Life at Your Feet (Sequel to The Player)

Make up kiss?

There was no use. Jessica was not able to sleep.

She looked at the clock: 6:13am.

Robert had not returned home.

Robert had not said a word or anything at all.

She decided to get up and go downstairs. Her little sister was in a deep sleep and her parents were, surely, as well.

She lied down on the comfortable couch and turned the TV on.

News about Robert were all over the spots channels, about the game of the previous night. She watched it for some moments, but then madly changed to another channel. She’d rather watch Dora the explorer than her own boyfriend.

It wouldn’t take long until she faced him though, she only stood there for some minutes until she heard the door opening and soon, Robert appearing in the living room.

“Jess…” he whispered, looking at her. His eyes tired, his expression… hungover?

“Where the hell have you been, Robert?!” She asked

He put his hand on his head and approached her

“I’m so sorry, honey, I… tried to tell you” he went to hug her

She stepped away “Is that smell of... smoke and… alcohol?” Jess snapped

“Yeah… I’m sorry Jess, I… they dragged me there. My phone was off… then…”

“Oh, do not put this on them, now.” Jess said, a mad expression on her face

He looked down, his hand still holding his head “You’re right, baby. I’m sorry. I didn’t know there was supposed to be a party afterwards… you know I’d tell you…”

“So, a party?”

“Yes…” he approached again “Jess… it was nothing… I…”

“Just go take a bath” Jess walked away “I’m going to make breakfast”

Robert looked down, ashamed of himself. What was he going to do now?

The rest of the day was awkward. Arianna would keep talking to Robert, as well as Jessica’s father, about the game. But there were not many conversations shared for the rest of the day, until her parents left, to go home.

Robert watched as Jessica went upstairs, not saying a word to him. He went after her

“Jess… please talk to me” he whispered, following her

“What do you want me to say, Robert? That I am way too happy because you went to that god knows what kind of party and you didn’t even say a word to me?”

He took a deep breath, “I am sorry Jess. I tried to tell you, you had your phone off as well! Nothing happened, there were just too many people around me and I ended up drinking more than I should have” He looked down “I’m sorry”

She looked down, she hated when they were like this, it hurt her. But she was still mad about it.

“I’m going to sleep. Thanks to you I got none last night”

Robert looked down, in defeat. He went downstairs to turn the lights and TV off and then went back to his room, joining Jess.

“This is my side of the bed, Robert” she said, coldly, when he tried to hold her.

He took a deep breath and turned around.

I’m an idiot. He thought.

For the following days he tried everything at his reach for Jessica to talk to him again, at least, to be normal Jessica to him. He stood up in the morning, before her, to make breakfast for her, then he would take her to the hospital. When her shift was over, he would go pick her up, help with dinner, cleaning the table and dishes. He didn’t even stayed up late watching games. He went to bed with her.