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| Chapter 10 I ran my hand down the back of his hair as I took a seat beside him on the steps of the gazebo. He didn’t take his gaze away from the pond as I placed my hand on his knee silently asking if he was okay. He finally turned to me and blankly said, "Wanna go for a ride?" I nodded and proceeded to follow him to his motorcycle. I climbed on and wrapped my arms around his waist. As he pulled out onto the road, I sighed heavily – it felt as if that was where my arms belonged. We rode for about an hour. It was exhilarating and I think it helped him get some frustration out. We pulled into my driveway and he turned off the engine. I didn’t want to let go and it seemed that he didn’t want me to either as we both just sat there – Neither of us moving and me not letting go. Realizing that we couldn’t sit like that forever, I released my grip and climbed off of the bike. He still wasn’t talking. I could see the hurt and anger on his face. I could tell that he was dying inside and I wanted so much to take his pain away. "Do you want to come in?", I asked. He stared into my eyes for a few minutes before nodding his head. My feelings for him were obvious to me, but I wasn’t sure how he felt. I remembered him earlier when he told Kristin that we were just friends. If that was how he really felt, then I wasn’t about to let him know my true feelings. And if that was true, and he was needing a friend right then, that was what I was going to be. I grabbed a couple of beers and sat down beside him on the couch. "I’m not going to push, but you know I’ll listen if you need to talk.", I said. He smiled slightly. He remained quiet for a few more minutes, then he spoke. He completely spilled his guts to me. Everything that had happened with Kristin and everything that he was feeling. He had really loved her at one time, but things had gotten bad and he was at the point where he couldn’t even stand to look at her anymore. "She’s moving out right now.", he informed me. "How do you feel about that?", I asked. "Relieved.", he stated. "Are you sure about that?", I asked. "Yeah.", he responded, "I mean, I’m sad that part of my life is over, but I’m not sad that she’s gone." I knew what he meant. I just wish there was some way I could cheer him up. We sat and talked for a while. Or rather, he talked and I listened, trying to comfort him when possible. It was getting late and I started yawning. "Would it be okay if I stayed here tonight?", he asked. I looked at him in shock. "I mean, if it’s a problem, I understand. I just don’t want to go home.", he stated. How could I refuse? I couldn’t. "Sure.", I replied. He smiled gratefully. Once again, I started yawning. "You don’t have to stay up and baby-sit me. I’ll be fine, right here on the couch.", he said. I laughed as I went into my room and then returned with a pillow and a blanket. Tossing them onto the couch, I told Jeff goodnight and headed towards my room. "Jade?", he called after me. "Yeah?", I said sticking my head back into the living room. "Thanks…for everything.", he offered with sincerity. I just winked at him and turned towards my bedroom. I laid in bed tossing and turning. It was weird to actually have someone else in the house. I had felt the same way when Michelle had spent the night. Finally, sleep overcame me. Just like so many nights before, the nightmares came again. Only it was a little different this time. The faces still rushed by, and the angry voice still hurled threats at me, but then there were hands covering my mouth and I was struggling to breathe. Then I felt another set of hands grabbing my arms and shaking me. I tried to scream, but the other hands still covered my mouth. My eyes flew open as I screamed and I realized that I was awake. Jeff was there, with his hands on my shoulders trying to shake me awake. He had a look of panic and concern on his face. "What are you doing?", I asked Jeff. He looked at me puzzled, "I was asleep and I heard you start screaming. I ran in and saw you were still asleep so I was trying to wake you up. Are you okay?" "I’m fine.", I demanded putting on my best tough girl face. Evidently it wasn’t quite good enough. I couldn’t stop shaking and I couldn’t concentrate on him or what he was saying. The nightmares had scared me more so than usual. And although I wouldn’t admit it, I was glad that he was there. I left him sitting speechless on the bed as I went to get a beer. I think I truly scared him. He didn’t know what to think or say. I made my way to the bathroom to retrieve those friendly little pills that made the nightmares go away. I stared at myself in the mirror – I was a wreck. "Pull yourself together.", I mumbled to myself. When I opened the medicine cabinet, in the mirror, I saw him standing in the doorway. "What’s going on?", he asked as he watched me pour two pills down. "It’s nothing really. I’ll be fine. You can go back to sleep.", I said walking past him and climbing back into the bed. He stood in the doorway to my bedroom for a moment before turning back towards the living room. As much as I hated to admit it, I was scared shitless, "Jeff?" He walked back to the doorway, "Yeah?" "Can you stay in here until I fall asleep?", I asked. "I thought you were okay?" he asked. "Please." I asked my voice a little shaky. "Sure.", he said his voice full of comfort. He laid down in the bed beside me, my back turned to him. My consciousness was beginning to slip away when I heard him say, "Does this have anything to do with your scar?" He ran his fingertip across the large scar just below my shoulder blade. "Yeah. I’ll tell you about it sometime." I mumbled drifting off to sleep, but not before I grabbed his arm and wrapped it tightly around me. Last Chapter ..*.. Next Chapter ..*.. Chapter Index ..*.. Home |