My Superhero

Chapter 23

"Viviana,"

Jason's soft voice abruptly pulled me out of my daze before the mental breakdown kicked in. I turned to look at him, instantly noticing the ways his eyes were shadowed over with sadness. There was something else there too, something harsh and cold and closed off.

"Jason, I..." before I could get another word out of my now dry mouth, I was interrupted by Jason's hot lips on mine, engulfing me in an urgent, passionate kiss. I clutched his shoulders, more to steady my weak knees than anything else, and kissed him back. Something felt wrong about the kiss, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I had expected him to comfort me, but this kiss had the opposite effect on me, leaving me shaky and unsettled.

Before I could pinpoint why the kiss, although more intimate than any of our previous, sweet kisses, felt off, Jason pulled back from me. I blinked slowly to get my mind to function properly again before looking into his dark green eyes. I almost gasped at the coldness I saw in them. Jason's emerald eyes, with their constantly smoldering twinkle of amusement, were the reason why I had noticed him that first day I had seen him at the coffee shop. But right now, there was not even a hint of amusement or affection in his eyes.

"Jason, what's wrong?" I asked anxiously, taking a step closer to him before he shut his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose. I froze in my spot, feeling him shut me off completely. When his eyes reopened, they had softened a little, but the coldness in them was still evident, making me shiver unintentionally.

"you heard your mother. I can't see you anymore. I'm sorry, Viviana." with that, he turned and walked out of the bungalow. His words were like a knock out punch to my guts. Did he really just say that? And then it hit me, why the kiss had felt so wrong. It was a goodbye kiss; he was leaving me after I had finally convinced myself that he wouldn't hurt me. I turned and followed him instantly out into the humid night.

"what do you mean you can't see me? You're just going to walk away?" I asked incredulously as I caught up to him on the passageway leading to the quiet street. Kate and Luca had disappeared, leaving Jason and I stranded in complete isolation.

"it's for your own good, Viviana. I won't be the reason why you have to move back with your parents." He half whispers half shouts at me. That sets me off.

"So I don't get a say in what's good for me and what's not?" I shouted back, clenching my jaw in order to keep in the tears that were threatening to tumble down my cheeks.

"not when it involves me," he says calmly, squaring his jaw and shoving his hands into his front pockets.

"seems to me like you're just using my mother's threat as an excuse to end this." I mumble, mostly to myself. Suddenly Jason is mere inches away from me, my face gripped firmly in his strong hands.

"that is not true." he says each word slowly, vehemently,as if trying to make sure I understand every word he's saying. He sees something in my eyes that makes him take a step back, his eyes downcast before he hastily turns around and walks down the street. "take care, Viviana."

As I watch his retreating figure, a turmoil of emotions explodes inside me, making my head spin. Instead of turning back in, I take off sprinting towards the beach. When I get there, breathless and heaving, I locate the most deserted area of the beach and slump down a little too close to the water. The slow waves immediately tumble over my legs, like little fingers patting me comfortingly. That's all it takes for me to come crashing down, my tears moving in sync with the soft waves reaching out for me.

The whirlwind of thoughts engulfing my brain was so strong, so powerful, that it almost felt as if I was not thinking at all. It almost felt like I was dreaming, that this waterfall of numbness coming over me was only an effect of my drowsy state.