*Okay, Phillip-lovers. Here's a little twist! :) Everyone please let me know what you think if you get the chance. Much thanks! 

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Chapter Five:

            I ran the whole way home, feeling betrayed. How could Brandon do this to me? I was humiliated. I never wanted to see Phillip again. I couldn’t. He might as well go for someone more sophisticated than me. There were many young women in our town just waiting to be swept off their feet. He could have any one of them.

            “Is everything okay?” Nana asked as I burst through the door. I realized I didn’t want to be here. I needed to go somewhere else.

            I spun around, darting back out the door, and down the hills. My lungs burned with the effort of my continuous running. However, I didn’t stop. Not even when the pain in my side ceased to ache did I stop. I kept going.

            At last, I came to the familiar home. It was now a ghostly echo of what it used to be. The walls were dreadfully empty. It radiated black, evil energy. This home had used to be happy--before it inhabitants were unrightfully taken.

            “Oh, mom,” I cried, falling down on the ground. My vision slanted, and I felt sick. The hot sun beat down on my head with persistence, making me dizzier than I already was. Slowly I sat up, trying to catch my breath.

            This was my old, childhood home. For six years I had been completely happy here. Now all that was gone. I knew at once that I shouldn’t have come here. Was I trying to hurt myself? Maybe I was. Keeping hold of the hope that Brandon and I could be more than friends was killing me at the moment. Phillip was whom I had to turn to.

            “Phillip,” I said, trying to convince myself. I leaned heavily against the side of the home, supporting myself as I stood. I began walking forward, still feeling weary, and turned one back more to look at the building.

            No, it wasn’t home. It was a house. A home was where happy people created memories. Nana’s house was home. But this…

            I walked back the way I had come slowly, while a sort of numbness seeped through me. I was so tired of thinking. It had begun to hurt. So, instead, I was just going to do whatever my heart told me. Shouldn’t I?

            I groaned when I realized I was thinking again. I always seemed to be my biggest enemy. I contradicted everything I knew was good for me. Phillip must be good for me. So I shouldn’t…couldn’t…refuse him.

            I turned my direction and instead headed toward Marion’s house. It would be nice to visit with her, to get everything out in the open. Maybe, then, I could talk to Phillip and apologize for running away.

            I was surprised when Phillip himself was standing outside on the porch, talking on a phone. I stepped back shyly and waved, trying my best to smile. He nodded cordially at me and went back to his conversation.

            “Is Marion here?” I asked, hopping lightly up the three porch steps.

            He motioned a minute with his index finger. Quietly, he finished his conversation and hung up, turning to me with a polite, almost forced, smile.

            “She left about an hour ago along with Brandon. Groceries.”

            “Oh,” I said, and my face fell. “Well…I kind of wanted to see you, too.” I shifted uncomfortably on my feet. “You see, I shouldn’t have left you standing there like that today, especially with the, er, awkward situation we were caught in. I’m sorry.”

            Phillip’s eyes softened. “You’re still in your dirty dress. Come in and change into something of Marion’s. Then we can talk over cups of tea, to finish our date.”

            “Really?” I asked, my eyebrows raising in disbelief. “You’re not incredibly angry with me, Phillip?”

            “Don’t be absurd, Eleanor,” he said kindly, stepping past to hold the door for me. “I couldn’t ever be mad at you. I was angrier with myself. You’re such a wonderful girl, I’m afraid I was rather…swept off my feet, if you will. I didn’t mean to rush you into courting matters.”

            I smiled at the way he spoke. It was something I enjoyed. I could listen to him talk for hours.

            “Why…thank you,” Phillip said with a pleased smile. “The feeling is mutual.”

            Had I just said that out loud? My cheeks burned with embarrassment. “I didn’t mean for that to slip out. Sorry…I…I’ll go change.”

            I walked toward Marion’s bedroom, closing the door securely. I felt bad when I saw the tattered, worn-down sheets she had to sleep in. Carefully I ran my fingers over the holes in them, grimacing when I saw the dust and dirt that came off on my hand. I’d have to do something about that. For now…

            I hunted through her closet, coming up with an old dress of mine that she had borrowed and never given back. I squeezed into it, feeling self-conscious, but slightly pleased when I realized it still fit pretty well.

            I suddenly saw something gleam out of the corner of my eye. Slowly, I made my way over to the highest shelf in her bedroom. My hand closed around a hard, heavy item. I pulled it down and gasped.

            A huge diamond glittered up at me. I ran my finger over the creviced surface, shocked into silence for a few moments.

            There was a knock behind me, and when I didn’t answer, Phillip came in. I turned around, my mouth still agape, and handed the offending item to him.

            He squared his jaw with anger. “She stole this!”

            “Oh…no…” I said, instantly coming back to earth. I hadn’t realized he would think this. I was awestruck by its beauty. “Her father must have given it to her! Marion doesn’t steal, Phillip.”

            “I’ve never seen this before,” he said, holding it up so I couldn’t snatch it from him. “Brandon will be so disappointed in her.”

            “She wouldn’t do that!” I protested. I quickly ran past him, placing myself in the doorway. “Ask her!”

            “What are you doing?” Phillip asked with impatience. He came up, waiting in a gentlemanly fashion for me to step aside. I did not do so.

            “What do you plan to do?” I asked, shooting back his question.

            “Obviously, go to the police. Eleanor, I know you love your friend. I do too. Marion’s like a daugh-uh-sister to me.”

            I realized he had almost said daughter. Was I like that to him? Obviously not, but still. It made me uncomfortable. He looked slightly sheepish, standing there. He must have noticed the slip-up, too.

            “Please don’t report it,” I said, begging as a last resort. I clasped my hand together, and then latched onto his arm. “Please.”

            “Eleanor…”

            “We’re home!” Brandon’s voice suddenly shouted from the front door. My stomach leaped into my throat. Phillip looked down at me, then out into the hall where Brandon was approaching.

            “I have to,” he said at long last. I let go of his arm, stepping back farther into the room. My mind was reeling. I climbed into Marion’s closet, not wanting to show myself, and let the tears course down my cheeks.

            There were exclamations of surprise coming from the from living area. I heard Marion start to cry, which quickly turned into sobs. Or maybe they were my own. I couldn’t be exactly sure.

            “You can come out now, Eleanor,” a new voice came at long last. Phillip opened the closet door and helped me into his arms. I was shaking all over. He had no problem carrying me. I was too distant to feel any emotion.

            “Where’s…Brandon?” I managed to ask through chattering teeth.

            “At the police station with Marion. Trying to reason with the officials. She was taken away this afternoon. That diamond is rare and has been missing from a jewelers for several weeks now.”

            I could say nothing else.

            The sun disappeared behind the moon as he walked me home. Nana was waiting at the screen door. She burst into tears of joy when she saw me. Then a different set of arms wrapped around my shoulders. Warm ones. And I was safe.

            “Thank you,” Nana said very quietly. I heard her Phillip bid goodbye. With fatigue I managed to make it upstairs into bed, on my own shaky feet. Nana kissed me goodnight closing the door as she went. I sat up.

            Marion was in jail. Because of Phillip.

            I didn’t know what to think about that.