COCOLATE

Chapter 29

Jacob walks home, dejected. He was so mad at himself for not following Jenny when she ran. He just sat there at Jeff's grave, trying to process everything that happened. If Jeff was dead, then the Jeff he met……was he a spirit? Then, who is Jasper? Is he their brother? Or is he also dead? So Jenny has been hanging out with spirits?  He was so confused. What is happening?

Amidst the confusion, he regretted staying back, because Jenny wasn't there when he went back to the shop. She hadn't returned. He closed the shop and went back to the grave and she wasn't there either. He knew she didn't go home. He knew she didn't want to stay at home. She never went home during work hours. She was always at the shop. He understood why. So, he spent the rest of the day looking for her. He even went to the hospital to see if she'd gone to visit Ava but Eric said that she didn't visit them today. She didn't even have her phone with her. He had it. He didn't feel like leaving her stuff in the shop, so he took it home. He just prayed that Jenny reached home and thought of checking if she reached after he finished his dinner. He was starving since he didn't eat lunch.

*Did she eat lunch? God I hope she did or she's getting whooped tomorrow.*

He opens the back door and walks in. He didn't bother locking the door since no one came here. People thought that this house was haunted. Perks of living in an abandoned house right?

There was nothing haunted about this house. It just hasn't been used for years, making it look old and haunted, but this house is actually beautiful. When he first came here, he didn't have a place to live or money to rent an apartment. So he found shelter in this place. Now, he's working and saving up to buy this house.

He walks up the old stairs to his room. He was lucky he didn't have to walk around the house to shower because there was a bathroom attached to each room. He takes a shower first and then changes into a comfortable t-shirt and sweatpants.

He then sits on his bed as he takes out his dinner from his bag. It was fried rice. He usually had take-outs for dinner. Sometimes Ava would make him stay and force him to have dinner, but it's been days since he had homemade food and now he craves it.

He had just eaten a spoonful of rice and started to watch his new web series when suddenly he heard the back door open and close. He freaks out when he hears someone run up the stairs and run past his room to the private terrace. He pauses his series and immediately gets off his bed. He picks up the baseball bat he keeps under his bed for times like this and takes his flashlight. He slowly opens the door and walks to the hallway. He walks slowly and quietly as he can, his hands gripping the bat and flashlight as his mind is filled with thoughts.

Is it a thief? A murderer who escaped? A psychopath? A criminal who escaped from the police? Is the police after them? No one usually comes here…this is a first….

He sighs as he walks up the stairs but stops right in front of the door. He hears crying. Sobbing actually. Is someone crying here? His eyes widen.

*Oh my God! Is this house really haunted???!*

*No, you idiot!! This place isn't haunted!*

*Then what—*

He stops thinking. Why? He suddenly knew. He knew exactly who was on the other side of the door.

He opens the door and his heart breaks at seeing her on the floor, hugging her knees and crying. Without another thought, he sits beside her and gently lifts her up and places her on his lap. She looks up at him and her eyes widen.

Then, she starts crying as she wraps his hands around his waist. Her tears don't stop flowing and wet his t-shirt, but he doesn't mind. He just pats her head and hugs her tight as she cries on.

Jacob patiently waits till her cries turn into sniffles. Her grip on him was still tight. Her face was buried in his chest as she spoke.

“I'm sorry I wet your t-shirt.”

He places a hand under her chin and lifts her head up to look at him. He smiles as he places a soft kiss on her forehead.

“It's okay Chocolate. Do you want to tell me what happened?”

She stays silent. He doesn't mind.

“Did you have dinner?”

She looks up at him and her stomach grumbles. He chuckles.

“Let's go back down and eat something. It's too cold here.”

She nods and gets off his lap. He stands up and both of them go back to his room.

He opens the door for her and she walks in, taking in her surroundings.

His room was pretty. It wasn't very empty and it wasn't crowded either. It looked…..classy. He themed it with white and various shades of blue. His bed was at the corner by the window. He had left it open and the curtains swayed as the cool breeze entered in. There was a study desk and a chair right next to the bed. The window was big so you could look out  from the desk as well. There was a little walk-in closet and an attached bathroom on the other side. Very neat. She liked it.

“You don't live with Ava?”

“No. She's done a lot for me. I don't want to add more to her burden by living with her. I think I can manage living by myself.” He tells her.

Jacob then pats the space next to him on the bed and Jenny sits down.

He takes his food box and hands it over to her.

“Eat.”

“What about you?”

“I already ate. Now eat. You must be really hungry.”

She didn't have to be told a second time. She immediately digs in. Only when she eats she realises that she didn't eat the whole day. That's why she was hungry.

“Chocolate. Eat slowly. The food isn't going anywhere!” He chuckles as he gently pats her head. Jenny looks down at her food as she could feel her cheeks redden.

The room becomes quiet as Jenny focuses on eating her food and Jacob stares outside the window, both their minds filled with thoughts.

Jenny knew that Jacob had many questions. He looked too troubled. Too many thoughts ran through his mind. She had to tell him. It was now or never.

“Jacob I–”

“Finish eating first Chocolate. We have a lot to talk when you're done.”

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