Labyrinth: A Jeremiah Valeska Story *COMPLETED*

Chapter 29: The Fight

I felt myself grow distant since I saw the news. It was as if I were floating above the scene, watching myself and watching Jeremiah. It would take a very twisted person to kill his brother, no matter if it was directly or indirectly. I was beginning to wonder just how deep Jeremiah hid the darkness within him, as it has seemed to come out more and more frequently since we met. Perhaps this is who he had always been. Jeremiah was in good spirits for the rest of the night, the weight of his brother's unwelcome and impending arrival lifted from his shoulders. I supposed that paranoia could drive people to do terrible things. I held my discomfort in however, not wanting to ruin Jeremiah's "victory". He broke out the wine and poured us all glasses. I drank the red liquid as if it were water, needing to numb the sinking feeling in my gut. Forcing a smile and pretending to be happy was becoming exhausting with each drink I downed and I felt my filter slowly begin to crumble. I made the excuse that I was tired and I retired upstairs. I was rinsing off my makeup, the cold water refreshing as I splashed it on my face. "What's wrong?" I heard Jeremiah step into the room as I dried my face. "Nothing." I responded but he didn't buy it. "You think I don't know when your upset? You were putting on a show downstairs. What's bothering you?" He asked and against my mind's better judgement the drunk me no longer cared how he would respond. "Was that why the mayor was here earlier? Because you were paying him to kill Jerome?" I accused, placing my hands on my hips and staring straight into his eyes. Jeremiah seemed surprised that I had figured it out, which insulted my intelligence, and he took a deep breath. "I had to Lilly... He just tried to kill you yesterday. I couldn't let that happen again... So I did what I needed to do, and I would do it again a hundred times to protect you." He responded, his tone so serious it worried me. "That makes you no better than Jerome!" I exasperated, shaking my head and something in him changed. He crowded me, but I stood my ground as his intimidating stature loomed over me. "I am nothing like Jerome." His voice lowered and I could see a wildness in his eyes. "He thought he could take what is mine, and I outsmarted him." He finished, an eerily calm overtaking him and I saw the ghost of a self-satisfied smile on the corner of his lips. "What's 'yours'?" I scoffed, backing up from him, not liking being referred to as property. Jeremiah looked at his feet for a second before smiling at me. "Don't you see? Because of me we are safe now." He said, peering down at me though his glasses. I held my arms to my body, shrinking away from the stranger in front of me. "I don't feel very safe." I told him and a confused look washed over his face. "Are you afraid of me Lilly?" He asked, taking a step closer to me and reaching his hand out to stroke a tear I didn't know was running down my cheek. My body wasn't sure whether to flinch or lean in to his touch. "I know you would never hurt me. But sometimes your actions scare me Jeremiah..." I confessed and a pained expression took over his face. "I know..." He voiced, surprising me. "You should go." He finished while turning away from me. "What? No!" I responded, the situation becoming all too familiar to the time he had broken up with me almost a year ago. He turned back around, his hair was messy, his eyes wide. "I said leave!" He yelled. "Fine!" I screamed back before gathering my things and shoving them into my bag before I stormed downstairs. I had been drinking so I was in no shape to drive so I decided I would walk to the city until I found a taxi. As I walked the cold streets I felt my phone buzz. It was Jeremiah. I rolled my eyes and answered. "What?" I said sharply. "Please tell me you are not driving." He said his voice sounding restrained. "No I'm not Mr.Jerk-face, I'm trying to find a Taxi." I responded. "You're drunk... We both are. Come back, I'm sorry." He pleaded but I wasn't interested in his attempts at damage control. "No thanks. I'd rather stay out here." I said stubbornly and I could hear the puff of air he sharply pushed out of his nostrils like he did when he was frustrated. "Lilly..." he warned and I hung up. I eventually flagged down a taxi and hopped in. My phone was buzzing the entire ride back to St. Ignatius but I ignored it. Once I reached my dorm, I was relieved to find that Ella was asleep and wouldn't pester me about what happened. I shut my phone off to stop the buzzing and I wrapped myself in my blankets, squeezing my eyes shut and willing myself to fall asleep. I wanted to forget this whole day but Jermiah's words were pressed into my skull. I would do it again.