Herophine: All Good Things

Chapter 24

Jo's POV:

I lost count on how many times I'd paced the same few hundred feet of my apartment by now. I paced the bedroom, the kitchen.. the living room in front of my couch. In silence none the less. I couldn't bring myself to turn on the tv or play music, probably because the thoughts in my mind were loud enough already.

I had left Hero the voicemail this morning and still hadn't received a shred of a response. That fact alone was enough to drive me crazy. It was so unlike him to ignore me. To disregard my trying to get ahold of him. Was he angry? Upset? I knew he was working. On what, I had no clue. It was so unlike us to go this long without talking to each other since we had made our relationship more set in stone after leaving Atlanta.

After wandering around aimlessly for a few more minutes, I entered the bathroom, flicking on the light switch to brighten the small room. Today had been a cloudy, rain filled day, fitting for my very mood. The sun hadn't made much of an appearance at all, and despite it only being 4pm, it felt much later.

Running out of ideas to keep myself busy while waiting for a phone call I was sure would be coming, I decided to take a long hot shower. Mostly to calm my nerves but also to get the stench of last night off of my body. I should have done so hours ago but like I said.. pacing.

Just as I peeled the cardigan off my shoulders I had thrown on earlier, my phone started violently vibrating on the counter by the sink. Within a millisecond, I snatched it up, looking just enough to see who was calling and pressed accept without thinking twice.

"Hello?" I breath into the phone, like I had just ran a marathon. Damn you, nerves.

"Hey.." Hero said quietly into the phone. His tone was dark and low, making my heart beat quicken even more.

Before he could say anything else, I dove right in. "Hero, I'm so sorry I didn't call back last night. Kath wanted to go to that bar and it was so loud in there. I should have just left early but—"

"What happened at the bar?" His voice was like ice crawling through the phone. Cutting me off before I could say anything else.

"What?" I questioned, like it was the most absurd thing I'd ever been asked. "What do you mean what happened at the bar?"

"You said you needed to talk to me in that message, Jo. My mind has been a fucking rollercoaster today with what you needed to say. Did someone try something with you? Did something happen?" He asked me, his tone giving way that he was trying his best not to lose his shit right now.

He thinks someone tried something? Was he serious? And did that mean he thought I would even let something like that happen? Like I wouldn't have put a stop to someone's advances on myself? This was the craziest thing I'd ever heard. After all that we had been through.. together.

"No, Hero. No one tried anything. Are you serious right now?"

Silence.

Now, my nerves were wearing off and anger was taking over. I could count the number of times I had seen this side of Hero on one hand. I didn't like it. And especially didn't deserve it.

"What are you trying to say, Hero? Just come out and ask me. Just say it already," i baited him.

"Who was the guy in the video?" His voice was clear and precise. Straight to the point. So this was what his problem was. It wasn't the fact that I hadn't called him back when I got home. He was dare I say.. jealous?

Deciding to return the favor, I told him the truth. "A guy we met at the bar."

"What's his name?"

"I don't remember.."

"What. Was. His. Name." He cut me off.

"Ryan I think. What the hell does it matter, Hero?" I snapped into the phone back at him.

"So you do remember it."

Am I in the fucking twilight zone right now? A ten second clip of a stranger giving me pool lessons who I had met all of thirty seconds prior was making him go full blown asshole right now? Instantly, my mind went back to when he had literally kept another girl hidden away from me back in Atlanta. Me, having a conversation with a stranger didn't even hold a candle compared to that in my book.

"What do you want me to say? That I flirted with the guy and he ended up taking me home? Is that what you want to hear?" I asked, my tone more condescending from my vision being damn near red.

"Did that happen?"

"No! No that didn't happen! Jesus, Hero!" I exclaimed. "How could you even ask me that?!"

"You were drunk, Josephine! God damn wasted when you called!" He yelled, clearly done keeping emotion in check.

"And so, your first thought is that I went home with the first guy I saw? How could you even think that,Hero!"

"Did you tell him you had a boyfriend?" His question cut through the line. Desperation in his words.

I wanted to lie and tell him it was the first thing out of my mouth when Ryan had approached me. But I was a terrible liar and Hero knew that more than anyone. I would give myself up before the words could even register.

"The topic didn't come up.."

Hero let out what sounded like something between a chuckle and a long exhale. Like what I had said was funny to him in some unknown way.

"So.. no. The answer is no then. The guy has no clue you're completely off limits.."

"Off limits of what? I can't talk to people when I'm out? For your information, it was Kathrine's idea to even go up to those guys. They were nice enough to let us play pool with them," I plead my case.

"Oh, I bet they were nice.." his voice now condescending and low.

"I can't believe you right now.."

"Can't believe what, Jo?" His voice was stern and his words held my attention as he spoke slowly through the phone. "Can't believe that I'm pissed the fuck off beyond recognition that you were so careless and could have potentially been in a dangerous situation last night? Or can't believe that I'm being so fucking serious when I tell you that you are mine. Not to be messed with. You hear me? So the next time you see Ryan and he wants to try his hand at you, you tell him that. If you're not too worried about people finding out about us."

My mouth hung open as I listened to the 'click' on the other line. He had hung up on me. Actually hung up on me. With the phone still pressed on my ear, I began to feel my eyes gloss over with an abundance of unshed tears. Raising my head to look at myself in the mirror, I watched as one quickly made its way down my cheek. I hadn't done anything wrong. So why did I feel like I had?

AUTHORS NOTE:
Hey, all! Here's another chapter for you guys! I'm trying to make up for my hiatus the last week or so! What do you guys think? There are obviously a lot of underlying things causing Hero to act like this towards Jo. What do you think will be next for them during the rest of their time apart? It seems like shit always hits the fan when they aren't together. 😥 but don't worry.. the reunion will be more than worth it 😉

Until next time..
JES