BLACK IS THE WARMEST COLOR

Chapter 21

Gwen's POV

I woke up with my body in the worst pain ever. Pretty banged up shit! My head ached so much, and my nose hurt. It wasn't until I began to feel warm and sticky underneath.

It was a big stain and I was in so much pain. I stumbled to the bathroom and cleaned myself up. School was on a little break and our mock exams were underway. I still couldn't believe I would be graduating in a month. It sounded surreal.

Fixing the bed tired me out. I laid down sometimes in the weirdest position on the measly fixed sheets to soothe the pain, but nothing seemed to be working. After crying silently in the pillows, I decided to take painkillers. Personally I hated taking painkillers for this kinda stuff because somehow, I felt I would get attached to them and I didn't want to. I always got through the pain alone but not this time.

  Ugh!

I got up and headed downstairs. I walked into the kitchen and opened the medicine cabinet. I pulled out the tablets I needed and drowned them with some water. After I placed the glass back down, I noticed the backdoor open. I was about to close it when I saw mum tending to her tomatoes at the garden.

“Mom?” I say almost in shock.

“Morning. I actually came earlier but you were sleeping.”

“What're you doing home? You're supposed to be at work”

“Yes I am. But I decided to spend the break with you.”

“Does this mean you'll spend the break with me? I still couldn't process it.

“Yes” she smiled and nodded simultaneously.

   Jacob's POV

Couldn't everything get so fucking worse. So school's out, just when I complain of not talking to Gwen. So it's going to be a month I hadn't talked to her. I was so bored. Dad came in with his girl.

“Jacob!” he calls. I would have at least acknowledged him if he had come alone. But he had to come with her. I hadn't properly met her. Sometimes she would come, I wouldn't be around . That was the universe working in my favor.
She looked a little younger than him, perhaps in her mid thirties or thereabout. Blonde hair, nude lipstick, denim, jumpsuit... Like a Barbie. Maybe that's how she caught dad. But no matter how I see her try, from her looks or fake smiles, she just couldn't be mum.

I ignore them, and continue playing my game. He's pissed now, so he switched the TV off. He has my attention now.

“Why did you do that?” I sigh.

“Jacob Edward Carter!” My word, why did he have to use my full name in front of... her.

“What?”

“This isn't how I raised you. What has gotten into you?” he spat.

I scoff and get up. Then I walk to her.
“You try to much just to impress us. But it's just mere torture” I say in spite. She seemed thrown off. Her expression was priceless.

“How dare you behave so unruly to my wife to be” he actually raises a hand to hit me. But she stops him.

“You expect us to be okay with that when you never even told your children you were getting married. Instead we had to hear it from outsiders”

Apparently, bride to be didn't know this as she stated at him, the way I did.

“Perhaps I should go” she spoke up looking at me then dad.

“No. Stay” he said. She shook her head and left.

“If mum were here, she's have cursed you” I spat.

“I am your father Jacob. At least acord me that respect.”

“Father? I scoff and curse under my breath as I walk out. I needed fresh air. I bring out my phone and call Kent.

“Hey man!” he says when the line connects.

“Hey! Can we meet at our usual coffee spot?”

“Sure!” he says and drops the line. Kent had been my friend since Junior high. He was the closest I had to a brother. Ever since his mum passed, I was his shoulder and when mine died, he was there for me too. His older sister worked as an intern for a company. I could still remember the banana bread she made when she was in high school. He would bring it for us to share under our favorite tree while talking about life.

  But now there was nothing to say about life. Life was fucked!

When I got to the Cafe, I ordered my favorite coffee and waited for Kent to show.

“Hey man!” he said as soon as he sighted me. He sat on the chair next to me.

“I really need a huge favor now” I begin

“Depends on what you want me to do”

“I really need a close insight on this dude. His name is Brad. A college dude.”

He paused for a while.
“Why? Who's he?”

“The fucker almost raped my sister”

“Your sister? He laughed. Sorry dude but wasn't your sister....

“No. She was and yes they were dating, but his urges mattered more than their relationship.”

“But what makes you think I can help?”

“C'mon. I know you know people who might know this dude. I heard he goes to college at Wisconsin” he sighed and signaled the waiter.

“I know it's a lot, but you gotta help me. Just get the insights first”

“Im not making promises.. but.. I'll try” he said with a smirk.

The next fifteen minutes we spent were done through coffee and pancakes. Until the person I never would have guessed walked in through that door.