The Scars Of Us

CHAPTER 14

I was in my room studying when I heard heavy footsteps stomping up the stairs. 

"Don't you walk away from me, boy!" I heard Mr Reed shout. I gulped and put my pen down to listen. 

"Or what?" Jax shouts back, "What can you do now, dad? I know that you know you can't beat me around anymore. You know I can beat you to a fucking pulp if I wanted to."

"Is that what you think?" Mr Reed said with a still and yet challenging storm. Almost like a calm before a storm. 

"Yeah that's what I fucking think." Jax growls. 

"Then let's test your theory, huh?" Suddenly I heard bumping and banging. I stood up and opened my door. I gasped and felt my muscles tense when I saw Mr Reed had pinned Jax to the wall. But Jax had his hand around his father's neck. 

Jax glances at me and they widen. Mr Reed looks at what Jax was staring at and his eyes widen as well. Mr Reed awkwardly laughs, "Good one, son," He slicks his hair back and turns to me, "You know Milly, sometimes a father needs to be firm with their sons at times." 

"Right, Yeah...sure."

Mr Reed laughs again, "Alright now, come have dinner. My colleagues will be coming soon." When Mr Reed disappears, I face Jax. He stands there with his shoulders moving up and down as he takes deep breaths. 

"One day...I'm gonna kill him." Jax says with a voice that held a promise, "I can't fucking be here." He grabs his bag and keys. 

"Wait, Jax!" I said, but he was practically jumping down the stairs to get away from here. I sighed. I don't blame him. 

Dinner was awkward. It was silent and Mr and Mrs Reed made such polite conversation that it was almost painful how fake it was. I excused myself from the table early, claiming that I'm feeling a little unwell. 

I went upstairs, wanting a bath but couldn't be bothered with all the trouble of preparing for one. So instead, I just sat down in the shower and let the water drizzle all over me, tapping on my skin. 

I don't know how long I sat there for. It felt like hours. Oddly enough, being naked in a locked room, under boiling hot pressured water is therapeutic. But then at the same time it wasn't really relaxing this round since all that was on my mind was Jackson Reed. Every time I think of him, my heart pounds and my body tenses with anticipation for something to happen. 

But I knew better than to initiate something with someone like him. He's not the relationship type. He's the more tap it and gap it guy. He fucks girls. He doesn't make love. I can't expect anything like that from him. But then we've somehow confided in each other. We've, as he said, 'seen each other' in such vulnerable situations. So where does that leave us exactly? 

Does that mean he's actually into the feely relationship stuff? 

Or am I misunderstanding this and we're actually just two people who understand each other and have a platonic friendship or a platonic...entanglement? 

I bury my wet head in my hands and groan, "This is too confusing." I thought to myself. Maybe I'm actually overthinking this. Maybe I just need to not think too deeply about it and see where it leads? It might lead to just a friendship...or...I sighed. I don't know. 

I got out of the shower and changed into some grey sweats and a black hoodie. I went to my bedroom, took my pills and studied for most of the night. 

I hope Jax was okay. Maybe I should've gone with him to make sure he was okay? 

I shook my head. Who cares. It's fine. Everything is fine. I closed my eyes and took ten deep breaths. I felt myself about to fall asleep when a tap sounded from my window. I gasped, my body whips up right. Has he come? Is he going to finish me off?