Compelled By Love

Compelled By Love Chapter Five

Compelled By Love

Chapter Five-Vulnerable

-Noah

        “You let Ethan take you home?” I asked, looking at Alina in disgust. “Are you out of your mind?”

        “What’s so bad about it?” She snapped, shoving the bottle away when I offered it to her.

        “First off, he’s on the football team with Aaron. Isn’t that a little suspicious to you?” I elaborated. “And second, since when do you deny a drink?”

        “I shouldn’t of come, I guess.” She muttered, getting up and walking out the door. I watched her leave and sighed—somehow I always manage to mess up my friendships.

-Samantha

        “Maybe he has changed a little.” Melanie commented, watching Asher play with Eden. He was helping him learn his shapes and colors.

        “How many sides does this one have? Let’s count.” Asher said, smiling and holding up a shape.

        “Daddy! This one doesn’t have any!” Eden giggled.

        “And what’s this one called?” Asher pressed, chuckling softly when Eden looked confused. “A circle, right?”

        “Oh yeah! And it’s blue!” Eden continued.

        “So what do you have, honey?” Melanie challenged, leaning forward to see him better.

        “A blue circle with no sides. See mama?” Eden said, holding it up for her.

        “Very good!” She praised, smiling warmly and watching Eden point out the colors he knew to Asher.

        Later on, Asher put Eden to sleep in his old bedroom and the three of us were talking in the kitchen.

        “Melanie, why don’t you stay?” Asher asked calmly.

        “Ash! I’m not about to make that mistake again.” She snipped. “Especially since you’ve blown it every other time.”

        “Things are different now.” He insisted.

        “Yeah? How?” She demanded.

        “I don’t want him to suffer like me. He deserves both a mom and a dad under one roof that don’t hate each other—a stable home.” He explained, Melanie and him shared a glance I didn’t understand and he went on. “You don’t have to fall in love with me again, Mel. I just want you to live here again. Not for me, but for our son.”

        “And I get that, but you’ve got to realize that I really can’t believe you. Not yet. Not after last time…” She trailed off, her voice wavering.

        “The effects of that are what changed me! Don’t you get that? I had to watch you slowly fading away until there was nothing left! Every step you took on your way out that door broke my heart even more. I can’t let that happen again!” Asher confessed, running his hands anxiously through his hair.

        “You said this didn’t have to do with love.” Mel said through clenched teeth. The room practically froze at that point, so I slowly crept into the other room.

-Jessica

        I sat on the porch step staring out at the beautiful view of the lake in front of me. The starlight played upon the water, it was so breathtaking. This is where I retreat to every night just to think—to avoid the insecurities the mirrors throw at me. Times like these I think of me and Noah and what I did to him, and it just tears me apart.

        We were best friends since we were kids. I mean, we knew absolutely everything about each other. Almost every happy memory I have is with him. And I don’t mean the life’s simple joys memories, I mean the ones you’d give anything to replay. The ones that leave you completely vulnerable when they pass. I remember the last time we spoke:

        “Things are different now, Noah. We can’t be friends anymore.” I said, looking anxiously into his eyes. We were at our usual spot, the clearing just off the park.

        “I told you this would happen!” He yelled, turning to face me. “Don’t you deny it! I said highschool would change you, but you didn’t believe me.”

        “Noah…” I breathed, tears falling freely down my cheeks.

        “No, Jess! What happened to ‘I love you’, huh? I guess it doesn’t mean anything anymore, does it?”

        “Let’s just talk this—” I started.

        “There’s nothing to say. Bye forever, Jessica.” He snapped, storming off.

        We haven’t talked since, and it just kills me every time I think of it. I have to make things right, I just have to.