Artistic Love

Chapter 22-Felie

TW: Potential Death

I wasn't surprised when Jezelle zoned out. I just grabbed her hand until I felt my nerves settle. Mother was sitting there, staring at me with her deep green eyes. I didn't feel too nervous with Jezelle there, but if she was out for a little while...

"I need to go to the restroom," I told my mom as I released my hand from Jezelle's.

She laughed, "I'll be waiting here for your return."

I felt like I practically ran to the bathroom, trying to get away from my mother for a few seconds. I got into the bathroom and started to splash water onto my face. I kept splashing until I could almost see clearly again. She's not going to try anything, I told myself, she's trustworthy.

Sirens filled the stalls, coming from the police officer's car. I ran up to one of the toilets, stepped onto the seat, and looked out the highest window. He was starting to pull out of the parking lot, sirens blaring and clearly about to be inside of a pursuit. There goes my security, I sighed to myself.

"Felie?" Jezelle's voice rang through the bathrooms. It scared me so bad I fell off the toilet and onto the ground. "Felie, are you okay?!"

I got up and opened the door, "I'm okay Jeze-" I looked at my surroundings and didn't see my companion. I clearly didn't remember how my mother was a talented voice actor and could mimic other voices. When I looked at the door all I saw was my mother, with her hands out. "NO!" I screeched out. She came at me and grabbed me around the neck, holding me up so I couldn't touch the floor. Her freshly done acrylic nails dug into my skin, peeling away at my neck. In my head my final thoughts kept coming through. This wasn't how I was supposed to leave the world or how I wanted to. I didn't even get to officially tell Jezelle that I loved her. I told her, but she didn't know. Did she know I loved her?

I kept screaming, trying to get someone to just bust the door down and stop my mother, but I knew it was no use. I closed my eyes, not wanting my mother to be my last sight before I died.

My life started to flash before my eyes, mostly trauma from my mother and new history with Jezelle. It also replayed all my dreams, us adopting a kid, Jezelle dancing on Broadway in some costume I helped design, us growing old together...I couldn't give up. I'd fight for my last breath.

Out of nowhere, my mother let out a groan and she dropped me from her grip. I immediately grabbed around my neck, the air starting to flow through again. I looked up and Jezelle was holding herself up against the stall, her legs still looking a bit limp from the chemotherapy with a janitor broom next to her. She had hit my mother on the head and knocked her out. She saved my life.

I ran up to her and kissed her on the lips, longing for her touch for even a few more seconds in this moment. For some reason, all my previous kisses didn't even matter at this point in our relationship. This moment was the kiss that defined it all, how much we were willing to do and sacrifice for each other.

Once I finally let go of her lips I caved. "I love you!" I sobbed out, holding her between my arms, "The entire time I was getting strangled I kept thinking how I never got to tell you that while you were awake. I just needed to tell you that before I regretted it."

Jezelle was balling her eyes out like a baby, "I love you more than anything in this world. I think we need to call the police though."

I put a finger to her lips and pulled her in for one more kiss. She let out a breath of relief and our lips parted. "I'll call 911. You're my witness."

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Jezelle was less nervous than I was. She was in the hot seat in court, ready to tell her about how my mother tried to kill me. She seemed as cool as a cucumber, even getting a bit gutsy to lift her legs up onto the table and prop them up. The judge didn't appreciate it, but he clearly didn't care enough to tell her.