Mine • Jaren Jackson Jr.

•28•

"Don't cry, little one." Jaren mumbled, gently running the alcohol pad over her knuckles. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Rielle sniffled, flinching slightly at the feeling of alcohol in her open cuts. "I-It's hot, Jaren."

He stood briefly to turn the air conditioner on before retaking his seat on the center table as Rielle tried her very hardest to calm down. She was still very worked up, she realized as her sensory issues kicked in.

Rielle went through three stages after punching Trinity in the face.

The first was obviously anger.

She couldn't understand the exhilarating feeling she felt when she watched Trinity fall to the concrete. The 21 year old was angry enough to be happy when she saw the blood leaking from the other woman's face as she laid, surprised, on the ground.

The next was panic.

Rielle was afraid that she had seriously injured the girl or afraid that she would get into some kind of trouble. So while Trinity ran off to her car, Rielle had a panic attack in the passenger seat in the front of her and Jaren's rental car.

Then came sadness mixed with regret, which is what she felt right now and what she had been feeling for almost 45 minutes.

She was sad that she hurt someone, but she was more angry that she allowed to someone to get her out of her temper. She was sad that she stooped so low. She was regretful because Trinity took the blow for all the anger Rielle felt towards all the females Jaren had dealt with.

Tears still fell down her face to this second, as Jaren cleaned the broken skin. "A-Are you mad at me?"

"No, little one." Jaren said, pausing to look up at her face. "Don't cry."

"Should I say sorry to her?" Arielle asked, voice breaking as more tears fell down her face. "I feel terrible."

He shook his head. "You shouldn't feel bad, Ri. She shouldn't have touched you."

"But still."

They got into bed shortly after, Rielle still very upset. Despite being very proud of his girl for standing up for herself, Jaren felt bad knowing that she felt bad. He felt bad feeling her shoulders quiver as she cried silently into his chest.

Rielle prided herself on self control and being a good person, so it made her feel terrible to know that she just punched someone in the face. The more she thought about it, she more intense her sobs got as Jaren stayed calm.

She wasn't meaning to be a baby but she was hot and her hand hurt and she was frustrated, along with so many other things.

"Don't cry." Jaren repeated, rubbing her bare thighs. "You breakin' my heart."

"I'm hot." She repeated, sitting up in his lap.

He almost wanted to go punch someone himself just by the look on her face. Tears and sweat coated her beautiful face and thin pieces of her curly hair stuck to the sides of it as she struggled to even out her breathing.

Jaren tugged the hoodie from over her head and tossed it gingerly to the side before taking the time to move hair from her face. He paid extra attention to detail as he adjusted her tank top.

When she was finally calmed and cooled down enough to talk, she heaved a long sigh. "I-I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what, little one?" Jaren asked, placing kisses on her hand. "I don't think you did anything wrong."

"I know."

"But, I understand." Jaren made sure she knew. "And I'm not mad at you, baby. I'm proud of you for sticking up for yourself."