The Reason Why [✓ Completed~ editing]

Chapter 38: The Reason Why

*Alexa Shiffer*

"Okay, fine." I gave in and crossed my arms over my chest. "You really want to know? I'll tell you. It all started years and years ago. It must have been when we were both about eight years old."

"We didn't know each other when we were eight," Jordan pointed out, looking puzzled.

"I wasn't even in this country when we were eight," I laughed. "This," I signalled between Jordan and I, "didn't start out between us. It was something bigger than that."

"Wait, so you mean that you didn't hate me because of something that I had done at school?" I shook my head.

"No, not really."

"All this time I had thought it was something I had done to make you feel that way about me." Jordan looked so completely bewildered that it was almost humorous.

"No, it was kind of to do with our parents." Jordan didn't say anything but looked clearly shocked. He wasn't trying to hide any emotions from me. "It was actually to do with that film."

"The film? You mean my parents' film?" he asked and I laughed cynically.

"Kind of."

"Wait, does this have something to do with what you said when you were round mine?"

"I don't remember what I said," I replied honestly.

"You said something about how my parents had success with the movie and yours didn't." I bit my lip.

"You remember that?"

"Yeah. I kind of brushed it off because I didn't know if you were being serious, but I can't say that I haven't thought about it since."

"Well," I breathed, "honesty, yeah, it has everything to do with that. I didn't tell you then because I didn't trust you enough, but I'm telling you now." Jordan waited in silence. "Did your parents ever tell you how they came up with the idea of the movie?" I questioned, not quite knowing what response I would get.

"I asked once," Jordan admitted, "but they said something really vague and told me never to ask again. I was young, I don't really remember." He shrugged. "Was that important then?"

"Yeah. Yeah it was. You see," I sighed, "your parents didn't come up with that idea, or that script."

"What, did someone write it for them? People do that all the time in that industry don't they? Producers get scripts written for them to produce."

"It's a bit different than that."

"I don't like how this is sounding," Jordan said, beginning to look uncomfortable. "These shady, vague answers are worrying me, Alexa. Just tell me what's going on."

"I- It's complicated," I tried. My voice began to choke up with nervousness.

"Please, we've finally got this far, you can't stop there now. I need to know this. What did my parents do that was so important?"

"I don't want to be the one to tell you this," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. Surely it was up to Jordan's parents to tell their own son about their life choices, not me. I didn't want anyone to hate me because of this. Was it my right to tell Jordan?

"Just tell me the reason why," Jordan pleaded, his eyes paralysing me helplessly to the spot.

"I-I can't... I made a promise."

"To who?" He looked plain desperate now, his eyebrows drawn together.

"My parents, they told me to stay away from you," I choked.