✔️ Midnight Sparks『 T.H. 』✧･ﾟ:*

Chapter 23: Shattered

You know I left a part of me back in New York

You knew the hero died, so what's the movie for?

- Taylor Swift

- - -

"Jayna," I muttered, startling her.

"What?" she asked, blinking her brilliant blue eyes innocently.

"Umm can you quit staring at me? It's really unsettling. Plus, we're supposed to be studying."

Jayna shrugged as she flipped through her notebook. "I'm just worried about you, Ali. You know that."

I put my highlighter down on my kitchen counter where we sat opposite each other, and said with a sigh, "You also know that I've told you I'm fine..."

"How could you be fine?" Jayna blurted out. "You were supposed to officially get together with Trev in NYC. Instead, everything blew up and now you won't speak to him."

"I'm not doing it on purpose. I just – I don't know how to talk to him right now."

"Did you even return his calls?"

"Umm not yet. But I will..."

"I don't get it. The both of you came so close to being with each other. Like, so close. It's insane."

"The signs were there, Jays. I mean, Sasha Sloan was literally singing them in the car."

"I've never been a fan of her music anyway." Jayna sniffed. "But seriously, Ali, what happened? I'm still confused."

"So am I, Jays. All I know is that he got spooked when his dad called. It's even more bizarre because just earlier the same day, he had no problem introducing me to Jacob Batalon."

"That does sound kinda odd. He might still be hiding something?" Jayna guessed.

"Yeah, and it scares me."

"Warning bells started ringing for you, I suppose..."

"I know I can be overly cautious to the point of being ridiculous... But Jays, when I was walking away from him, I suddenly thought about the night I lost my family," I confessed, sighing. "It's so long ago now, but that horrific feeling came back – like I'd been abandoned and all I could do was to pick myself up and move on. I hate to be dramatic, but yeah. People always leave. I don't know why they do, but it seems to be the running theme in my life."

"Oh, Ali." Jayna reached over to squeeze my arm comfortingly. "I haven't left, have I? I'll be in your life forever and ever, whether you like it or not. And in case you haven't noticed, Trev is still sticking around. You walked out on him."

"It wasn't my proudest moment for sure," I admitted. "It's just defense mechanism kicking in, I guess. I really didn't mean to hurt him."

"Neither of you did," Jayna reminded me gently. "I don't know him super well obviously, but I can see that he genuinely cares for you. It doesn't compute that he would do anything to intentionally cause harm in any way."

"What do you suggest I do then?" I gave up looking at my notes and paid full attention to Jayna.

"Well." Jayna looked thoughtful. "I was reading this article online the other day, about how even in marriages, people still have the right to privacy. They don't necessarily have to share every single thing in their life with their partner in order to have a healthy relationship. I think that makes sense."

She shrugged and continued, "And like I've said before, it's possible that Trev is keeping someone else's secret. A huge, important secret that he can't divulge. Otherwise, I don't think he'd risk making things rocky between you two, ya know?"