Falling Apart (GANG Series)

Chapter 33

Aria's POV

      Jacob lifts his head and makes eye contact with me. I gesture asking what the hell is going on. My aunt looks at me to do something. I leave my luggage at the bottom of the stairs and enter the kitchen.

"I know this looks bad." Is the first thing he says. "Just let me finish scrubbing this off and then we'll talk, okay? I'll explain."

"Is it blood?" I ask what I already know.

"Yes." He pauses and then keeps scrubbing his palms together.

"Okay. Um," I don't even know what to say so I walk back over to my aunt. "he said he's gonna explain. You want me to make him leave after we talk or...I honestly don't know what to do."

"I'm putting my stuff in my room and then I'm getting in on that explanation. He can't just come in here Aria." She replies.

"I know. I know. I'm sorry."

"You're not the one who has to apologize. I'll be right back down." She turns to my cousin. "You, go get ready for bed."

Sebastian sighs but obeys. I go put my stuff in my room as well, discarding of my shoes and jacket before returning downstairs. Jacob is drying his hands with a kitchen towel when I walk in.

"Looks like you had quite the night." I stare at his leather jacket resting on the island counter probably also covered in blood.

"You're mad." He studies me.

"No, I mean, I don't know. I don't know what I'm suppose to be feeling right now. I'm just really confused and stunted. I'm extremely exhausted and didn't expect to see this. What are you even doing here right now?" I hope I don't seem like a brat towards the end.

"I wanted to make sure you were safe." His energy is still casual.

"The blood. Why?" I cross my arms over my chest.

"Business. Crips. There was a fight. That's all you need to know. Everyone is fine. Everything is fine."

"Then why did you feel the need to make sure I was safe? What is that about? Why come here?"

"Exactly what I'd like to know." My aunt marches in.

"I don't owe you anything." Jacob now wears a cold filter.

"You're in my home covered in blood. Washing off in my kitchen. So I have every right to know what the hell is going on." I agree with her on that. This isn't a common thing for her to see so I understand that she's feeling a little freaked out. She's handling it better than it I thought she would though.

"I was dealing with things." He's irritated.

"Is that what you and your friends call murder?"

Jacob scoffs.

"I'm not answering anything. I mean, it's really none of your business. I'm just here to make sure she's okay." He walks away from her, sitting on the stool across the the room.

"Get him out." She turns to me. "Please."

"Okay. I'm sorry, Aleina." I apologize again.

"Stop it with that. It's not your fault, alright? I'm going to bed. Please just get him out of here, I can't deal with this. Goodnight." She caresses my arm.

"Goodnight." I give her a half smile.

I walk over to my brooding boyfriend. He missed a smudge of blood on his face so I grab another cloth, running it under water before standing right in front of him.