Sunflowers (Jerry Baynard x Reader/OC)

8 - Apologies

Vivian's POV.

It was early morning and I was already in the barn before sunrise. I had a sleepless night and I got out of bed that morning without a single second of sleep. I just couldn't bring myself to close my eyes. Not when I was thinking about all those things...

Stop. Think about something else.

Today's chores were simple. I was supposed to bathe Belle. Clean her hooves. Go to the next town to buy a new harness for Belle.

I just couldn't believe that he even suggested being friends... I mean, that's crazy. Before Jerry and I ever became friends I'd have to see Jesus walk on water with my own two eyes. But again... all those things he told me yesterday... all those things I said, thinking no one was listening, but he was...

NO! Not happening.

"You look like you're in deep thought." Jerry's voice echoed in the barn and I slightly jumped at the voice. I turned around, our gazes meeting in the darkness. "You're early." He commented.

"So are you." I replied. "Couldn't sleep?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I had my reasons." He replied way too quickly as if ignoring the question. "What about yo-"

"I had my reasons as well." I cut him off, the silence becoming louder. He slowly nodded. It seemed we both had a mutual understanding of why we were both unable to sleep, but we refrained from speaking what our minds were telling us.

"Hmm." He immediately started working, not paying me a second longer of his attention. Seeing how unbothered he was by the tension in the air, I did the same as we started working in silence. Each time I'd catch him staring, he would quickly turn around. And vice versa.

Hours went by and it seemed that even with the silence in the air, we were still speaking through quick glances.

- Should we talk about last night?

No.

- Good.

Are we gonna talk about the tension?

- No.

Good.

It had come to a point where we had to work in separated parts of the barn, just to not be near each other. Looking back at it now, it was extremely ridiculous that he even suggested us being "friends".

A few minutes later a presence walked in through the door of the barn. I immeditaly recognised, the sleek hair and expensive clothing.

Oh great.

"Hey." Diana waved at me happily as of we were the best of friends. "Good morning, Vivian. Where's Jerry?"

I wanted to recoil into my own body at the sound of his name. "Working." I said as I pointed to the back of the barn.

"Well, I actually came here to talk to you." She said. I stopped my movements at her words and furrowed my brows.

"Me?"

"I just wanted to apologise. I came on way to harsh yesterday and I realise I put you in an uncomfortable position." She said in a genuine manner. I hated this. I hated that I couldn't hate her, because she was genuinely sweet. And it infuriated me that she was so damn nice. Because no matter what, I wanted to stay mad at her. And I wasn't even sure if it was because of what happened the day before.

It is a pain when you hate someone with your whole heart. But it's even worse when the person you hate is a kind hearted human who wants nothing more than everyone's well being. Because that means that you only hate them for no apparent reason. But I so badly wanted to find a reason to dislike her, but I couldn't find one.

"Please accept my apology. I didn't mean to be so blunt." She approached me and I could see that she genuinely did feel sorry. But I couldn't find it in me to like her. I didn't know why. What happened the day before was tough, but I'd honestly forgotten about it, so it couldn't be that. What was it about this girl? Was it her insane beauty and extreme sweetness? Was it the fact that she's always so smiley and caring? No. So this was a question I couldn't even answer myself.

"It's forgotten." I said with a shrug, going back to working on Belle's hooves.

"Really? Thank you, Vivian, that's very nice of you." She said with a smile. If only she'd stop being so damn nice. Suddenly Jerry came into view, holding Belle's harness. "Oh, Jerry! Hi!"

I couldn't help but to roll my eyes.

"Good morning, Diana." Jerry greeted. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I just came to talk to Vivian." She explained.

Jerry's eyes turned to me and his brows rose. A cocky smirk scattered on his face when he noticed the rotten expression I had on my face. "Oh really?" He crossed his arms in amusement. "What a surprise."

"Well, I better head back. I am not supposed to be out for long. It was good seeing you, Vivian. Just know that I meant what I said." She smiled before walking out of the barn.

Jerry stayed in his position, arms crossed as he turned to look at me. "What does she mean by that?" He broke the hours of silence we had previous to Diana's visit.

Without looking at him I answered coldly. "Not that I owe you an explanation, but she came to apologise."

Jerry ignored the first part of my comment. "Apologise? Huh. And did you forgive her?"

"I did."

"Then why that look on your face?" He asked, that amusement still noticeable in his tone.

"What look?" I asked as I cleaned Belle's hooves.

"That look on your face like you're angry."

I sighed in annoyance. "Go back to work, Jerry."

A low chuckle escaped his mouth. "You are angry."

"I said go back to work." I still had not locked eyes with him since he started speaking. Instead, I pretended he wasn't even there. But that was difficult when I could feel his stare burning into my skin.

"You got a temper, huh."

"Jerry!"

"I'm just stating the obvious."

"For someone who suggested becoming my friend less than 24 hours ago, you sure can irritate me." I said as I stood up, done with my work on Belle's hooves. I wiped my hands on my pants and began to make my way out of the barn, but I was stopped.

Jerry grabbed my arm before I got too far. "Why are you ignoring me?" The question surprised me. He was the one to start with his childish ignorance when he entered the barn earlier that morning. If anything, I thought he wanted me to ignore him. "Why won't you even look at me?"

"What?..." My eyes widened. "Jerry you didn't even want to talk to me."

"Who told you that?" He questioned. I couldn't even find an answer as his eyes pierced into mine. "Hmm?"

"I- I just... I assumed-"

"Oh, Vivian... how clueless can you be?" He gave me one last look before he walked out of the barn without another word. Clueless? What in the world was he on about?