A little too late

Chapter 57

For the billionth time I call Jack. I contemplate whether this time I should actually leave a message. As soon as it hits his voicemail and I hear his voice I chicken out and hang up. I don’t even know what to say to him. The whole time we’d been together, he was the one constantly fucking up and now the tables have turned. I don’t even know how to deal with this. It only makes me regret being so hard on Jack before hand.

And not only do I have to beg him for his forgiveness, now I also have to tell him that I’m moving away from him. This isn’t exactly a conversation that I’m eager to have.

I swallow my fears and decide to just get it over with. The sooner it’s done the better. I can’t change my parents decisions and he has to know that. I grab out my phone and dial his number. It’s sad that I’ve already memorised his number from dialling it so much.

Once again, the phone rings but no one picks up. This time, when it gets to his voicemail I don’t hang up.

“Hey, you’ve called Jack, leave a message” The voice over repeats. I hear a beep and I know it’s my cue.

“Umm, hey Jack, it’s just me. Stella, I mean. It’s Stella” I correct myself nervously. I take a deep breath and continue, “I am sorry Jack. I never should have gone to your mothers and I understand if... if you don’t forgive me for it. Your mother has always been a boundary for you and I crossed it. I’m sorry” I say, already starting to cry. I stay silent on the line for a bit while I sob.

I take a deep breath and try to continue on once again, “The other reason I called is because I need to tell you something. You deserve to know and...”

I can barely finish what I’m saying. It’s so hard. It’s like if I tell him, then it means it’s true. And I don’t want to leave. It’s the last thing in the world that I want to do.

I build up as much courage as I can and continue on, “My parents are forcing me to...”

I start to say it but then stop suddenly. This is so much harder than I thought and he’s not even talking to me on the other line. Perhaps it’s best that I’m doing this on the phone where he can’t reply. Imagine if I did it face to face. I’d die. I just can’t take this.

“They are forcing me to move back Jack.” I say as I burst into another round of tears. I sob on to the phone and cuddle it tighlty, only wishing that it were him that I were caressing.

Between sobs I manage to let out, “They’re making me move to Australlia”. With that done and said, I finally hang up the phone and fall back into my bed covers. I scream into my pillow and let the tears just flow around me.

I don’t know how long I stay this way but it doesn’t matter. Nothing matters. I’m moving back to Australia and losing the one person that I truly love. It’s like my only source of happiness is going away. I’m no longer going to see his cheeky little smile or the sparkle in his eyes that I see when I look at him.

Instead, I’m going to see darkness. Nothing but darkness. It makes me question whether life is even worth living.

A knock on my door interrupts my suicidal thoughts. I look up quickly but then bury my head back into my pillow. It’s probably only going to be my mother harassing me again. When I don’t respond, the person knocks on my door once again.

“Stella, please” The voice says. My head lifts up the moment I hear his voice. He’s here. He has come for me. I practically leap out of my bed and fling myself over to my bedroom door. I unlock it and slam the door open. When I see his worried face partially hidden between his little beanie, I cry even more before leaping into his arms.

He is clearly shocked by my reaction but he doesn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around me. He holds me tightly and kisses the back of my head. His hands run up and down my back to comfort me.

“Is it true?” He whispers into my ear. I cry even harder at the very thought of me moving to Australia. I don’t even need to answer him. He gets the point from my own reaction.

“No” He whispers once again. I can hear him starting to cry in my arms as he repeats ‘no’ over and over again.

He pulls back and takes a good look at me. There is no doubt that I look like absolute shit. I haven’t slept, my hair is everyone and I have absolutely no make up on. But to be honest, he doesn’t look too good either. I mean, it’s Jack Harries, he always looks good. But for Jack standards, he looks pretty bad. His eyes are puffy and I know that he is only wearing the beanie because his hair is fluffy and unorganised.

“You can’t leave me. I need you” He begs me.

I nod my head in agreement, “I have no choice Jack”.

He shakes his head and just repeats, “you can’t leave”.

“I. Have. No. Other. Choice” I struggle to say back to him again.

He shakes his head in disagreement, “don’t go”.

“And live where Jack? I have no money” I remind him.

He points to himself, “You can live with me”.

“Jack” I say back to him. I close my eyes and lean my head on his.

“I’m being serious” He says to me. I give him a peck on the lips quickly.

“I would if I could Jack, but my visa to stay here is only valid if I’m here with my parents. I’m underage” I state the facts to him. He gives me his thinking face for a few moments which only worries me. Who knows what could be going though that boys mind.

“Then marry me?” He asks me kindly. I look at him in complete and utter shock. He is being completely serious.

“What?” I ask him, swearing to God that I must have heard that wrong.

“I said marry me! We can go to the chapel or whatever, I don’t care. As long as you stay.” He says.

“Jack” I say scared.

He shakes his head and keeps talking, “No, if you marry me, then you can stay. You can stay with me. Just me and you baby”.

He caresses my face with his hand and I sink my face into it. I consider it for a moment before I come back to reality.

“I’m underage Jack” I tell him sadly.

He bites his lip before saying, “I know someone. Don’t worry about it baby”.

I give him a little smile, “I always worry when you say ‘don’t worry’”.

He laughs a little at me. I can’t help but giggle with him.

I give a little sigh, “is it legal?”

He lifts up his eyebrows whilst saying, “what you don’t know can’t hurt you Stella. Just trust me on this one”

He gives me a supportive grin before moving away and getting on one knee. He grabs both my hands with his and smiles up at me.

“So what do you say Stella, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” He asks me.

I look at him in shock and prepare to give him my answer.