Chapter 25

"So," Jordan said, weaving his hands in mine, "are you busy Friday?"

Nope. Why?"

"Because I was thinking, maybe we could go on a date?"

"Just the two of us?"

"Just the two of us," he confirmed.

I smiled, "I'd like that."

"Mum!" I called out when I walked into the house.

"In here sweetie," called out mum's voice from the kitchen.

I skipped into the room and sat on the kitchen counter."Jordan has asked me on a date for Friday, can I go?"

"Of course sweetie," she said smiling.

I grinned. I was happy to see mum finally smiling again. Ever since Rick had stormed out of the house, she has always been sad and he hasn't returned since.

"I don't know what to wear though, will you help me?"

"Of course I will."

We smiled at each other and she got back to cooking.

"Hello city girl."

I rolled my eyes, "hello Oliver."

"What's up with you lately?"

"Not much. Been pretty bored, I have a date with Jordan on Friday at least."

"That's great for you."

"Well, what's up with you lately?"

"Same old same old...Hey I have a seriously life threatening question to ask you."

I mocked a gasp. "No way! Like seriously life threatening." I said sarcastically.

"Oh em gee, it's like no way, oh my word, like seriously life threatening." Oliver played along.

"Oh em gee! No fricken way. That is like, oh my word, like so serious!"

"I know right?"

I giggled and said, "okay, so what is the question?"

He sighed, getting back to the serious matter. "Well you know how my ex ran away when the army was in town?"

I nodded.

"What if, at the end of the year I join the army to get out of town?"

I was silent for a moment,"What if they send you to war?"

Oliver shrugged. "Well then I'm sent to war. It's a way of getting out and I will be serving my country, I'll be getting food and everything until I can get enough money saved up."

"Well as long as you don't die, then sure it's a good plan."

He smiled. "You really think so?"

"I do."

Friday had finally arrived and I went straight home after school.

"Welcome home," mum said as soon as I walked through the door.

I smiled at her. "Well I am going to have a shower and then you can help me pick clothes for me to wear. Jordan said he was going to pick me up at six."

"Okay, hurry you have three hours."

I gasped. "No ways! Three hours, I will never make it."

Mum rolled her eyes. "Go have a shower."

"You look beautiful," Jordan said as I got into his car.

"Thank you," I said blushing.

"Anytime."

"Wait...Telling me that I look beautiful tonight, does that mean I don't look beautiful every day?"

Jordan rolled his eyes, "You look beautiful every day." 

"Then why did you say tonight?"

"You love to annoy me hey?"

"You know it."

"So where are we going?"

"To the lake," he replied.

"To the place where we had our first date?"

"Of course."

"Did you bring sushi?"

"No, something else this time."

"Thank gosh, I am sick of sushi."

"You know, you whine a lot."

"I noticed. So what are we going to be eating?"

"Food."

"What kind of food?"

"Edible food."

"Does this food have a name?"

"Yes, it's called a meal."

"What  is this meal called?"

"Food."

I growled at him. "You're mean."

"You're beautiful, you know that."

"Yeah, right."

"You are and you should never doubt that."

We had already eaten our dinner that turned out to be spaghetti, his mum's recipe.

"Hey Cece...."Jordan started.

"Yeah?"

"I-Um...I don't know if you think it's the right time for me to say this, but I need to tell you...I love you."

I was lost for words. Did he just say...no way...i must be hearing things...but he totally did say.

"In most cases, people normally say it back. But if you don't feel that way..."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just lost for words."

"Oh..."

"I just didn't think you felt that way about me."

"Well I do."

Blushing I mumbled," I'm not sure how I feel about you yet. Like, I really really like you, but falling in love is the last thing I want to do right now."

"Why?"

"Jordan, you know that I will be leaving eventually."

"You wouldn't stay for me?"

I shook my head.

He didn't talk to me for a while, so I knew I had to say something.

"If you like...don't want to go out with me anymore, I will understand."

"I know I shouldn't, but I have already fallen in love with you. So I can't just breakup with you."

"Oh Jordan." I exclaimed and hugged him.

"I wish you wouldn't leave."

"I know...But I have to. I don't belong here. I am a city girl. Any plans for my future is in the city where I belong. I don't know how to run a farm or to work in a shop. I'm more of a technology person. I like writing, reading...I want to be an author and I don't want to do that here."

"I understand."

We sat there hugging each other for a while until Jordan whispered. "Do you think you could ever love me?"

"Yeah, I think I could if I wasn't going, but I just don't want to hurt myself like that."

"I wish you would allow yourself to love me."

"Jordan, that will only hurt both of us."

"I know...But we should make every moment that we have now count right?"

I thought about it for a while. "Yes we should."

"I had a good time tonight," I told Jordan as he stopped outside my house.

"Even though I had to ruin it?"

"You didn't ruin it, you only made it better." I told him with a smile, so he knew I was being genuine.

"That's good. Do you mind if I say it again?"

"Not at all."

He leaned in and kissed me softly. When he broke away he leaned his forehead against mine and whispered, "I love you."

Shutting the door I smiled largely.

"Mum, I'm home."

But there was no reply.

"Mum!" I called out again.

She still didn't reply.

Now I was getting worried.

Taking in deep breaths I quickly walked the whole house until I got to her room.

"Mum!" I said as I pushed open her door.

I stepped back in shot as I saw her body lying on the floor covered in blood.

"Hello Cecelia," came a voice from behind me.