Learn to love again

Chapter 6 What happened?

Chapter 6 What Happened?

Justin's pov

      I had given up on seeing Jay again and began to head home the sun was starting to sink and before I knew it I was walking in the cover of darkness, luckily the moon was out giving light to my path so I could follow. I was almost half way home when I heard a sound, I thought it was just the waves slapping on the dock, but then I heard it again, it sounded like crying. And well you know what they say curiosity killed the cat.

The damp boards of the dock were cold against my bare feet. I should have ditched my shoes when I went home for lunch. I thought myself. As I edged closer to the End of the dock trying not to be seen, I began to make out the figure of a girl hunched over crying. When suddenly my feet seemed to freeze in my place. No it couldn't be, could it? I questioned as I got closer. Yup it was, the girl sitting on the dock was the one and only Jay. Now half of me, the hero wanted to run to the end of the dock and see what's wrong. But the other and more powerful half wanted to run away and act like nothing had ever happened. The cowardly half won, but as I went to turn around and run the old boards creaked beneath my weight. I froze in fear hoping she hadn't heard that, who am I kidding even the dead had heard that one. "Shit" I muttered under my breath. You've really done it now Justin. I stood there stiff as a rock as I watched her twirl herself around so she was now facing me.

      "Who, what, who's there," she said squinting her eyes in the darkness.

      "It’s me" I bluntly stated I wanted to run of sit but it was as if I was glued to the floor. Or dock that is.

      "Oh it's you Justin." unlike before hatred didn't drip from her voice. She patted the spot on the dock beside her and I felt myself follow and sit the water sent tingles through my body as my feet grazed it, but it was nothing compared to when Jay's hand brushed mine. We sat there in silence when I just couldn't take it anymore I just had to ask.

      "Why'd you stop texting me, and replying to my many calls?" I looked over my shoulder she tools deep reach before answering. I knew she was debating whether or not she'd tell me the truth. Then, I heard her exhale before she spoke.

       "It's a long story and it's late I should go." as she got up to leave I grabbed her arm and pulled her back down beside me. I couldn't let her go that easily.

      "I got time." I said with a childish grin. There was a long moment of silence and then she spoke, but she didn't look at me as she did, it was almost as if she was to embarrassed.

      "The day you left I went up to my room and cried. And well my dad couldn't stand seeing me like that, so depressed all I would do is sit around the house and wait for a call or a text. So to get my mind off you we began to train for basketball, we would be outside from sun up to sun down. And I'd actually begun to forget about you, or at least I wasn't sad anymore. But then school started up and I was once again reminded I'd be walking alone. So instead of telling someone I ignored my troubles because I saw it as weakness. And I buried myself in basketball; I was captain of the grade 10/11 team. Did I tell you that?" she paused and looked over at me I shook my head, but gave her a look of awesome job. And then she continued with her story. "And it was awesome we made it to finals and won. To celebrate my dad..." there was a crack in her voice, but she kept going. "He let me drive home. And well we were driving a...a drunk driver hit... hit us. He was killed instantly." by now the tears she had been trying so hard to hold back came crashing down. I did the only thing I knew to do I pulled her into my arms and let her cry. As she was crying I realized she wasn't telling me this story because I asked she was telling me this because she'd never told anyone. I began to skier rub her back when I realized she was shivering, I mean who wouldn't be if all your wearing was a sports bra and shorts. I draped my hoodie over her shoulders and realized her sobs had turned into sniffles. She put a brave face and continued "After he died so did my will to play ball, I walked in the gym the next day and told the coach I was done and that nothing he could do would ever make me touch another ball again. Then, the judge sent me to live with my mom they said she'd changed, bull shit. She's still the same I'm surprised she hasn't killed me yet." Jay let out a stiff laugh, but kept going.

      I let a small gasp escape my tightly sealed lips, if the half true things I'd heard about Jay's birth mother were true, he must be living in the modern day hell. "Jay I'm so sorry I didn't know?" as soon as the words left my mouth I wanted to take them back no one knew better than me that Jay hates sympathy

      "You're sorry, what are you sorry THAT I forgot about you!?!"

       "If you forgot about me why'd you keep the hat?" I gave her a smirk, but I tried to keep my voice as even as I could.

       "I-I-I don't know..." she muttered as she sunk to her knees in tears. I walked up beside her and belt right there next to her. I grabbed her Chin and point it upwards so she was facing me, I wiped away the tears that had started to fall

      "Jay you need to listen to me okay..." she nodded and whispered in my ear

      "I really messed up didn't I." I pick her up from her crumbled position on the floor and carried her to a nearby tree and sat down placing her frail body on my lap.

      "Yah you did, but everyone deserves second chances. And a very wise girl once told me 'being strophe isn't having nothing to fear, but being able to show people when you have nothing but fear.' and do you know who said that?... you did back when we first met. And Jay you can't hide your pain and fear inside you have to stop running and let me, let someone help you." she looked at me with a smile a genuine smile.

       "Justin you haven't changed at all, and I know I can't do it on my own I'm tired of trying to do it myself, but where do I start? It has been so long since I trusted someone. I forget how." I couldn't help, but chuckle at that. She quickly retaliated by punching me in the arm.

      "Jay it's been a long night, how about, we go home and take it one step at a time starting tomorrow." I heard her murmur okay into my chest as I picked her up and began to carry her home. I felt her slow deep breath on my neck, she was asleep, and I mused. I walk for a little until I came to a dirt road. I recognized the blue mailbox form when I had come and visited one summer in grade eight I think it was. When I arrived at the door I went to knock, but before I even hit the old and worn wood it was opened by too very worry looking grandparents.

      Is she okay?" asked her worried grandmother. I motion to her trying to say she was asleep they quickly understood and lead me up to an old bedroom I was bare except for the suitcase in the corner. I laid her down on the bed. Pulling the blanket up over her, and accidentally tipping off her, my hat in the process. I stood there mesmerized by her sleeping the way her hair fell perfectly over her eyes. And the way her chest slowly moved up in rhythm with my heart. But what I noticed the most was her facial expression wasn't hard and vibes as it had been this morning, but soft and peaceful. I was brought back to earth by the sound of her grandmother’s voice. "Is my little Blue Jay going to be okay? Or is she gone forever?" I lead them down stairs and then turn to her and said.

      "Jay's been through a lot, but I don't know if we'll ever get the old Jay back, but you will get a new and better Jay, she just needs some time." the old couple smiled.

       "Thank you Justin you will be a good role model for her." I had a look of shock on my face and the grandfather must have noticed "What Justin you didn't think we'd forgotten about you, me and Elma aren’t that old." he said with a chuckle.

      "No of cross not." then I began to pat my pockets. "I think I dropped my keys up stairs I'll quickly go grab them then, I should head home it's almost TWO in the morning my mom's going to kill me." I muttered as I ran up the stairs knowing full well my keys were safely in my pocket I just wanted to know if the messages I'd left in her hat was still there. When I reached her room. She was still sleeping soundly and she had a smile plastered over her dreamy face. I grabbed the hat from the edge of the bed and flipped open the inside. Yup it's still there, I wonder if she's found it?

'To my favourite girl, I love you and I'll never stop <3 Justin'

Then I placed a quick kiss on her check and ran down stairs and out the door, with the same dreamy smile plastered on my face. I began to hum favourite girl as I walked home.