Total pages in book: 152
Estimated words: 145155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 726(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 726(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
“We had better get going.” I smile.
He nods and stands to face me and takes my hands in his. “Promise me one thing,” he whispers and I nod. “Promise me that whatever happens we will leave your parents’ house together today.”
I smile and nod and give him a tender kiss while cupping his face in my hands. “I promise you we will leave together today and then we will go out for dinner to celebrate our bravery, followed by awesome hot sex.”
He gives me a nervous smile and nods. “Sounds like a plan.”
Walking up the steps to Mum and Dad’s house is the most terrifying thing I think I have done. Joshua is as white as a ghost and the tension on Cameron’s face is priceless. But this means we can finally be together in public. We walk into the lounge room, oh shit, Brock is here. Joshua and I quickly glance at each other, knowing exactly what the other is thinking.
“Come out the back, everyone,” Mum calls from the kitchen in her best entertaining voice. OK, this is it…it’s go time. Cameron and Bridget are sitting on a stone bench and Joshua’s mum and dad are sitting at the table with my mum, Brock and Dad. Holy fuck. I feel like I am going to vomit. Joshua runs both of his hands through his hair and I stand still on the spot. I give him the nod symbolizing now.
“You are probably wondering why I have brought you all here,” he stammers. “I…we have something to tell you,” he continues.
“Joshua, no…stop,” Margaret snaps.
He swallows and ignores her and continues, “Natasha…Natasha.” He looks at me and I can’t stand it any longer.
I stand and grab his hand. “Joshua and I have fallen in love.”
The room falls silent. My eyes flick around the room to see five sets of shocked eyes staring at us.
“What do you mean?” Joshua’s dad snaps.
Joshua swallows the lump in his throat. “We have been seeing each other and we have fallen for each other,” he stammers.
Brock breaks the silence. “You’re a fucking prick, Stanton.” My mother yells, “Brock, enough.”
I need to speak quickly—everyone is just too quiet. “We fell in love when I was seventeen and only just got back together. We couldn’t stay apart any longer.”
“He was with a fucking stripper just a week ago, Natasha,” Brock yells. Oh shit, he did have to see that, didn’t he? Joshua glares at Brock and I grab his arm signifying for him to calm down.
Joshua’s dad stands. “Back up—did you say seventeen?” I frown. “How old were you then, Joshua?” he asks. Joshua bites his lip, knowing what’s coming.
“How old?” he screams. Oh shit, this is getting out of control and Cameron stands up and walks around next to Joshua as if to signify support.
“Nineteen,” Joshua answers.
“So, Natasha is the girl you nearly didn’t go to America for?” Josh hangs his head. “And she is the girl in your goddamn tattoo?” he yells.
“Yes,” Joshua sighs as he rubs both of his eyes with his hands. Margaret, Joshua’s mother, bursts into tears and my mother stands and starts pacing.
“You’re cousins,” she screams.
This is bad…worse than I thought.
I look to my dad to see his reaction and he picks up my hand. “This is wrong, baby girl…you can’t do this,” he whispers.
My eyes tear up. “Dad, nothing has ever felt so right. Don’t say that.”
Joshua gets a new bout of bravery. “Natasha is moving to LA with me,” he announces.
“Over my fucking dead body,” Brock screams.
Joshua glares at him. “Don’t tempt me, Marx,” he snaps.
Brock jumps up and knocks the chair over and runs at Josh and Cameron steps in the middle. Brock punches Cameron with full force and he falls over and everybody starts screaming for them to stop it. Joshua loses control and grabs Brock off Cameron and then punches Brock in the face. Bridget and I are screaming.
“Stop it now…Brock, no.”
From behind me I hear Margaret yelling. “John, John. Oh my god…John.” We all collectively turn to see my father slumped in Margaret’s arms and clutching his chest. Oh dear god.
“Call an ambulance,” I scream. Joshua and Brock still have a hold of each other, slamming into the wall, and the table tips over as they fall into it.
“Stop it now. Call an ambulance,” Joshua’s dad yells. Suddenly the room spins. What’s happening? I feel like I am having an out-of-body experience. I am in shock with no emotion. My dad is on the ground and Cameron is doing CPR frantically. My mum and Margaret are crying and holding each other. Bridget is screaming down the phone for an ambulance.
“What’s the address?” she screams. “What’s the address?” Even though she has lived at the house her whole childhood. Joshua is pacing with both of his hands on top of his head.