Secrets Are Hard To Keep

I tucked my white camisole into my black high waist, pleated skirt which had a frill going diagonally across it. As I bent down my chain necklace hit me in the face. I sighed and clipped the strap of my heels across my foot. These heels weren’t too high, probably only an inch and a half.

As I slid my diamond ring onto my finger I whispered, “Wish me luck parents.” I checked all of my hair was pinned back, I struggled to get a incorporating strand of hair back into the bundle of hair on the back of me head. “There.” I said to myself and smiled as it finally clipped back.

I felt confident today, I felt good. Denise had approved of my outfit making me feel more secure. I was ready to meet his family I was looking forward to it for once. My stomach was doing flips though, it was very distracting.

The door bell rang. My eyes widened as all my confidence left me, “Bugger.”

I listened as Denise greeted what seemed to be her mother (Jean) and father (John), sister and two nieces. Her niece’s are called Emily who is fifteen and Jessica who is seven. Her sister is called Catherine and her husband is called Keith.

“Where are my grandsons?” Jean’s voice bellowed in a strong Texas accent. “There they are!”

Wonderful, Nick had just strolled down leaving me up here. That was nice of him. “Hey, Nan.” Nick cooed. I stepped out into the hall and quietly crept to where the wall ends just before the stairs. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”

I scurried back a few paces and stood awkwardly in the corridor. Nick appeared at the top of the stairs and smiled at me, he held out his hand for me. “Come on.” He smiled widely.

I smiled back as best I could and took his hand. Everyone smiled at me as I walked down the stairs next to Nick. His grandmother was smiling sweetly at me and so was his grandfather. The two nieces looked at me like I was a shiny new toy and his Aunt and Uncle were also smiling at me. I looked at Joe who gave me a nod, I smiled feeling the confidence come back as I came from the last step.

“Everyone, this is my girlfriend Julia.”

“Hello.” I smiled and began getting introductions from everyone. Keith and John gave me kisses on the cheek and Catherine and Jean also gave me hugs. “It’s great to meet you.”

“It’s great to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you from Denise.” Catherine, the Aunt, gushed. “You’re very beautiful.”

“Thank you.” I blushed and Nick squeezed my hand.

“Aunty Denise where’s Frankie?” Jessica asked tugging on Denise’s brown trouser leg.

“He’s upstairs in his room.” We all watched Jessica run up the stairs.

“Well, lets all go to the front room and have a sit down.” Paul smiled and everyone followed him in.

“Catherine, Mom would you help me with the drinks?” Denise asked and they all followed her.

Kevin, Joe, Nick, Emily and I stood at the foot of the stairs. “Emily, want a game on Halo?” Kevin smirked.

“You’re on.” They rushed off to the game room leaving Joe, Nick and I.

“Let’s go then!” Joe said enthusiastically.

Nick and I followed Joe into the living room. We all sat near each other on the spare sofa, Nick didn’t let go on my hand as the conversation buzzed about how everyone had been.

“So Julia, that’s an odd British accent you have.” Keith noted.

“Urm, yeah. I went to secondary school in Hartlepool which is up North but I lived in North London for a while so I’m kind of a mix of the two.” I felt nervous answering questions, I felt like I was being interviewed.

“Was that a private school?” Catherine asked and I shook my head. “That must have been hard, with you being David and Victoria Beckham’s daughter.”

“Not really, people found out I’m not really that exciting and got used to it.” Everyone laughed but I failed to see how it was funny.

“So have you done your exams?” Nick’s grandfather asked.

“Yeah.”

“What grades did you get?”

I went over them in my mind. “I got an A in science, B in English and Maths, B in history and an A in Drama.” Everyone looked shocked. It was easy to get high grades when you have nothing to do except revise. I didn’t see it as a big deal, though it was when I got my results in that brown envelope.

“Drama? You act?” Catherine inquired.

“Not really.” I blushed. I really wanted them to stop asking me questions.

“Well you have a spectacular singing voice. It’s good that you’re musical, you fit right in.” Jean smiled at me. I looked down to my lap, “You’re quiet shy aren’t you?”

“She’s just being modest.” Nick answered for me, I glanced at him and smiled. “She’s an amazing singer and song writer.”

“You write songs?”

“She practically wrote the whole of ‘On the line’ and we all just wrote a one called ‘Wordplay’ with us.” Joe added.

I really wished they’d just move on and discuss Nick or something. “We’ll have to hear that later.”

“Yeah.” I mumbled and sunk into the sofa.

I watched Jean and Catherine walk out of the room and into the kitchen. “I’m going to get a drink, does anyone want anything?” I asked standing up and letting Nick’s hand drop on the sofa.

“No thanks.” Everyone replied. I walked down the hall, the carpet muted the sound of my heels.

“… I know.” I caught the end of Denise’s sentence.

“She’s like a twig!” Jean exclaimed. My stomach flipped, they were talking about me. “But very pretty.”

“Nick almost bursts with pride whenever he talks about her though.” I smiled at Denise's words, at least some of the things they were saying was nice.

“You should have seen him back then, defending her bless. He looks happy enough.” Catherine said. I turned around and climbed up the stairs quietly but quickly.

I slid my ring off my finger and placed it on my bedside table. I quickly dialled my Dad’s number into my Blackberry and waited for him to pick up. He didn’t. “Dad, it’s just me. Just letting you know everything’s going well and I haven’t been torn to pieces. Love you.” I cut off my voice mail and bit my bottom lip.

“That’s a nice ring.” I gasped and looked up. Emily was standing in my doorway. “Nick’s looking for you.”

“Oh, thanks.” I smiled at her and stepped out into the corridor. “Are you coming down?” I asked politely.

“No, I’m just going to the bathroom.”

“Okay.” I hurried back into the living room and sat down next to Nick. Everyone was not here, even Frankie and Jessica.

“Where’d you go?” Nick whispered into my ear.

“Fell down a black hole.” I answered and he laughed and shook his head, “I’m okay though.” I added and bit my lip to stop myself from laughing, Kevin smiled at me and shook his head from across the room.

* * *

Finally, almost everyone had left. Now only Paul’s brother Jack and his wife Louise were here with their son Ben who is seventeen kept staring at me. It was creepy. So I was drying the pots with Denise to get away from him.

“Thanks for helping out Julia. My family really like you.” I smiled at Denise as I wiped the water from another glass. “My mother almost burst with joy whenever you two looked at each other.”

“I know, she was going all red.” Joe laughed making an appearance. “Want me to put them away Mom?”

“That would be wonderful Joseph, Nicholas help him please.” Nick sluggishly got off of his stool and walked off with a handful of knives and forks. “I know you heard my mother saying you were a twig.”

“Yeah.” I admitted, “Sorry for eavesdropping, I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s okay and don’t take what my Mom says to heart dear. You’re a wonderful shape.” I smiled at Denise as she kissed my forehead. She reminded me of my mother.

“I’m just going to go and call my Mum.” I told her.

“Okay sweetie.”

I headed up to my room and grabbed my Blackberry. I laid down on my bed and listened to the dial tone. Again I got no answer. I sighed and placed my Blackberry on my bedside table.

Then I noticed something. My ring wasn’t there. I furrowed my eye brows and rolled of the bed and knelt on the floor. I tossed everything off the top of the table and threw everything out of the draws onto the floor behind me. It wasn’t there. I sat down on my heels and sighed angrily. I was starting to panic now.

“What’s up?” Joe asked kneeling down next to me.

I grumbled, “I’ve lost my bloody ring.” I spat and looked at him, “Use your muscles and lift that up.” I told him pointing to the table. He stood up and held it up in the air easily. I couldn’t see it but I ran my hand over the floor just in case.

I stood up and pushed the bed weakly. Joe rolled his eyes and pushed the bed with ease the mattress fell off but the base moved. “It’s not there.” Joe stated as I felt across the floor.

“No shit Sherlock.” I sat in defeat on the floor with my legs crossed, “I put it on that table.” I sighed angrily, breathing heavily because of my panicking. “I know I did.”

“Maybe you imagined it.” Joe held out his hand for me. I grabbed it and he pulled me up to my feet and put my room back together.

“What’s going on?” Nick asked observing Joe put my room back together.

“I’ve lost my ring.”

It had to be here somewhere!