Chapter 3 - Seen a ghost

That voice, it cant be him.

"What old lady?" Summer asked him. He opened a file he had in his hands.

"Sarah James." My mother.

"My brother, you are very misinformed. I know the owner of this place." Summer looked in my direction.

"Autumn come to meet my brother, Domenic this is Autumn." When he turned around, I... I thought my world shattered all over again.

At least he looked as shocked as me while Summer just stared at us.

"Autumn, are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost." Summer asked me.

"Autumn." Domenic said my name. He looked older yes, but  more handsome than ever.

"As it turned out my brother is the shark that wants to buy this place."

Summer smacked him on the shoulder.

"Your brother? You are a Davis Jones?" I asked shocked, she said she was Summer Danes.

 "Yes, wait you two know each other?" Do we know each other? No, we don't. The man that I knew never existed. I'm going to be sick.

"We went to the same high school." Domenic said. His voice made me more sick by the minute.

I tried to dismiss him as much as possible, not wanting to look at him I concentrated on Summer. "So how we met, how we became friends was just a ruse so I would easily accept to sell to your brother?"

She looked as if I just slapped her.

"No, of course not. How could you think that?" Summer said as she looked between Domenic and me again as if she suspected there was bad blood between us.

"Autumn." Domenic said again, he even went so far as to try to touch me. I flinched back so hard I almost fell over.

"Get out. Both of you, out." I say as I fought so hard to not let tears fill my eyes.

"Hey let's talk it out." Summer said.

"There is nothing to talk about, I will never sell this place to you. So I would suggest you forget this address and me altogether." I'm starting to shake. No Autumn, hang in there just a minute longer.

"Autumn please..."

"Out." Domenic tried to talk to me but I cut him off. I can't listen to his voice, it torments me.

Summer grabbed Dominic's hand and nudged him back, but he looked stuck in place. I can't take it anymore, I can't look or listen to him. I turned around and practically went flying up the stairs, I bearly made it to the toilet where my stomach betrayed me.

The memories started to flood me, every smell, every touch, the spoken words and promises. The betrail and broken trust. I never went to my prom, that night I spent washing myself over and over again trying to erase his touch on my skin. I never slept on that bed again. For the first time in my life, I lied to my mother. I told her I felt sick to my stomach last minute and that's why I didn't go. 

I hoped I would never see him again. 

A few days passed and just as I was starting to glue myself back together from the shock Summer appeared at my door. I tried to dismiss her but she got into my face.

"I don't know what kind of history you have with my brother and I don't care. I just came to tell you I think what you are doing to me is unjust. First of all, we meet by accident ok. Second, when did I ever talk to you about you selling this place? I would be the first one to tell you not to sell. You throw me out, do you know how that made me feel..."

"I..." I tried to interrupt her.

"No, I'm talking. As you see I don't have many friends, and in the brief time we got to know each other I grew very fond of you. Whatever Nicky did to you in the past was not my fault, so don't take it out on me. Because I really miss you."

I stayed silent, not sure if she was finished. She did have a point. 

"Well say something." She tells me.

As much as I hate it she is right, and I kind of missed her too. So instead of saying anything I gave her a hug which she returned.

"I'm sorry, I missed you too."

"That's more like it." She said.

We went upstairs from the cafe to talk more privately. I made us some coffee and we sat in my living room.

"I said to myself I wouldn't ask but... what is the deal with you and Nicky?" I find it funny she calls him Nicky.

"Did you ask him?" I say.

"Well that night he didn't come home, but I asked him the next day and he didn't want to talk about it. Not a word." No surprise there.

"Did you guys date?" Summer asked and my eyes must of give the jackpot alarm.

"Oh, you did. And judging from your reaction it ended badly." I pinched the bridge of my nose and took a deep breath.

"Sorry Summer but I don't want to talk about it. Now or ever."

"Sure, and just so you know I told him to give up on buying this place." 

Of course she did. 

"Thank you Summer." I say, for a second there we stay in an awkward situation. Not really sure what to say.

"I don't want things to be weird between us Autumn, we will continue our friendship as it was. And if you do not want to see my brother I will always respect that." She reassured me, and honestly, I did believe her.

"You are right, and I am sorry for how I treated you. The situation caught me off guard but I was in no right to take it out on you." She smiled as she tapped my hand. 

"No worries, hey I need to run now but how about we have dinner later?" Summer said as she got up.

"Sure, just text me the time and address, and I'll meet you there.”