𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬

𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

43 | Z A C K

I watch as snowflakes fell quietly, taking their time before they reached their destined places of rest, enveloping everything in a calm, silent coldness that was comforting in its own special way. I could see my own breathing even if I was in my enclosed car. Everywhere is snow and by the side of the road, children in their heavy sweaters were playing with the snow and making a snowman.

But that was my least concern. All I wish for was to see Daisy and embrace her into my welcoming arms. I just want her close to me, to make her look into my eyes and see the remorse in them. I want her to forgive me and promise to be by her side til death do us part. I'll promise to be by her side throughout the pregnancy experience and raise our child together. It's my final decision and I couldn't be more happy about it.

I'm worried about her whereabouts. I tried calling her after I left their house yesterday but she didn't pick up. I didn't want to go there and meet her terrible family so I gave up. This morning, she called and told me to meet her at the old chase creek road where she usually go to spend her time alone.

When I reach my final destination, everything was almost blurry. Intricate patterns of ice float weightlessly, each flake swirling and dancing. It was a breathtaking sight but I have to time for appreciating the beauty of it. I simply got out of the car when I noticed a small figure sitting on the ground, their back leant against a bike. My heart almost stop when I realise the figure looks lifeless.

I didn't know when I sprinted towards the bike. I was breathing heavily and my heart was hammering in my chest when I arrived. It was a heartbreaking sight I'll never be able to erase from my mind.

Her body slumped against the bike and she was staring off space. She looks lifeless as if she had gotten the beating of her life. I could see her eyes were glassy and her cheeks as red as tomato from the cold. Her lips were dry and turning a lighter shade of blue. The only thing she had to protect her from the harsh cold was the leather jacket. She looks frozen, with snow all over her hair and eyelids lazily blinking.

She looks miserable and fragile and it broke me. She didn't even look up, she just continue to stare off as if dreaming.

"Daisy?" I silently whispered but she said nothing. The best option I got was to pick her up and take her to the car. She needs the warmth to survive.

I quickly grabbed her and picked her up in a bridal style. She didn't try to stop me nor talk. She just stayed silent as I walk back to my car. The only thing she did was lean against my shoulder as her teeth chatter and her body shake from cold. I felt helpless for not knowing how to save her from the pain she was going through.

Gently, I place her in the passenger's seat and shut the door. I round the car and got inside the driver's seat. Immediately, I remove my outer sweater and cover her with it. It was clear she needs it because she snuggle in.

"She's gone." she said in a very calm tone. Her voice was in pure torment.

"You can trust me, Daisy. You can talk to me and we can solve this issue together. We're in this together." I kindly offered, trying to be as gentle as possible.

She wiggled in the seat to sit straighter, her gaze fixed on the dashboard. "I went to pay Jupiter a visit yesterday. Upon stopping by the house, I noticed a signboard with a 'sold' on it. The house was locked and there was no one. When I asked the neighbours, they said Jupiter and her family moved out and plan on moving to another country. They said her mother's health had gotten worse and they had no choice but to leave."

There is an ache that comes when you loose someone you love. But what if the person's gone without goodbyes? Someone you love and ready to sacrifice for. Someone you don't want to let go of. It must be very hard for her to accept it and I totally understand. This is the second time she's having a breakdown and I know Jupiter matters to her a lot.

"I'm so..." I started to say but she cut me off.

"She left like I was never a reason to stay. She left like I never really matter to her. Why does everyone keep on leaving me?" she broke down into sobs, her body shaking in the process. She sobbed into her hands, the tears dripped between her fingers. Her breathing was ragged as she gasps for oxygen.

I got out of the car and round back to the passenger seat. I grabbed her out of the car and hugged her tightly. She gladly hug me back as she sob into my chest. I feel hysterical that the once tough, bad girl is slowly falling apart. This is the girl that doesn't take defeat and hard to crack. This means that what Jupiter did to her really hurt her.

"Andrew, Andrew Barnes. He was my childhood best friend, my first ever best friend. He was my neighbour and we bonded the day his family and him moved into the neighborhood." she pulled away to look into my stunned face. "I know you're surprised but what Jenna told you was partially a lie. Cole was not my neighbour. She was right when she said I became best friends with a neighbour but it wasn't Cole. It was Andrew."

I stared at her as if I saw a ghost. All the Jenna's cries were fake just to make it more realistic. All my anger about what happened to her was for nothing. That selfish bitch...

"Since when we were younger, Jenna wanted to separate Andrew and I but our bond was stronger. She was jealous of everything I had. She was lonely and wanted to have all the attention on her. I don't know but maybe if you could remember in sixth grade, Andrew was a student. He only spent a year there before... "

I didn't let her finish. I reach inside my back pocket to find the photos I stole from her bedroom. I brought out the one she took with the familiar yet mysterious boy. I point my finger on the boy. "Is that him?"

"Yeah." she replied with furrowed eyebrows. "I left them on my nightstand. Where did you find them?"

The nape of my neck was suddenly itchy but I have to cone clean. "I wanted to do a small research and make Jenna confess to all her lies so I went there yesterday after you left. While she was answering a phone call I went to your room and found it. I made her confess to all what she did and in the end, she admitted that she loves me."

"what?!" Daisy exclaimed, her eyes wide open in shock.

"yeah. She said she wants to be with me and doesn't care about to consequences. I don't even know what to tell Korbin." I sighed in frustration.

"But... do you love her? Do you want to be with..."

She started to say in a small voice but I interrupted her. In a moment, I crashed my lips against hers and I felt her body loosen. The kiss was passionate and demanding. I felt her fingers ran down my spine as I held her face to deepen the kiss. I pulled away but leaned in a little closer, our foreheads touching.

"I only want to be with you. You and our baby are my top priority. You should know that. Now, why don't you get in the car so I can take you home? The stress can affect the baby."

She nodded, still in shock of what just happened. We got back inside the car and soon, we hit the road. The silence was comfortable as we watch the snow fall beautifully but I wanted to ask more.

"This Andrew, was he the one you visited a month ago? The day you went shopping for men's stuff and you accidentally dropped a deodorant spray for men on a Saturday morning? I went on a family shopping trip with my sisters and coincidentally, I saw you about to leave. After you dropped the spray, I wanted to give it back to you so I followed you. But then, I saw you visiting a strange house and hugging this old woman." I wanted to ask her for a very long time but I couldn't find the right time.

Daisy frowns a bit as she tries to process what I said. When it finally clicked in, she glance at me. "Oh! That was his grandmother actually. His parents moved out of the neighborhood to Florida a couple of years ago. I get to hear about them from his grandmother."

A bulb lit up in my head when I finally put two and two together. "I get it! Cole is Andrew's brother, right? But where's Andrew?"

This time, she avoided meeting my eyes and looks down at her long fingers. "Cole is actually my brother. Andrew passed away four years ago after he suffered from blood cancer."
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There you go. Now you know exactly who Cole is and all Jenna's lies.

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Hope you enjoy. See you in the next chapter❤