Everything Has Changed

Chapter 10

It was now April, and there was no sign from Jessica. Everyone in town now heard about her and Sportacus. People barely saw her outside, except for going to school. She kept on smiling to her students but she felt broken inside. All these months and she didn't answer Sportacus' calls. She wanted to be with him, yet get away from him.

This month the weather was very fickle. One day it can be super hot, and the next one can be stormy. And it was very stormy on the day when Sportacus decided to go to Jessica's apartment and finally talk to her.

He dressed Joshua warm enough, and went with him in the cold weather to Jessica, when they met on their way Gladys, Jessica's old neighbour, and her little dog, Charm.

"Good afternoon, Gladys." He greeted her.

"Oh, good afternoon, Sportacus! It's good to see you." She smiled at him. She held a grocery bag in one hand and held Charm in the other.

"This is the weirdest spring we ever had, don't you think?" he asked her.

"Oh, yes, it is! It's hard to take Charm for a walk, whether it's too hot or it's raining." She laughed.

"But where are you and Joshua heading to in such a bad weather?" she asked.

"Oh, um, we're on our way to your building. To meet Jessica." He said.

"To Jessica? Did she finally returned your calls?" she asked surprised.

"No, but I'm going to talk to her face to face and see how is she." He explained.

"Well, I will wish you luck." She said. The two arrived to the building, and Gladys let Charm to walk on the floor.

"Oh, and don't forget to tell her that I will still wait for her in our Fridays meeting for coffee, if she wants to." She added before they went to their separate ways. Sportacus couldn't help but smile at the old lady. Everyone loved Gladys and Charm. They were always happy and nice to everyone, and like him, she didn't lose her hope that Jessica will finally come out of her door.

He made it to her apartment at the second floor. He knocked on the door, but there was no answer from the other side. He tried few times more when he heard a big thunder from outside. At last, he just tried to open the door and to his surprised it was actually unlocked.

"Jessica?" he entered.

She was sitting in her warm onesie pyjama, watching TV, and her Literature material for students was all around the living room. She decided to turn around, although she didn't want even to look at him.

"What are you doing here?" she turned around and stood up.

"I- Well, we wanted to check on you. People are really worried about you. Especially me. And, well, Gladys and Charm." He told her.

"I'm fine, now go away."

"No, you're not fine. Last time I saw you, you left my house hurt and terrified. I tried to contact you and check on you and how you feel, and maybe sort the things out. I barely talked to my friends since then. Mariah came and apologised for everything and explained to me that she was very drunk that she blurted it out. But she didn't mean it, and I forgive her." Sportacus said.

Jessica looked at him for a while and then sighed.

"I don't think I'm ready to be with again. I need more time." She told him.

"I get it. But I'm here to talk to you, listen to you, and do everything you need so we can sort everything. Please, just listen..." he wanted to continue, but then the power was out because of the storms.

"Well, it seems that now I'm stuck here until this will be fixed." He said, and Joshua began to cry in his stroller because of the sudden dark and the thunders outside. Jessica tried to ignore him, but couldn't help it and picked him in her arms.

"So is this the first step?" Sportacus asked.

"No, but I'm not that heartless now." She said as she rocked Joshua in her arms when her phone rang. She saw Lacey's name on the screen.

"Hey, Lacey..."

"Hi, Jess. I was just calling to see how you are." Lacey said.

"Let's just it could've been better." She said to Lacey and turned to Sportacus.

"Why? What happened?" Lacey asked worried.

"Sportacus is here. And we're stuck together here because of the storm." She told Lacey, still looking at Sportacus.

"Look, I know that you're upset, but maybe it was destiny that put you together now. I say, why don't you try to solve your problems? You were perfect together, it will be too bad if you will lost each other for such a stupid thing." Lacey told her.

"Fine! Now, bye!" Jessica said annoyed, and hung up on her.

"Well, what did Lacey say?" Sportacus asked.

"The same thing you said, but alright, I'll give it a try." She told him and sat down on the couch, and he sat next to her.

They talked for hours, in which mostly Jessica didn't want to talk and was mad, but neither of them knew why she was mad or at who.

Eventually, the night came down, and the weather got worse. Joshua was peacefully asleep in his stroller, but Jessica didn't quite know what to do with Sportacus, but it seems that her feelings got over her will, because the two ended up in her bed.

*****

The morning came by, and Sportacus noticed that weather got a lot better. Jessica was still asleep and so was Joshua, and Sportacus decided to leave before she wakes up. He didn't know what feel after yesterday, or what she will say to him when she wakes up. So he got dressed and was about to leave, but not before he left her a note on the coffee table in the living room.

She woke up around an hour later to find out that she was alone. She also felt very sick and rushed to the bathroom to throw up. She didn't know what happened but then remembered last night's events. And then it hit her, why she was sick. She washed her face and brushed her teeth. When she went to the kitchen, she saw Sportacus' note.

"Thank you for letting me in last night. I missed you very much."

Jessica smiled at the note and picked up her phone. Obviously, she called Lacey.

"Hey, Lacey? I think I've found a new reason to get back with Sportacus."