" You're kidding right?" I spoke to Jeffrey but looked around at everyone. " My dad left me years ago..."

" Ah yes," He stepped aside to let the maid clean up my incidents. " I hope you don't blame yourself for that, I had to leave unfortunately—"

" No you didn't," I shook my head. " You had a choice, work or family, it's obvious what you chose"

" Ashley—" He called out as I turned to leave.

" No, I think I need some air" I sighed.

I glanced at Jackson but he was looking everywhere but at me. Without another word I left the room. As soon as I was alone in the quiet hallways I immediately felt a little better.

After a few moments of walking around I paused realizing I actually have no idea where I was. So far I passed two libraries a kitchen, one bedroom and two mini theatres, but no no doors leading outside.

" Lost?" A voice called out behind me.

I turned and glared at the person. "I don't want to talk to you"

" So you don't want fresh air then?," He smirked. " Because I was just about to tell you where the garden was"

I didn't respond, I just looked at him in silence.

He sighed. " Keep going straight, make two lefts then one right, look for the sliding glass door"

" Thanks" I mutter, already repeating the directions in my head so I don't forget.

" You're welcome Ashley" He shot me a gentle smile.

" Why Andrew?" I blurted before he walked away.

" I couldn't tell you," He sighed. " I wanted to and I try leaving you hints but...I couldn't tell you"

" Who would've thought" I laughed at myself as Andrew rose his eyebrows quizzically.

" I'm actually going backwards now," At this point I was still basically talking to myself. " You'd think after getting your first kiss but i'm actually going backwards—"

" What are you talking about?"

" —I'm eighteen and i've never actually had a boyfriend," I met his eyes. " Great"

" I-I was your boyfriend..." He looked away. I knew he didn't even believe it.

" I'm pathetic" I turned on my heels.

" I fell in love with you Ashley" He called out and I nearly choked on air.

" I was supposed to pretend to be your boyfriend so no one else looked at you —trust me people looked, but I scared them off— but the more time we spent together the more I realized what an amazing person you were...it pained me to lie to you" He walked over to me and brushed his fingers against my cheek.

" But wha—"

" And when I saw you on prom night I knew I had to make it special —for you at least. So I took you underneath the stars and I watched you watching the stars while internally fighting the urge to tell you everything and then you wanted to kiss me and something snapped in me, reminding me I couldn't"

" This is too much" I shook my head and stepped back trying to process everything.

" When we split... I knew it was for the best," He looked at my reaction and smiled. " I'm sorry, It's just that i've been holding that in for so long that I couldn't keep it in any longer"

" Andrew...I..." I didn't know what to say"

" It's cool," He coughed. " I uh, I have go do something now, hope you find the garden"

"Andrew..." He disappeared around a corner.

I tried to compose myself as I looked for the garden. What exactly just happened? this is not how I expected that conversation to end —or start for that matter. Andrew fell in love with me? I guess that makes sense —although i'm not certain why anyone would fall in love with me.Does he still love me? and what if...

This seems to be bring up more questions than answers right now and I just don't want to think about it anymore. I come across the sliding glass door after a few minutes and immediately stepped outside where the wind was blowing gently.

The garden was beautiful, and bigger than I ever expected. I smiled, feeling a bit peaceful as I brush the tip of my fingers against the flowers.

" Like father like daughter, I guess" A voice startled me.

" Who said that?" I looked around.

" Forgot your old man's voice already?" He chuckled.

" Jeffery? where are you?" I looked around the garden.

" By the pond princess" He replied.

I found him sitting in a lounge chair by a small pond surrounded by dwarf cattail —which is a plant. " It sounded like you were right behind me"

He pressed a button on his lounge chair and spoke. " Hidden speakers" His voice echoed all over the garden.

" Woah," I said in awe. " The mafia doesn't mess around"

" We can't dear, there are rules...you don't want to break a rule"

Andrew broke a rule.

" What happens when you break a rule?" I asked curiously.

" It's best we don't discuss that. There's no time" He got up from his chair and snapped his fingers.

" Sir?" Jackson appeared from the bushes.

" Did you do it?" Jeffery asked, speaking strictly business.

Jackson eyed me. " Done sir"

" Nice work Jackson!," My dad — might as well call him that— cheered. " You're going to be a great leader after me Jackson. I'm proud of you" He ran his hand through Jackson's hair in a playful motion, messing it up, like a father would do to a son.

"I'll explain how things works to her, sir," Jackson volunteered. " The doctors say you've been stressing too much. Rest, please"

I looked at them confused. Jackson never begged for anything.

" As long as you save the best part for me" My dad grabbed a glass of wine from the side table and gulped it down.

" of course" Jackson smiled.

" This will all make sense soon sweetheart," My dad said planting a kiss on my cheek and suddenly I was eight again. " Listen very carefully to Jackson okay? I trust him with my life that one"

" Then there were two" Jackson sighed and fixed his hair that my dad messed up before disappearing behind the bushes again.

I just stood there looking —and feeling— very lost and confused.

Jackson came back out. " You coming or not?"

" Yeah" I followed him.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------