Never Meant To Be

Chapter Eight

Aria's POV

"Don't do this." A deep male voice said behind my ear.

I didn't bother looking behind to see who it was. I just wanted to jump in the ocean and go away.

"Let me go." I said as I tried removing the stranger's hands from my waist.

"I can't let you do this." He said holding me tighter.

What is wrong with this guy? He doesn't even know me yet he is trying to stop me from jumping off this bridge.

"I might not know you, but what I do know is that there is another way out of all problems than trying to kill yourself." He said and that's when I realized that I had been thinking out loud.

I took in deep breath before speaking up.

"You are wrong, this is the only way out of my problems, and it's the best way. By jumping off this bridge and taking my life, I would be out of everybody's way." I said as I felt tears starting to roll down my cheeks.

"Why do you said that?" He asked in a low tone and I felt his breath behind my neck.

"Because they don't need me." I said, and having no control over my emotions, I broke down.

"Just let it all out, everything is going to be alright." The stranger said as he pulled me to him and I sobbed in his chest, ignoring the reek of alcohol and cigarette on his jacket.

*******

"Here we are." Jake, the stranger whom I had met, said as he opened the door to his old rack-shacked apartment.

I stepped inside the apartment and he put on the lights. I started looking around the house and assessing my surrounding, the house had a small living room which had two old couches and a small black television on an oldbeaten stand. On my left you could see the kitchen, which had dirty utensils on the counter and sink. I turned to the other side of the room and saw a small hallway which was leading to two other rooms, one on each side. The entire room was filled with the smell of alcohol and cigarette, empty bottles of alcohol were all over the floor and used cigarettes had been thrown all over the place. This place was a mess, dirty clothes were all over the couches and I think I even saw a mouse when I was getting inside the apartment.

"This my home." Jake said as he came to stand beside me."I am sorry it's a bit messy."

A bit messy?

My subconscious said and I blocked her out because this really wasn't that the time to be sassy.

"It's okay." I said putting on a smile as I looked at him.

Now that we were in a well lit room, I could Jake's features clearly. He had a very thick beard that looked like it had not been shaved for months. His eyes were bloodshot red and I assumed it was because he was smoking. On his left cheek, there was a very big scar and on his right eyebrow, he had a small cut that had blood coming out of it. It seems he had gotten the cut today. Something about him made me feel uncomfortable and unsure about wanting to spend the night here, but I did not have a choice, I had nowhere to go and I did not have any money, my father had never bothered to open an account for me.

"Why are you staring at me?" Jake asked pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Ummm... sorry, I was just lost in thoughts." I said looking away from him.

"Here, make yourself comfortable." He said as he started picking up his clothes from the couches. I went and sat on one of the couch and it made a creaking sound when my body made contact with it.

"Are you hungry?" Jake asked and I shook my head no.

"Well do you need anything, like a glass of water?" He asked again but I politely declined.