Secrets Are Hard To Keep

“Come on girl.” I said to Majic as we approached a log jump, she cleared it and I patted her on the neck. Man, she was sweaty. “Let’s go for a walk.” I said to her.

I leaned down and un clipped the gate. I pushed it forward and kicked her through as it began to close, we got through just in time. Majic walked at a slow pace down the over grown bushy lane, it must have only been 3 metres wide but it was over flowing with life. Butterflies, birds, moles, everything lived here.

The trees had lost their leaves and the ground was soft and muddy from John Berry, the owner of the fields driving his quad bike up and down it. We walked for about a half a mile before I turned her back, she had cooled down so I decided I should turn in for the night. It was getting late anyway.

I dismounted her and took off all her tack, I tied her lead rope to the steel ring attached to the wall. “I miss him.” I said so Majic as I sponged her down and dried her with straw. I threw her green stable rug over her and did all the buckles up. I lead her into her stable and took off her head collar, she immediately began to eat her night feed.

I patted her neck and left her to go to bed. I tossed her head collar and lead rope into the cupboard and locked it. I shoved the key into my pocket and left the barn. I climbed up the steep but short hill to the top of the bomb shelter. I pulled my knees up to my chest and rested my chin onto my knees.

I remembered telling Nick I was going to show him this. Thinking of him started the tears again, I always cried whenever I thought of the state I left Nick in. in every email I sent to Denise I apologised, so much so she was starting to get annoying. She insisted I did the right thing and that if I had stayed it would have meant things would never work out for Nick and I. I took some conciliation in that.

Kevin emailed me too, he was honest whenever I asked him about Nick. He told me he wasn’t happy but they were hoping their work based vacation to the Bahamas was going to cheer him up. But he said that Nick was planning on bringing me so he wasn’t getting too hopeful. They were playing a show and it would be the first show without me there since Nick and I got together.

It still baffled me how happy we were on the morning and how quickly disaster clouded over us. Life was cruel and hard. But sitting alone right now, staring at the pink sky turning orange before me it was hard to think that love doesn’t exist. Why would this happen if someone was supposed to sit alone and not share it with someone?

This was my last night in Hutton Henry before Dad and I had to leave, Dad had told me he was going to figure out some way to get Majic to the states for me. I just told him if he could that would be amazing but he shouldn’t push his luck with my mother. Dad was worried about me, but I put on a brave face for him always.

When I arrived back at the house, my Dad was stood outside of the car waiting for me. “Hey kiddo.” He gave me a hug, “We have to go.”

“Okay.” I smiled and climbed into the back of the car and he got in the front. I noticed a change of clothes was on the backseat, “Thanks.” I kissed my Dad’s stubbly cheek and pulled the curtain across so he couldn’t see. I changed into the pair of baggy blue jeans and a black long sleeved shirt, I slipped my arms into a red jacket and zipped it up. I pulled on my white plimsolls and pulled the curtain back.

“What’s the date Dad?” I asked and he looked at his watch.

“It’s the tenth of December.” So Christmas was approaching, a nice excuse to spend money.

When we arrived at the airport we had a mass of security around us because the paparazzi attacked. I was shocked when I saw my Mum and brothers in our waiting area. I ran up to my Mum and wrapped my arms around her then I high fived all my brothers and hugged them.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked, my pitch higher because of my shock.

“We’re taking you on holiday, you need to get away.” My Dad announced putting an arm around my Mum’s shoulders. “Victoria packed you a tonne of clothes which are on that plane.” He pointed out the glass window where a private jet waited. “And we’re not telling you where.”

My face dropped. “You’re evil.” I scowled at them but it didn’t last because I was too happy. I was going from one paradise to another. “Lets get on this plane then!” I shouted and picked up Cruz.

I ran through the tunnel with Cruz bouncing up and down, giggling at my funny noises. I placed him down once I stepped inside the plane and he ran about getting the feel of everything. I smiled at a large leather seat that was calling me.

I climbed into it and closed my eyes. I listened to the chaos going on around me, my brothers refused to get strapped into their seats but after a minute or so they had been warned and they were all sat peacefully. I say peacefully I mean shouting but at least they weren’t running around.

Once we were airborne and the kids were asleep I forced myself to relax. I couldn’t escape from here so keeping myself busy wasn’t an option. I closed my eyes and fell asleep to the hum of the plane’s engine.

When I woke up the sun was pouring through my window. I looked out of it and saw a shocking blue sea turning to a turquoise colour as we neared the coast line. We were lowering to the ground so the kids were waking up quick and fast.

I helped my Mum feed them and change them and I changed into a knee length white skirt and I shoved my jeans into my carry on bag. I couldn’t wait to get off this plane. But as I looked closer to the coast line I worked out where I was and the panic kicked in.

“Why did you bring me here?” I breathed still looking out the window. “I don’t want to see him yet.”

“Sweetie, you’re both miserable without each other. Nick had nothing to do with this.” I swallowed the spit in my mouth and squeezed my eyes shut tightly trying to get my head around why my parents would take me to Nick. What are they planning? I believe they’ve lost their minds.

When the plane landed I angrily stomped out behind my parents with a permanent scowl on my face. There were no press but people were crowding so we hurried through the airport and into a people carrier to the hotel.

“Oh Julia. Stop sulking for god sake.” My mother snapped.

“You’re sending me on a vacation where lots of Jonas brothers fans are going to be. Screaming will be going on constantly and to top it all off I have to face my boyfriend-ish type person while all this is going on!” I retorted, “Now let me sulk.”

When we arrived I couldn’t help but marvel at the gleaming marble pillars and the marble flooring. Everything was over the top and it was the first moment since we landed I hadn’t sulked. We were escorted to our suites and I was happy to find I had a Regal suite in the Royal Towers section of the resort to myself.

Inside the carpet was a classic green. The furniture was all varnished oak and very vintage but my bedroom was massive. A king sized bed took up only a fraction of the room and a floating desk with a glass top was attached to the wall. Best of all was my balcony, on it was a long sofa with orange pillows on and a grand piano too.

The view was breath taking, I could see the sea and the beaches but I could also hear all the people in the water parks. Today was not as hot as I thought it would be, though the breeze was still humid. I leaned on the balcony and played with the red wrist band attached to me which told everyone I could do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted.

I changed into my black bikini considering it was only 11am and I pulled on a pair of red football shorts over my bottom half. A pair of large sunglasses perched on my nose and my beach bag was over my shoulder which held everything I would need.

I grabbed my key and headed across the hall to my parents room. I could hear the kids shouting so I let myself in. Brooklyn ran over to me in a pair of blue swimming shorts and smiled at me, “Come on the slides with me?”

“Okay little man. I have Brooklyn!” I shouted.

“Thanks!” Dad replied running across the room after Romeo. “Dean go with them!”

We brought Dean? Dean was my security and one of my close friends but I guess my parents knew the whole Jonas thing would make things difficult. “Dean!” I smiled and we did our hand shake.

“Come on…” Brooklyn complained and ran down the corridor as Dean and I tried to keep up.

Once I’d managed to calm Brooklyn down we found a deck chair (which wasn’t hard, we had a private spot near a small kids pool) and I tied my hair back into one pony tail. Dean trudged along behind us mumbling into his walkie talkie about where we were going and how long we would be. It was starting to get annoying.

“I want to go on that.” Brooklyn pointed as we stopped in some shade by a palm tree. Brooklyn was talking about a massive vertical drop into a clear tube which overlooked a pool with sharks inside of it.

“Me too.” I loved sharks. I couldn’t help but feel on the edge as people stared at me but I knew why and it didn’t bother me. We were led by a staff member up a separate set of stairs to the top of the slide.

I noticed that it seemed to be already closed and when I arrived at the top I knew why. A photo shoot was going to happen, everything was being set up. And then the screams came.

“Can we go back down please?” I whispered stopping a few steps from the top.

“Nope.” Brooklyn laughed popping the ‘p’ in his sentence. I groaned and my stomach started doing gymnastics. I stopped and leaned against the stone at the top of the steps. “It’s just Joe!” Brooklyn shouted.

Just Joe, okay that’s easy. I peered around to make sure he wasn’t lying and he wasn’t. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding and I stepped out into the sun. “Julia?” Joe gasped and jogged over to me. “What are you doing here?”

“Parents idea.” I smiled widely. I’d missed being with Joe, he was such an assertive character. “Where’s… you know…” I said awkwardly.

“He’s with Kevin getting a Starbucks.”

“Oh.” I said disappointed with the turn out. I discovered then that I wanted to see Nick, I wanted to hug and kiss him. I shook my head to try and rid myself of the thought.

“Julia!” Brooklyn whined dragging out the ‘a.’

“Talk properly.” I snapped and he sat on the floor in a huff. “I guess I’ll see you later.” I spun around and watched Brooklyn disappear down the shoot, screaming as he went. “Idiot.” I mumbled and shook my head.

I walked over to the shoot and leaned against the bar, Dean had gone back down to get Brooklyn so I tried to focus on the red light. It never seemed to change. But as they say, a watched clock never ticks.

I heard a clatter behind me and I peered over my shoulder. Nick had dropped the cardboard cup hold onto the floor and was staring at me. He was wearing a blue tartan shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of black washed out jeans. He looked amazing. “Kevin, tell me I’m not seeing things.” I turned back around and stared angrily at the red light still beaming.

“Come on.” I whispered, too low for them to here.

“Wait!” Nick called as the green light flashed on. Wait? For him? Nope. I swung myself down the shoot and kept my eyes shut the whole time. The luke warm water flicked in my face and I was completely submerged as I came out of the shoot. I walked over to the steps and climbed out, angry with myself for chickening out.

As I stood in the breeze I pushed my wet hair out of my eyes and looked up to the top of the slide. Nick and his brothers were all looking at me all not looking too amused. I tried to send them an apologetic look but I couldn’t tell if they could see it.

“Dean, can you take Brooklyn please?” I asked him and he nodded and walked off with Brooklyn.

I was sick of people staring at me, it was starting to get annoying but at least they weren’t taking pictures. Well, one guy did take one but I think some of the girls were too afraid to come up to me and ask for one. I wouldn’t ask me either. Once I’d grabbed my sunglasses from my sun bed I went for a walk.

I leaned on the stone wall of a bridge that over looked a pool of sting-rays. They all swam so gracefully, I was jealous of their freedom. But they only looked free. They were stuck in a tank. They were like me.

“Hello.” I turned around and faced the sound of an unfamiliar voice, “My daughter is over there and she’s a really big fan of yours, would you come and say hello to her? You don’t have to--”

“No, it’s fine. Lead the way.” I gestured with my hand for the young mother to walk ahead of me.

I mentally cursed my self when I discovered she was taking me back in the direction of Nick’s photo shoot. “Are you here with the Jonas Brothers?”

“Urm, no.” I answered shyly, of course people would think I was here with them. “Is that her?” I asked pointing to a girl around my age playing with what seemed to be her younger sister in a bit of shallow water.

“Yep.”

I took that as my cue to go over. So I did. She screamed and tackled me, she was lucky Dean wasn’t here or else she’d be getting handcuffed or something like that. I took about ten pictures with her then escaped.

I walked through the canopy of palm trees to get back to the main path. “Julia!”

His voice, he’d been waiting for me.