"I've Never Cried" is one of the best Jemi stories I have ever written. There are so many twists and turns, love and hate, friendship and betrayal, all while still being a great read. This story has proper grammar and writing format, simply to make...
We pulled into my driveway, and I parked, but left the engine running. As I unbuckled, I looked over at Demi, who was staring at her hands in her lap.
"Dem," I began, running my palm down my face. I reached out quickly and grabbed her hand, and she jumped, seemingly startled. "Please talk to me. I know you hate me, but I--,"
Demi's palm struck across my cheek, the commonly unseen anger in her watery eyes. I squeezed my eyes shut, shocked, and released her hand, more hurt by the fact that she hit me, rather than the actual stinging pain in my face.
I cleared my throat, licked my lips, my eyes closed. My jaw was tight with anger that I was forcing back down, attempting to remain calm.
"I probably deserved that," I said, gritting my teeth.
"I never hated you," she began, shakily, through clenched teeth. "Never. But, I just . . ," She paused for a long moment, taking in monotonous breaths. "I have never been so angry for SO long."
I gained the strength to face her again; to watch her broken eyes. I wasn't angry, or upset, or destroyed. I just felt ashamed of myself; of what I'd done.
"I hurt you, Demi. I hurt you, and it's frustrating, and you have every right to be angry," I mumbled, my eyes hitting the floor, her again.
"Everytime you told me you loved me," She sniffled, drawing in a vocally distressed breath. "Were you lying to me?" She pushed her lips together, causing her chest to heave as she struggled to take in more oxygen.
"No, Demi! Absolutely not. You're everything to me; everything!"
"Joe, I-"
"I love you so much, Dem, okay? You've got to see that. I never stopped!" She crossed her arms, the left side of her hair tumbling out from behind her ear as she looked down at the floor that her tears were gently hitting.
"I just don't know if I believe you, Joe. That's the thing. I would have never done that to you."
My heart cracked painfully, inside of me. "Dem, don't say that . . . Please, please don't say that."
"Well, what am I supposed to say, since you've decided that you wanted to completely shatter everything we've ever had?!"
I remained silent, feeling a splinter of guilt wedge into my heart.
Demi had drawn back from me, her expression disgusted, her eyes red.
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"You made it very clear what you wanted," She began, tears springing up to her eyes. "And I made it very clear who I am." Her words began to tighten, as if she were struggling to force them up her throat. "This is NOT ME, Joe. This isn't how I want to feel all the time. I can't take this constant anger anymore." I looked at her, and suddenly it was like seeing someone across a vast ocean, someone you could never reach.
