Cold As You

Chapter 31

It was nerve recking for me to be around these cops and detectives. Everyone wanted to know what part I had in the business and I told them over and over I was not capable of doing something like what Jared did. Eight hours later, they finally let me go.

When I left the interview room, tired from no sleep. I barely slept last night worried about today's events and worried about my plan. I didn't get home until a little after midnight and wasn't able to fall asleep until after 5 that morning. Then of course, I was woken by the feds at 8 that morning.

My mom was the first to hug me. Brian came in after and they both were crying admitting how worried they were about me. After some reassurance I was fine, my mom took me by the shoulders and had me look at her straight in the eyes and promise me I would never pull a stunt like that again. I wanted to argue, but she was right. I had no idea if my stupid plan would actually work but I was so happy that it did.

I was free from Jared.

I started crying again.

My mom took me in another hug, and from around the corner I saw Pattie come and she rushed towards me giving me a hug alongside my mother. "Justin is on his way." She whispered.

My heart started pounding in either nervousness or excitement knowing Justin was still coming even after the things I told him last night or the thing we did last night. "How far away is he?" I asked.

I was tired, knew I had bags under my eyes, hungry and just wanted to sleep in my bed. I also felt disgusted, felt as if I needed to shower thirty times. However, I didn't want to hurt Justin's feelings about asking if he could visit me another time.

"Are you tired, sweety?" My mom asked, then answered her own question. "Of course, you are. You're probably hungry, tired and in need of a shower."

I nodded my head in agreement. Pattie looked at me in sorrow but nodded her head as well. "How about I tell Justin to come visit you tomorrow?"

"That would be great." I sighed.

I said goodbye to Pattie and walked out of the station with my mom and Brian heading to Brian's truck. "Where's Gracie?"

"She's at the house with Justin's siblings actually. Once we get you home, Brian will take them to Pattie's home so you can get some rest." My mom informed me.

Once Brian started the truck and drove off, I don't remember drifting off to sleep, but I was awoken from a nightmare of my plan not working. Jared had me, and I was trapped once again.

I had woken up in a sweat in my own room and looked over to the clock reading 12:03am. I slept for over 9 hours, and still felt tired. I was still dressed in my clothes earlier, and decided it was time for a nice shower and a change of clothes. I turned on my light and rubbed my hands over my eyes trying to steady my vision before standing up.

When I got out of bed, I heard something being thrown at my window and my heart stopped and I froze. It couldn't be. The worse possible thoughts ran through my mind and I swallowed but crawled over to my window, looking out from the curtain. In the front yard I saw the familiar BMW.

I quickly sat up and opened my window. "Justin!" I whispered yelled, sticking my head out of my window and saw Justin from below waving.

He found a tree branch and pulled himself up to my window on the second floor. He got in with ease and I looked at him dumbfounded.

"I was wondering when you were gonna wake up."

"How'd you do that?"

"Years of practice at the jungle gym." Justin laughed and I smiled.

"Um, I was just about to shower, so you can wait in here quietly?" I offered and Justin nodded. "I shouldn't be long." I added and grabbed extra clothes to take with me to the bathroom.

When I entered the bathroom, I stared at myself in the mirror for a good five minutes, not recognizing the person looking back at me. I was pale as a ghost, my hair was greasy, dark circles under my eyes and for once, I wasn't hungry. Closing my eyes tightly and taking a deep breath, I bit my lower lip as I held back tears from the girl who stared back at me.

I got in the shower and washed myself, scrubbing areas that I felt needed extra cleaning. At this point I was probably being rough on my skin and scalp, as patches of red appeared but I didn't care. I needed to feel clean. Months of feeling used and disgusted needed to come off. I didn't just get interrogated by officers. I spent my past few months being trapped in my own body, becoming someone, I didn't want to become in order to please someone else and stay alive.

I don't know how long later, I got out of the shower and quickly dressed and put lotion on my body. I brushed my teeth and washed my face using Gracie's skin care hoping she didn't mind.

Entering my bedroom, Justin was lying on his back on my bed scrolling through his phone. When I was with Jared, I didn't have a phone. Jared took mine, destroyed it, and got me a prepaid phone and pretended to be me in order to make sure my parents didn't send the cops for me.

I dumped my dirty clothes on the floor by the door as I quietly shut the door and locked it. "Sorry if that took long, I don't have a phone so I can't watch the time or anything."

"It's no problem at all." Justin said as he sat up and put his phone on the nightstand next to my bed. Watching his movements, I looked at the clock and saw it read 1:22am.

Was I really in the shower that long? My hair was damp as I had towel dried it when I got out of the shower. Bad idea as a chill ran over me and I became cold.

"Get back in bed, come on." Justin motioned and scooted over so I had more room on the bed in the spot I had fallen asleep.

Taking no time, I got back under my covers, warmth around me and laid on my side to face Justin. He was now leaning his back against my headboard and his hand went to start rubbing my head and hair.

"I missed you." He said and I smiled.

"I missed you too." I admitted. "I missed you a lot, Justin." I wanted to tell Justin about what happened, but he seemed to read me and shook his head.

"We don't have to talk about that right now. All you need to do is know that I'm here, your friends are excited to see you and that I care about you a lot, Selena."

I was home. I was safe. I was back with the people I loved and would never take for granted again. I sighed in content in Justin's chest as he wrapped his arm around me.

"This time, I'm never letting you go."

"This time, I won't leave." I promised.

+

hehe, um, the end?

goodbye jelena, forever