Love and Ambition

17 - Secrets To Be Unfolded

"Uh," Jason glances over at me, pulling his brows in confusion. "Who's asking?"

The woman heaves a sigh. In the darkness, her eyes stand out from the streetlamp shining above us as she studies me and then Jason. I quickly notice the familiar fading blues in her eyes as she's struck upon Jason. Desperate.

"I'm his mother."

By the mention of 'mother', Jason stands frozen. The cigarette shaking between his lips as he stares at her. I puzzle out his next move; trying to break down his expression.

The cold winter wind blows behind my back and I cross my arms from the cold; releasing a breath. 

"Oh, dear," the woman—Jason's mother—takes notice of my shiver. "Let's get you inside."

She walks over to me with a welcoming smile on her face, compelling me to smile back. 

As she stands close enough to envelope me to her warmth, Jason blocks between us. His shoulder square and tall in front of me, as if trying to make his presence taller; looking down at his mother. 

"What are you really doing here?" His tone now coated in suspicion and almost... Hate. A contrast from the sweet, laid-back guy that I know him as. 

"Well," she laughs nervously, "I'm looking for my son."

"Why can't you just call him?"

"Because he stopped answering my calls," her tone shifts a little louder—insulted. 

The silence grows thick between the three of us; the wind grows stronger as the night grows older. Jason now dropped his cigarette and putting it out with his foot. Even from behind him, I can feel him thinking. Like a chess board appeared in front of him and he's pondering the next move.

"Please, I..." She sniffles, sounding like a lump formed in her throat. "I really miss him. And my daughter."

Jason's shoulders falls, letting out a shaky breath. "Brooke?" 

I take a step forward, studying the side of his face as he avoids my gaze, but I can see the glass shining in his eyes. 

"Do you mind walking back on your own?"

"Um, no."

He nods.

I rub his forearm before moving ahead to leave. After a few paces, the woman's sobs echoes behind me; the wind carrying her cries into my ears.

Even though she's not my own long-lost-mother, their happiness ripples towards me like the folds of the water creating a ring; an effect that ricochets between us. I manage to turn around and take a peek, seeing her cry in Jason's chest. Her words incomprehensible the farther I walk away. 

Jason pulls her off for them to look each other in the eyes and he speaks. Seemingly with just a few words, the joyous blanket that hung in the air drops, dragging his mom with it. 

I can't bear to see the image. I turn my attention back in front, walking to the parking lot of the uni. 

As I make my way back to the film classroom, a conversation catches my ear. I turn to the entrance of the dorm building to see two silhouettes. Cocking my head as I see someone familiar, I squint to see Jenn talking to a guy. 

She has her arms crossed, looking up at him, her words hissing to keep her voice down. 

"No, I can't!" The guy cuts her off. "I don't want to!" He huffs, storming into the dorm building and leaving Jenn. 

I walk over to her as she curses under her breath, breathing to control her tears. She looks to my direction, realizing it's me that's walking over to her. I open my arms to welcome her into a hug, and she rushes over to me, sending me backwards. 

With just me wrapping my arms around her, she's sent into trembles of tears. Hyperventilating. I rub her back, and sway left to right.

"It's okay," I whisper. "I'm here. You're okay."

Her breathing growing desperate like several thoughts now flooding into her head. I squeeze tighter, reminding her of my presence that will hopefully dam the flowing thoughts.

In some seconds, her breathing normalizes. Her tears decreasing to sniffles. I continue to rock her left and right until her breaths turn deep. 

Footsteps approach behind me. Quick tiny footsteps. I turn my head and come eye-to-eye with Rebecca. Her eyes widen as she sees me, then turning her head to look ahead of her, disappearing into the dorm building. 

I ignore it as nothing. Unimportant. 

Jenn's breathing is soft. Almost like a snore. I look at her to see her eyes closed. Chuckling, I pat her cheek to wake her up. 

"Hey," I smile at her.

Taken back into place, her eyes flutter open.

"Wanna talk about it?" We walk to the bench by the entrance, taking a seat. 

She exhales. "No, not really," she crosses her arms.

Feeling a sting in my heart, I debate whether to push it further. She's always needed some time to collect her thoughts before talking about it, but her tone sends me to question if she trusts me. I stare at the ground, letting some time pass until she's ready to open her mouth and speak.

But even with the invisible ticking of the clock, I become impatient, "Jenn, you know I'm here for you."

I'm ready to be her shoulder to cry on after a year and a half of me crying over Sean. Guilty that I've thrown her to the side because I was occupied with my own relationship. 

"I'm worried about you," I push it again, now looking at her. A blank expression on her face. Concentrated on a spot on the ground. 

"Please—"

"Get the hint, Brooke!" She snaps at me. Heaving as our eyes meet. "I don't want to talk about it!"

Dumbfounded. Confused. Hurt. My eyes stare back at her, darting around to look for answers on her face, but I can't seem to read her expression. Whether she's just insulted at whoever that guy was, or genuinely furious at me for intruding into her space.

Every bone in my body says to leave. I'm unwanted.

So I stand up.

And walk away.