs.
She reached out for her phone and tapped away on it.
"I want you to remain completely silent during this," she said and it scared me. What was she going to do?
She placed the phone on her dresser table and I glanced at it. She had called a number saved as 'J' and put it on loudspeaker.
As we waited for the person to pick up, I was pretty sure my heartbeat could be heard by Heather herself.
Soon enough the call was picked up and I was pretty sure my heart missed a beat. I was so not ready for this.
There was a second or two of complete silence and nail biting suspense before a female voice answered. "Hello?"
Her voice was like a normal female's. I didn't know what I was expecting - probably a nasally and mean one.
"Hi!" Heather said enthusiastically.
"Heather? What is it? Make it quick. What did I say about one call per month. God, do you want me to get caught? You just called yesterday!"
"Okay, okay. Shut up. I just-" Heather suddenly looked at me, "got to know something."
"Really? That's a first."
"Shut up again."
"Are you going to tell me about it?" She asked impatiently.
"Um...no. I mean you should know about it but I can't tell you. At least not right now."
"Then why'd call me? Does it have anything to do with me getting caught?" She sounddd annoyed.
"No, you're safe."
"Good. Tell them that I love them. You know who. And you too."
"Love you too. Bye."
Without so much as a goodbye, she hung up.
I didn't realize I was holding the armrest of the chair in a death grip until Heather reached out and placed her hand on mine.
"I did told you I didn't like being lied to, didn't I?" She said.
I was too afraid to speak. I was still coming to terms with hearing Juliet's real voice . The girl I'd been pretending to be for some time now, was alive.
Now everything was over. Heather knew I wasn't Juliet.
She would tell everyone. The Jenson family would throw me out.
They'd curse me out and say nasty things about me.
They'd call me a gold digger, an opportunist. The whole world would get to know about me.
People would talk unpleasant things about me.
No one would trust me again. My reputation would even prevent anyone from hiring me. I'd die young.
All because of one stupid mistake.
"Juliet-um, whatever your name is, are you okay?" Heather asked and she almost sounded genuinely concerned. Only she wasn't. Why would she care now? She knew I wasn't her best friend. "What's your name?"
"Julie," I whispered.
"What?"
"My name is Julie James, and I'm not your best friend."
"Julie? Juliet? Don't tell me that even your names are similar."
"They are actually."
"You look a lot like her. Who are you, really? Did you perhaps had a plastic surgery or something to look like her?" Heather asked, removing her hand from around mine.
"No, I didn't. I just look like her."
"Hmm," she appeared in deep thought. "Interesting. So you're Julie James, pretending to be my best friend and surprisingly everyone believed you?" She asked in disbelief. "Even her own parents?"
"I can explain," I started.
"Then please do. I'm extremely confused. How did you end up here?"
And so I launched into my story. My real story. That I was just a normal college student who was invited via Olivia to Wilma's birthday party. Wilma was one of Heather's classmates in high school but they weren't in touch anymore, not that they were great friends or something.
Heather listened patiently to whatever I had to say. I told her about how we got kidnapped and how Olivia convinced me to be Juliet, telling me how it made the Jenson's happy.
By the end of it all, Heather looked impressed. "I must say you girls are good at this. I can't believe everyone got fooled by you. But of course you couldn't fool me. I'm her best friend after all."
"So, she's alive and in hiding?" I asked, just to confirm.
"Well, let's see. Unless you thought I was communicating with her ghost and summoning her to haunt you for the rest of your life, yes she is very much alive and in hiding," Heather replied.
"Oh my God, she'll haunt me either way, wouldn't she?" I groaned and rubbed my hands down my face.
"Definitely, that is if she's told about this."
I removed my hands from my face and looked up at her. "What do you mean?"
"I want you to answer a few questions." She said, suddenly dead serious. She leaned forward until she was right in front of my face. I gulped as she stared down at me hard.
"What are your intentions? Are you after the money? Are you an opportunistic bitch I'd have to get rid of? Do you mean any harm to the Jenson family or anyone else?" She barely gave me time to answer as she fired her next ones at me. "Answer me!"
"I don't mean to harm anyone. I don't care about the money," I defended myself. "I just got dragged into this mess because of my stupid best friend. I swear I mean no harm to anyone."
Heather didn't divert her eyes from mine, probably to search for any sign that would give away that I was lying to her again, which I wasn't.
"I'm telling the truth. Trust me."
After a full minute or so, she relaxed and sat back down again. "Okay, I believe you."
We remained silent for a few more minutes before I decided to break it. I needed to ask her the most important question. "Are you going to tell everyone about me?"
"You know, I'd never seen Mr. and Mrs. Jenson so happy after Juliet ran away.
It was like they never knew what happiness was after that.
Juliet regretted her decision but couldn't come back no matter how much I convinced her.
She didn't want to face her family and see the same looks of disappointment on her parents' faces.
So she hid away from all of them. And I helped her because I understood her.
That didn't mean I was happy about her parents feelings.
I was torn between her and her parents. I didn't know what to do. Both were right in their own context."
"But you chose to support your best friend."
She nodded. "I did. Juliet was gone for too long. She was fine though. I called her every month to keep her updated and to see if she was okay. She is more than okay."
"Is she....going to come back any time soon?" I had to ask. I needed to know how much longer we had to stay here.
She shrugged. "No one knows but her. But I'm pretty sure she'd come back soon.
So till the time being, I want you to keep her family happy.
Like they deserve to be. Once she's back we'll explain everything to her and I know she'll understand and forgive you.
Then we'll exchange you two and you can go back to your old life.
Till then I'll help you. Just know that I'm doing this for her parents' happiness and not for you and your best friend," she said sternly, putting her hand on her waist. "So don't expect us to be all buddy buddy. "
I smiled. "I won't."
"You can leave now. This was enough for a hang out, or should I say hang in? Whatever. I trust you can show yourself out, my best friend, Juliet."
"I can, Heather. See you later."
I got up and walked out of her room and let out a breath I knew I was holding for too long.
I was spared again. God sent me someone here to help me out in this mess and I was so thankful although I would never know why he would support something so wrong.
Without wasting any more time dilly dallying around, I got into the car I came in and asked the driver to drop me at the Jenson mansion. I had so much that I wanted to tell Olivia.
It was a peaceful morning I woke up to. I was in a good mood and I was pretty sure nothing could put a damper to it. I spent half an hour in the hot shower singing to every song I knew, which weren't many.
I danced down the hallways joyously, which I shouldn't have because the next thing I knew, I had stumbled down the last couple of stairs to the living room and right into the devil's arms.
At least it was better than face stamping myself into the floor.
"Someone's in a good mood," he commented, still making no move to pull me up.
"Yeah, you must be so sad that even you can't affect my mood today."
Ethan raised an eyebrow at me. "Actually I can."
And then he released me. I screamed, expecting myself to fall flat on my butt on the hard floor, but it didn't happen. I thankfully landed on the couch. If I had fallen on the floor then Ethan certainly had a death wish.
"You failed!" I hollered at him.
He didn't answer me and I groaned. Time for some fun.
It felt like ages since I had last pranked Ethan and today just seemed perfect.
Ethan had gone to have breakfast so that meant Keith or some other cook must be preparing his breakfast. I had to be quick if I wanted to have some fun.
I went into the kitchen and grabbed a few Oreo cookies. Quickly skipping to my room unnoticed, I quickly removed the fillings from it and...well, ate it because that was the best part of the cookie.
Unscrewing the cap of my toothpaste tube, I started filling it with the toothpaste, mentally evilly grinning about my plan. When it was all done, I ran back to the kitchen where the cooks had just finished making him breakfast.
"Is this for Ethan?" I asked to a cook.
"Yes, this is for Mr. Ethan."
"Oh, Ethan likes these Oreo cookies so maybe you should take these to him too."
He looked confusedly at me for a few moments but complied nonetheless and placed them on a tray to give it to Ethan.
I was so not going to miss this. I'd even record it to have good laugh with Olivia later on.
I walked out of the kitchen through another door so Ethan wouldn't know that I had just exited the kitchen.
I walked through another hallway before casually entering the living room where Ethan was.
He preferred his meals in the living room more than anywhere else for a weird reason I had no interest in finding out.
I pulled out my phone to make it seem as if I was too engrossed in it to care about his presence. I sat across him on the couch. He was busy on his laptop. I didn't know how he had the energy to start working so early in the morning when he didn't even have breakfast yet.
This was one admirable quality in him. He was hardworking. He could work for hours on end and not complain. And I just lazed around the mansion these days. I didn't blame Juliet for turning out the way she was.
The cook placed the tray of food in front of him and he nodded at him in thanks. For a few minutes, he didn't even look at the food and I was getting impatient.
Finally, he made a move towards the food and picked up a waffle. I internally groaned. When was he going to eat the toothpaste Oreos?
I had to wait for ten more minutes until his plate was almost empty. And then I saw him reach for a cookie.
I immediately started making a video of him on my phone. He hadn't even looked at what he was about to eat and that just made it more funny.
He paused for a while, furiously typing away something on his laptop before he brought the cookie towards his mouth and bit into it.
I put my hand over my mouth to muffle my laughter because he didn't react for a few seconds.
After he had chewed the cookie for a few times, I finally got a reaction.
He started choking and the rest of the cookie drooped from his hand.
"Ew!" He spit the chewed up cookie all over the coffee table and reached for a glass of water.
He looked constipated and it was the funniest thing ever.
His stuck his tongue out in distaste and his features scrunched up in disgust while I tried hard to not laugh out loud.