Summer Escapade

Chapter 28. The Rift

Chapter 28. The Rift

My heart was beating fast when I saw who the caller was. It's Phil. I usually got nervous whenever he calls but this morning's different. I was getting a hunch that if I take this call, something's gonna change.

Why now? Why now that Jaz and I... We're okay, we're fine. She's finally mine. We're even going to move to another place.

I sighed as I turned the stove off. I was planning to cook breakfast for her. Our last breakfast in this place.

With a heavy heart, I took the call. "Hello?" I said.

"Alex, I've been calling you since last night!" was the first thing he said.

"Oh," I said trying to be calm. "My phone's turned off. We went to this street party last night."

His mood shifted. "Oh I know that one. It's an annual street party and one of the greatest," he said and as if remembering his real reason for calling, his mood shifted back again to being serious. "Anyway, good news for you!"

Good news? Is that why my heart was beating so fast?

"What is it?"

"Yesterday, your cousin gave himself up."

That stirred my interest. "To the authority? You mean he's in jail now?" I asked for clarification.

"Yes," he clarified.

"How is that supposed to be a good news?" I asked as I went to get the plates in the cupboard.

"Man, this means you can finally go back home! This is what you've been waiting for, right? You can't go home unless it's safe. And besides the summer is almost over! You got what you wanted," he said.

"It's time for me to go home, huh?" I said not really happy with the idea. I placed the plates on the table and leant forward on the table thinking of what he said.

"Exactly. And Jaz," he said. "Oh no. what about Jaz? She's still thinking you're running away for good, is she?"

"I haven't told her about it yet. I'm planning to do it later," I sighed. "Honestly, I have no idea how am I gonna break it down to her." I'm sure she wouldn't like that I've lied to her. That's why I was going to tell her this morning. She needed to know.

"Oh, man, you're in big trouble." As if I didn't know that. I started to pace back and forth.

"I know I've been stupid, man. It's just that I came to the point where I really don't want to go home as I have made her believe," I fell silent. "In fact, I've told her we're moving out of the place," I said after a while. I know this was selfish of me but this was it. We're finally together. Yes, we can go back home but I was hundred percent sure that we'll both be banned from seeing each other. Her parents wouldn't want to see the guy who took away their daughter.

"You should've told her...You know her, man..."

"I know I should've told her in the very beginning. I should've told her that I'll just be away for the summer and I planned to come back just before the school starts...I...I don't know, man. I'm all screwed up."

And then I froze when I heard a reply behind me. "Just for the summer, Alex?"

"Oh no. Was that Jaz just now?"

I slowly turned to see her with a disappointed look. Was she there all this time? Damn. I can tell from her reaction that she was.

"I'll call you later," I said to Phil and hung up.