Until There Was You

twenty-five

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NOTE:

Hope you enjoy this chapter! Don't forget to vote, comment, and share. We're nearing the end ( a little title reference sorta to my upcoming book lol).

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2 5 | Until There Was You

The sky was a bit hazy when Jude made it back to Waverly's side of town. Mere streams of light peaked from the clouds, glimmering shades of autumn orange and winter blue. The wind blew delicately, bashing the smoothness of Jude's skin, and somehow, he felt the twisting jubilance of adventure surging through his veins.

He stood outside his car, leaning against the passenger's side of the door, phone caught between his shoulder and ear. His phone rang for a while, whistling cheap orchestras. He wanted to assume that Waverly regretted asking in the first place, that maybe she believed she made a mistake by inviting him along. Had she backed out before she had even given herself a chance? That wasn't Waverly.

One thing was for sure though, Jude wanted to know what triggered this newfound urge to leave as early as her plans were denied. He couldn't ask her now. Not when she'd be so close to discovering the truth about her father and his anonymous disappearance. She'd finally have answers, although Jude's own family was corrupted, seeing Waverly find her roots made it hurt less—seeing her happy did.

He listened to his phone for a few moments, the frenzy and repetition growing more aggravating by the minute. Finally, it faded to a voicemail box that hadn't been set up yet. When Jude's eyes heightened with Waverly's doorstep, she stepped out with a bag full of things—familiar things that looked like those from the store they attended not too long ago. Memories of ice cream and pickles trickled in his mind, the undergrowth of familiarity tightening his heart. What was this feeling? Like the falling of stars, the explosion of a galaxy, or infinite freedom radiating enigmas.

Maybe it had been his desperation for a cure, a lost soul wanting to be found. Maybe, Jude just wanted to be remembered. He wanted to matter and be the sole purpose of someone's universe. To be that extraordinary brightness in a sea of darkness.

"Took you long enough," Waverly said as she trailed toward the passenger's door, a brazen grin toying at the corner of her lips. Jude wanted to stop her, but she continued walking and he just kept his arms at his side.

"I forgot to mention something on the way over," he started but halted when Waverly's eyes followed the ones in the backseat—the very familiar ones—where a smirking Lincoln sat. He was too late.

"Hell no," Waverly seethed. "He is not coming with me to see my dad. Jude, this is...it's personal, okay?"

She released a soft sigh and Jude's heart skipped a beat. The window wasn't soundproof. Jude was sure Lincoln had heard them, he certainly saw them, but didn't wipe that goofy smirk off his face. Waverly's eyes met Jude's, lost and pleading for the first time. He wanted to hold her because it must have been more personal than he suspected. He hated how she was looking at him now.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you just wanted to get me alone," he teased, trying to lessen the situation.

"Oh, fuck off, Lockhart. You know what, never mind. Forget it," she regressed, turning to leave. He knew that must have been hard for her, maybe even challenging to ask him to tag along with her after they had gotten caught with her mom. Of course, it should have been personal, and the fact that Waverly had included Jude on it instead of going alone said a lot. Jude grabbed her wrist softly to stop her, spinning her to face him again. She tried to yank herself out of his grip, glaring at him with that intimidating look that made Jude want to back down. Instead, he tightened it enough where she couldn't—not to the point where it'd hurt her though. Her eyes softened as he stared down into them.