The Come Back

Chapter 3

As we got back to the room, Debbie began stomping all over the place venting her anger on the poor floor carpets. Debbie was seething with fury because to her Brick was a jerk. He couldn't come and do whatever he wanted to do to Jo and leave. He wasn't worthy of her and now she shared a room with him. Impossible!
"Debbie calm down I've got it all under control" Jo said trying hard to calm her cousin down. Debbie gave her a death glare, not wanting to accept Jo's condition. She really wanted to teach that jerk bag lesson.
"That's not an option I'll teach him a lesson" Debbie protested sharply.
"Its OK Debbie I'll be fine I promise." I stated confidently. "Well I've gotta get going I'll see you tomorrow" I said as i got up and gave Debbie a kiss on her cheek before leaving.

By the time i got to my room Brick was fast asleep sprawled on the couch snoring away into the night. I stared at him scrunching my nose at the stench of alcohol that reeked all over the room. I took a quick bath and slipped into my bed. It was gonna be a really long semester that i really wasn't looking forward to at all.

I woke up to the sound of someone gagging in the bathroom no doubt that was Brick throwing up his intestines out. That's what he deserved for over drinking and being a jerk too. But as minutes went by Brick was still in there and the gagging more intense. It freaked me out but i promised myself that I will keep my distance between myself and Brick. That was a promise I didn't want to break but i couldn't bear the anxiousness that he was getting worse by the minute. I couldn't help myself as I started walking towards the toilet. Before I could stop myself, I was already kneeling beside Brick and rubbing soothing circles on his back.  Suddenly he jolted away from the toilet and looked at me with a stressed out eyes. We locked eyes and stayed like that for a while until another gag attack happened and Brick found himself kneeling above the toilet once again.

It took a while before Brick came around after all the rounds of vomit. Wiping his face with a flannel, Brick staggered onto the couch. He sighed heavily hoping that he'd make it to his noon class sober enough.
"Here drink this its gonna help"
I told him giving him a mug. That's when he looked up, i was being too nice to him since this morning and he couldn't help but wonder why. Nodding lightly he took the mug from me without  saying a word, i turned away from him and began heading towards the bathroom,  " Thanks Jo "he said sincerely but all he got was a solemn nod from me." This doesn't change anything, you keep your distance and I keep mine that's how its gonna be" I stated without looking at his direction and with that i was in the bathroom leaving Brick to stare at the spot i was standing.

Debbie, Jo and Clarissa sat by the patio at a coffee café drinking coffee and catching up. So far i had had only two classes where the teachers had only come to make introductions, give a project and apparently not show up till the end of the semester. That was actually really boring and i couldn't help but freak out about the other classes and how it was gonna be.
"Hey Ladies" An unfamiliar voice said as all of them looked up. It was a guy with a good looking emerald green eyes, an adorable black shoulder length hair, a 6ft 4 inch height and most of all the unmissable abs that looked like it was sculpted from bat man's figure. He was cute talk about a Greek god.
"Hey..." Clarissa began but let him finish off " Lance Schwinn"he added smoothly with his British accent.
" hey "Debbie greeted too.
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Sorry to intrude in your reading but I just wanted to inform you that this book wouldn't be in a first person's POV any more, it will be normal. Thanks for understanding.
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Everyone at the table had greeted him except  Jo who was pretending to be engrossed in something on her phone.
"Hey, am Lance" he greeted this time referring to Jo in particular. Slowly she looked up at him and flashed him a really forced smile. Then all of a suddenly his eyes grew large and a big smile appeared on his face. Then he bursted out into laughter which got everyone confused except Jo.
" oh my word you're Lady bitten pop of Piccadilly" he teased still trying to control the outburst of laughter that threatened to surface. Jo laughed too unable to keep it down. Debbie looked confused but Clarissa looked gob smacked.
" well do you guys know each other? " Debbie asked "or....are we missing something" Clarissa slotted in. "Well if I tell you we do would you guys stop looking at me like I just grew extra heads?" Jo asked and they nodded simultaneously. "Yes we do, we met at a mall, I bumped into him. Debbie can you remember the time we went shopping with Rachel for dad's birthday, so I and Rachel decided to try out stuff from that really expensive store just so we could take photos" Jo explained trying to cage her laughter. "Oh... That Rachel pretended to be royalty just so the dumb guy would let her try out some clothes" Debbie added equally laughing.
"Well that's where we met, he helped me get dad's watch out of that place after we got kicked out." She explained trying so hard not to laugh. Then it clicked to Debbie that that's the reason she didn't want him to see her. "So how's Springfield any new stuff happening lately?" He asked an enthusiastic glow in his eyes and that was understood because in as much as Springfield was small it was fun and his home too. They chit chatted for a while before Debbie had to leave with Clarissa for another class so it was just Jo and Lance. Then as they grew silent Jo playing with her phone, and Lance nursing a smoothy, Brick appeared, with two other guys at his side. "Hey guys" he greeted casually like if there wasn't a personal beef between him and Jo. She wasn't pleased when she saw him, not at all and she wanted to so much get out of the same breathing space as him. "So Jo who's this your friend?" He asked like they had an obligation towards each other and he had a right to know whoever she hung out with. "None of your business Brick." Jo answered coldly as she put her arm round Lance's arm and started pulling him away. "Do you know him?" Lance asked once they were out of sight and far from Brick. Jo hesitated a little before looking down and nodding her head lightly. "I know him from Springfield we went to highschool together" she explained "but let's not talk about it okay? So back to our tour, shall we?" She flashed him the largest fake smile she could come up with. She hated the topic let alone talking about it to someone much less a stranger. "Oui oui mademoiselle" he replied speaking in French which caused Jo to smile and coming to a conclusion that lance wasn't that bad after all.

"Thanks Lance for the private tour and ice cream and a nice time too, I appreciate that" Jo said as she stood at the door. Lance gave her a smile as he stepped closer and engulfed her in  hug. "That's ok Jo if you need help with anything call me OK" he said as they bade each other goodnight. As Jo walked into the room, she wasn't the least bit surprised, she'd done it on purpose, coming home late was the plan so that she'd have to avoid talking to Brick. Thus was harder than she'd thought but she was gonna go on with it however.
Placing the purse she'd taken with he'd, she exhaled loudly. She didn't want to think about those things, those times, those memories. They were supposed to be buried somewhere where she wouldn't be able to reach.
"So look who decided to show up" Brick said as she was brought out of her thoughts. Was that jealousy she hinted in his voice or was she just dreaming. "Even if I decide to come home by 12midnight its not your problem"Jo snapped.

He loomed at her as though contemplating whether he should care or not but he just didn't know what to do then so he did as he felt was right and went on to say "you can't come back when ever you desire, this is not a pub or a bar either so you should respect that" he  scowled like an injured crow. Jo glanced at him for a moment before looking away again. This was so annoying he always made things hard for people and that was so infuriating just like himself.
"Do you always have to be so annoying, give me a break will you, this is not how I want to spend the rest of my school year in Nevada so let me be!! Because I manage your filthy attitude doesn't mean that I'm OK with it, that's how its always been since high school. Brick you were always a shadow of everything around you especially when it came to you and I, our relationship Brick! So just let me be for God sake! All  you've ever done was cause me pain and you never had that right to so just give me a break for once in your life, am just so tired of your freaking childish attitude, you can't handle anything without leaving the people you claimed to love behind or even worse, hurting them, I'm so fucking tired goddamit am just fed up of you and this whole mess and I just want to keep living my life and if you don't understand that you can fuck to hell for all I  care because from this day onward am moving on and letting go!" Jo yelled almost at the brink of tears. She was breathing hard by the time she was done. Brick was speechless, he couldn't utter a single word because of course, he knew it was true and so obviously true. And in years, this was the biggest release Jo had had, all the bottled up feelings were finally out, the unsaid things, and unapproachable feelings were all let loose today.

Brick looked at her for a moment and without a word moved closer to her, too close that she could feel his breath on her skin like old times. "Jo I know I made a mistake, I know I did..." He trailed off.  

     "And...?" Jo questioned as she folded her arms around her chest. "I've been a jerk face douchebag but its not my fault too much happened at that time that I just had to make some wrong decisions at that time but I tried to get to you but your dad and Debbie didn't let me see you and the night before I left for Nevada, I left you a message on your cell, I expected that you'd reply but when you didn't, I just almost gave up but the hope wasn't gone. Its a miracle you're here Jo so please don't push me aside, forgive me, am not the beast you think I am"😞😞 he pleaded. Jo looked at him for a moment before walking away to the chair  behind them.

    "You had your chance Brick and now there's no more excuses or words that can fix anything. Now, if  you'll excuse me I'm going to bed" she said slowly, her voice raspy from the yelling. She walked past him and gently laid down on her bed leaving Brick standing in the middle of the room.

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Sorry for the late update guys, it's just that time hasn't been on my side lately and I've been too busy to have the time to update. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.  And please don't forget to vote and comment . Thanks