The Roommate Agreement (Teen Fiction)

Chapter 6

Chapter 6
~Jaelyn's point of view~

I nervously fumbled with the keys to my parent's house. After Jesse had told me I didn't know the real reason he came to live with me, I've been a hot mess.

"Mom?" My voice echoed in the house as I swung the door open.

"Jaelyn! I didn't know that you'd be coming up to visit." My mother smiled, showing off her white teeth. She walked down the wooden staircase and gave me a small hug.

"How's the whole roommate thing?" She asked, curiosity clouding her face.

"Mom, that's why I came to talk to you. What's the real reason Jesse is my roommate?" I questioned, biting my lip.

"His father was an awful man. He did unspeakable things-"

"I'll tell her," Jesse said clenching his jaw. He turned to face me, his eyes filled with an emptiness for some unknown reason.

"Jess, it's okay." I said comfortingly as I put my hand on his shoulder. I ran my hand up and down his arm. He stiffened at my soothing touch, almost like he was unfamiliar to comfort.

Jesse cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable. "Mrs. James can Jae and I talk somewhere privately?"

My mother nodded and looked at Jesse. "You can talk in Jaelyn's room."

I grabbed Jesse's calloused hand and led him to my old room. The walls were covered in old band posters of Sleeping with Sirens and Pierce the Veil. I sat Jesse down on my neatly made bed.

"Jaelyn, I don't know. This might make you uncomfortable." I sat down next to Jesse and held his hand comfortingly.

"I'm fine, are you?" I was nervous to hear Jesse's story but yet I was also so eager to find out why he was always so guarded and cold.

"My father," Jesse paused nervously, "my father put my mother in a mental hospital. Your parents used to be good friends with my mom. They never knew she was married or even had a kid. My father didn't want them to know. She stopped talking to them completely-once my controlling asshole of a father knocked her up. He didn't want anyone to know about it.

"Just a few weeks ago, they tried to go and visit her at my father's house. As usual, my old man was drunk and trying to beat me senseless and that was the day your parents came to visit. Your dad practically broke the fucking door down when he heard glass breaking. They realized what had happened they took me without question and let me crash with them for a couple of days.

"The only thing I really told them was what had happened to my mom. Since I'm over the age of eighteen, they mentioned that they had an apartment for me to stay in and I obviously agreed because I wasn't going to live on the streets or going back to him.

"Going back to him just wasn't an option. I couldn't take it anymore. That's why I started to box. I started straight after he put my mom in the looney bin. I wanted to beat the shit out of him so fucking badly! I couldn't though, he would twist the story and blame it on me.

"That's how he turned my mom insane. She started to get severe paranoia and schizophrenia runs in her side of the family. I only stayed with him after my mom left because I always thought she would come back. But, it doesn't matter-that was just a short summary of what happened."

Listening to Jesse's story made me hold onto his large hand tighter. I was so shocked that Jesse had lived with his cruel father, even though he put his mom in an institution. I felt like he's told me about his mom before, almost like it is déjà vu.

I was touched that he finally opened up to me. "I'll be here for you."

Jesse squeezed my hand and offered me a sad smile. "I know, I just hate letting people in. Joey does know most of it- just not a lot but enough."

I traced over one of his tattoos as I rested my head on his shoulder. "Jess I'll be here though. If you need someone, just don't shut me out and be so cold."

Jesse wrapped his arms around me, my stomach flips. This melancholy moment felt like it was going to turn into something more. I don't know if I was quite ready for that. We both probably weren't ready for that.

"I know you will. Even though I've known you for a few weeks, it feels like I can tell you anything. That scares me."

I got up from Jesse's shoulder and looked straight into his perplexing grey eyes. "Don't be,"

Jesse lifted his inked hand up and brushes my cheek, sending shivers down my spine. He cupped my face with his calloused hands. He pulled me closer to his face and he smiled. It wasn't a happy smile it was just a sad and broken smile.

"I don't know if I'm ready for trust. Trust is a risky and scary thing."

"Riskier than boxing? You trust that everything you've been taught will help you and you take the risk and do it. That's scarier." I mumbled, studying his gorgeous features.

Jesse leaned in closer, his minty breath fanning across my face. Slowly, he leaned in more. This exactly what I wasn't ready for.

But, instead of Jesse doing what I thought he'd do, he gave me a quick kiss on my forehead. I internally scream. What the actual fuck?! Jesse kissed me. . .Well sort of.

He slowly moved away and brushed a strand of hair away from my face and he smiled. It was one of his beautiful smiles that show the faint outline of his dimples.

"Thanks for understanding." He got up and slowly walked out of my old bedroom and closed the door behind him. I'm left staring in astonishment at an old and dusty poster of the beautiful and flawless Kellin Quinn.

Did Jesse just open up to me and kiss me? I was having trouble understanding what had just happened. It felt like a dream. He hasn't been as guarded or cold towards me lately. Little by little he is slowly letting me in. Day by day.