Chapter Nineteen

June- "June I don't think this was a good idea," Erin says worry in her voice.

"This makes me want to know what happened," I say to her, "one sentence wouldn't have made her like that there has to be something else."

She reluctantly agrees and we go back to watching. The next one that comes up is her sitting at the table a peace of cake in front of her. I don't even recognize her. The birthday before she had a twinkle in her eyes, but in this one she sits in front of the camera eyes dead. I look at the date, and they skipped a couple years. In this video she was probably 10 or 11. I go to the next one she sits there looking the same, then her mother walks into the room. She walks behind her and Rayanna shoots up and smiles. Was she acting? Her hands were on the table and I could see them shaking. I keep scrolling through watching her behavior. I notice that her hair hasn't been cut, it got longer ever video after the other one she freaked at. I also noticed that her act was perfect, but when her mother walked into the room, her fear had turned to anger.

I think back to what her mother said the first day we were here. Did she really not notice what she had done to her? I think she's just denying it, she doesn't want to believe she did that to her. The next video was the will reading.

At this point Rayanna was probably 17 she sits tall hands in her lap. She smiles the whole time. The camera moves and in one second I stop the video.

"What is it June?" Grayson asks.

"That," I point at the TV.

I've seen Rayanna's tattoo, it was on her right, but from the angle of the camera I could see past her long hair. Behind her left ear there was four crescent shaped scars there. I think. When she sank to the floor she covered her ears. Those scars where from her finger nails. She covered up one side, but why only one?

After we heard the front door open we turned off the TV and we all ran to go do something convincing. What else were we going to do, hey there your Majesty we all know that you possibly mentally and physically abused your daughter. That would get us executed so fast. We all decided to do something, so we went to the beach. The Queen tried to join us and we all slowly left. I went to the kitchen to make sandwiches when Xander showed up.

"Hey Xander," I say looking down.

"Hi June," he goes looking through the pantry.

"Is she ok?" I ask not making eye contact.

He sighs, "that wasn't a good idea."

"I...I realize that now. Xander?"

"Hum," he answers.

"How did you know she would freak out?"

He grabs chips from the shelf, and closes the door leaning on it to look at me.

"Because I knew about it."

I look at him stunned, "How?"

"She told me, after I found a large bruise on her face."

"Xander?"

He puts his hand up, "if you want to know more, you'll have to ask her. It's not my secret to tell."

He leaves and enters the guys room, where he took her.

I finished making my lunch, and go to hunt down Grayson. I look around, then resort to plan B.

"Gray!"

"Over here June."

I see a hand pop out from a doorway. I go over to him. I see him sit on the bed in the room, as I walk in. I look around before I speak to him.

"I brought food."

"You know the way to my heart," he says putting a hand on his chest.

I giggle and hand him a peace. I sit on the bed with him. When we finish we lay down, and I turn to look at him in the eye.

"Gray?"

"Yes June."

"Do you think she'll be mad."

"Well you snooped into her personal life, showed everyone her pain, and didn't do anything to stop her self distraction."

"Thanks that makes me feel a lot better."

"June I can't know I'm not her."

"I thought it would be nice to see old memories."

He pulls me to him.

"I know, but sometimes not doing anything is the best thing to do."

We sit silent for a second.

"Xander knew."

"I'd imagine he did would, she is comfortable around him, you can just tell how happy he makes her."

"But when? It couldn't have been a while ago, right?"

"June I've hung out with him, but not enough to know were he is at different times."

I stayed quiet this time, and decided to treasure these moments of peace.

To my disappointment Gray had work to do and he left. Not having anything to do I went to look for the other girls. Spending time with Gray made me feel better, and I smiled as I walked. I found Lilian and Erin in our room.

"Hey, people."

They looked at me stopping there conversation.

"Do you want to go play volleyball?"

They looked at each other, and made a silent agreement. They both left with me to go to the net on the beach.

"You look happy," Erin says, " something happened to make that."

"Well," I say, "I just hung out with Grayson."

"Anything spicy happen?" Lillian asks.

I blush, "NO! We haven't even kissed yet!"

I cover my mouth with my hands. I didn't mean to say that. Both of the girls laugh.

"What?!" I demand face hot.

"That's cute," Erin says.

At that moment I remember the age difference between me, and the rest of the girls. I was the youngest, by almost two years. They have probably kissed people before, unlike me. I remember Gary, Has he kissed people before?

Erin gets the volleyball, and we make teams. Erin and I versus Lillian who was insistent on beating us on her own. At some point Colin makes his way down to the net, and joins Lillian's team. If we had any chance before we don't now. I let Erin hit most of the shots, mostly because she was taller. I assisted in some scores, but most of them were deflected. The end game was 7 to 21, so close.

We ate dinner at the same time we usually did, but Rayanna and Xander didn't show. After dinner I tried to escape as quickly as possible, but I was stopped by Lillian. 

"I washed up last night, it's your turn this time."

Greaaaat.

I scrubbed plates, utensils, and cups right before I finished I was tapped on the shoulder. I jump and turn around to see Rayanna's mother. Oh no.

"Do you know where my daughter is?"

I start to sweat, come on just tell a half truth.

"I think she's in the boys room."

"Why is she there?"

Fuck.

" umm, well," think June think, "she wanted to read, and we were being loud in our room so she went there."

That was true, yesterday.

"Then why didn't she come to eat?"

"Oh, I saw her earlier she came and got snacks from the cabinet, her nose was in that book," Wow I'm getting good at this lying thing.

I turn back around and finish the last plates.

"Hmm," She hums then leaves.

I breath out the breath I was unknowingly holding. That was close.