Relief (Completed).

Chapter 15 of Relief.

I had a bad dream that night, though. It still haunts me up to this day.

I couldn’t sleep. I checked the time- 12:10am. I finally went down to get a glass of water after some argument with my throat and doziness because the former is screaming for refreshment. As I drink, I kept looking back on what happened the day before, and happiness kept feeding his way on my heart. I have to remind myself that it was just a friendly care, a friendly feeling, a friendly act Jade felt for me. Don’t get your hopes high, I scolded myself. She liked Carl. Maybe, she loved him even. I ached for the thought, but I understand it. I accepted it before. But the closeness I’m experiencing with her now makes my heart ache more.

My eyes flew open to an unfamiliar place. I was just starting to look around when I hear a sob. She was crouched in a corner, a pillow hiding her face. I rushed toward her, alarm rising inside me.

“Wha- what happened?”

But she continued pressing her face to the pillow.

“Jade? Jade, what’s wrong?”

I now hesitantly put an arm around her. At this, her head rose, and her puffy red eyes held mine. Our gazes locked for a long time, as if surveying each other and attempting to read each other’s thoughts. Then, she buried her face on my chest. That surprised me, but I held her in my arms and trying to make her feel she’s fine and safe with me. I kissed her hair and tried making her spill the beans again. But still, she wouldn’t say, so I just stroked her hair and went back to reassuring her. Then, maybe she considered that she can’t evade my question, she finally decided to tell me. She extracted the words from her heart with difficulty. My whole world shattered as she found her voice. “I… I’m pregnant!”

My stomach dropped as she clung to me tightly. My body went cold. I’m numb, I can’t feel a thing. I cannot say a word. Suddenly, tears fell on my cheeks. When she saw this, she panicked. She tried everything to calm me down.

When I calmed a bit, I asked her questions. Questions that broke my heart further. It was a sickening moment, a hard-to-swallow thought that Jade is pregnant. No! this is not right. This is a bad joke. I struggled with the thought. No way. I cried again.

Unexpectedly, she said, crying, “I love you”. Then she kissed me full on my mouth.