Path Of Shadows: The Awakening

Chapter 35

I hear someone come into my room then walk to my bathroom door but I don't look up to see who it is.

"Hey, what's going on I heard-" I hear Jàime say then she suddenly stops mid sentence.

"Why is there glass every where?" Jàime asks. I don't answer her. I can hear her stepping over the glass and walking towards me but still I don't look up at her.

"Hey." Jàime says then she pulls my hands away from my face. She can tell I was crying.

"Let me get the glass cleaned up, then you can get out so we can talk?" Jàime asks.

I nod. Jàime disappears for a moment then she comes back in with a broom and dustpan in hand. She sweeps up the glass then she comes back into the bathroom and hands me my bathrobe that was hanging on my bedroom wall. I stand up and wrap the robe around me then I dry the rest of myself off with a towel before going into my room. I sit on my bed where Jàime is waiting for me.

"He was manipulating my emotions. Maybe not the whole time but at first he was." I say.

"How do you know?" Jàime asks.

"He just told me." I say.

"When?" Jàime asks.

"Just now. That's why there was glass everywhere. I told him to leave and he wouldn't so I threw a candle at him." I say.

"He feels he can just come in whenever?" Jàime asks.

"I told him he couldn't. Right now, I'm not sure I can be friends with him even." I say.

"I'm sorry." Jàime says as she realizes the sadness in my voice.

"I should have known better. I mean, I just never thought.. it doesn't matter what I thought. I was wrong." I say.

"Sometimes even when we know better we need to see it to learn from it." Jàime says.

"This hurts, Jàime. I feel like someone tied my stomach in knots and then shot me in the chest with a shotgun. And the worst part is.." I start to say but I switch what I was saying to deflect.

"The worse part is.. how am I even supposed to face Jenna? Things are gonna be weird." I say.

"Jenna?" Jàime asks.

"My friend. That's her name. Damien's girlfriend." I say.

"Well, take a few days and let him tell her. If not, you could tell her.. Or you could just cut her off. Ghost her." Jàime says.

"That's not fair to her. She didn't and doesn't know about Damien and I. It's not her fault. He can tell her or I will but I really would hate to lose another friend over a stupid secret." I say.

"What about Kaden and Dane?" Jàime asks.

"I know Dane didn't tell him, if he did, Kaden would have confronted me and I know I have to tell him about Vanessa and Kaitlyn and I will. I'm just trying to figure out how." I say.

"Damien manipulated you. Start there." Jàime says.

"He didn't break my arm to do anything, Jàime. He didn't manipulate me in that way. He just was the reason for the dreams, the reason why I got confused about him was because of that. So I can't place all the blame on him." I say.

"Holding your soul over your head and threatening you with your abusive ex kinda is breaking your arm." Jàime says.

"He didn't make me do it. That's what I'm telling you. I did it because he told me to, yes, but I was angry. I did what I did for selfish reasons too. Oh, God. I'm no different than Damien. I've been on him about what he's done and I'm no different. I need to take accountability too." I say.