WHAT COMES AFTER THE END OF THIS

Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Yrene's PoV

I didn't sleep that night for fear of what was in stock for me the next day. I got out of bed and decided to put in some effort into my school clothing today because I was up early so why not make something out of it. It was freezing so I decided to go for a chic winter look, a Burberry trench over a plain shirt and a Burberry scarf paired with blue skinny jeans and knee high fawn boots. I don it with loose curls, brown Fendi shades and a Louis Vuitton satchel. Pleased with the outcome and refusing to think about the evening I walk out of my room. I'm immediately face to face with my mother dearest and immediately I become impatient. 
"Good morning Yrene."
"Morning Mother. Let's not waste our time and why don't you tell me what brings you to my door this morning?"
"Yrene, can a mother not come to her daughter's room?"
"No she cannot, that's not how we roll in this house, Mother, and you know it. Now please get to the point, I don't want to be late."
"You are my daughter."
"On paper. But as I said, get to the point as quickly as possible or else I'm leaving."
"Yrene Andrea Jones, you will listen to me!"
"That's what I said mother but you're the one who's beating about the bush. Now I would recommend that before I lose my extremely thin patience, you hurry up." I give her a fake over charming smile and she gets to the point, sensing I won't be taking her bullshit any longer,
"I was thinking: why don't you take the day off from school? You know go to the salon, get ready, have that spa day."
"I would recommend that you keep your absurd suggestions to yourself. And in case you haven't noticed mother, I don't give a damn about this bullshit engagement or business deal, therefore I couldn't care less about the way I look when you auction me like your prized plaything tonight. Now, leave me alone."
"Yrene Jones. Don't you dare walk out on me!"
That is exactly what I do. I walk out on her without giving her a proper goodbye. I can only imagine that the smoke is coming out of her ears by now as she turns a bright shade of red. What did she think she was doing, helping me? Making me look like the perfect little daughter she claims to have raised? My mood for the morning is ruined already and I decide to walk to school since I have a lot of time to kill and because my designated driver was sleeping like a dog on his couch. I'm not surprised to be the only one inside school this early so I lean against the back wall and light up one of my cigarettes and attempt to smoke it peacefully, key word: attempt. I'm so shaken up by the sound of jingling keys that I almost drop the cigarette from in between my lips and when I look towards the source of noise I want the ground to open up and swallow me whole.
"Yr, what the hell?"
I can say nothing and am frozen in my spot as I guiltily look at Chase Drew with huge eyes. He doesn't say anything to me other than shaking his head as if to say he is disappointed and walks in, unlocking the door with his keys and like a lost, desperate puppy that I am, i follow him inside.
"Chase. Stop. Please give me time to explain." I try to reason with him although I don't know what explanation to give him, 'oh yeah you broke my heart because I was quite possibly in love with you and have been for a very long time too. And now I'm smoking again because well I'm getting engaged to my a guy I used to like years back and who I may or may not be able to develop such feelings towards again or at least for a long time because he is a manwhore' ? Yeah... That doesn't sound very nice or realistic, does it? When he does not respond to me calling his name over and over again I run behind him and grab him by the elbow, forcing him to halt. Our close proximity would have looked extremely weird to anyone passing by and I was glad that the halls were empty.
"What?" He almost yells at me and i flinch but it's something I deserve, at least that is what it feels like but I don't know why my smoking or self harming concerns him at all considering he has no feelings for me except perhaps lust, actually, scratch that, he did want to be friends with me.
"Yrene, speak or I'm leaving. I don't have all day for you." Ouch. That hurt. Regardless I nod my head at him and ask him if we can go to his office to talk as a few early birds have started filling the halls. He gives me a stern nod in return and leads the way.
"Chase...I-I I'm sorry."
"What for, Yrene?"
"You know what for!" Okay now he's testing my patience and I will snap at any moment.
"Not really. No. Enlighten me."
"For smoking, okay? There, you have it. I said it, now please stop being pissed at me!"
"I'm not pissed at you, why would I be?
"I don't know but maybe because you caught me smoking?"
"That is none of my concern." I was getting more and more unsettled by his cold demeanour towards me and I wanted nothing more than for him to just talk to me while looking into my eyes. I nod and make my way to leave as my throat and chest constrict giving me a sign that tears would soon prick my eyes. I turn away from him and am almost turning the door handle when he stops me by grabbing my hand. Shocked, I can do nothing but look into the eyes that have frequently visited my dreams. Sensing our position he lets go of my hand, clears his throat and starts to look out of his window as he speaks to me,
"Why are you doing it?" I cannot help but feel his words are two toned.
"Pardon?"
"Why were you smoking again?"
"Just a bad day. I fought with my mom and you know that today is Thursday and..."
"And you're getting engaged to Jason tonight." He finishes for me.
"That is correct."
"He's a good kid."
"You don't know him."
"You're right I don't but I know of him."
"Of course you do."
"So... Are you ready?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"I don't know I just felt like you'd need more time to process everything."
"Well, I don't. I have accepted it as my fate and there's nothing out there for me anyways so I might as well just settle in with the background. But you tell me, is there something else?" A part of me is hoping against hope that he'd say yes there is something or rather someone for me, that he is the one for me but he doesn't and I feel my heart break into two and will my tears to go back in as he shakes his head at me,
"No,I guess there isn't."
I stay silent, so does he and I take that as my cue to leave and this time I have opened the door halfway when he says my name. I, like before, turn around to face him,
"Yes?"
"Can I at least have a hug, considering we have established that we are friends."
He rubs his neck bashfully, giving me a sheepish smile,
"Well, Chase I don't remember agreeing to be your friend." I retort playfully.
"You did it unknowingly when instead of ignoring me you followed me inside and obviously you care for what I think of you, so we are friends. We care for each other." He states simply and I can barely refrain from telling him that we have cared for each other as something more than friends. Instead I give him a bright smile and walk into his open arms. The hug is different from any that we have shared before, it's chaste, lacking the heat and passion making his arms feel foreign around me. He rests his chin on the top of my head and places a featherlight kiss there, which leads to me sighing.
"It'll be okay. I promise."
"Don't promise things you can't provide."
"I can't but Jason can."
I let go of him, not wanting to delve deeper into thinking about the boy I will be engaged to by tonight. I bring my hand to his cheek and softly caress his cheek bone and feel him breathing shakily before I leave for my classes.
~*~
Chase's PoV

Watching her smoke by the corner ripped something inside of me. The fact that she was doing something I had warned her against made my blood boil, obviously she didn't understand why I was stopping her and I had no plan on telling her. I can't tell her I love her and ruin her life, a life which might just take a turn for the better after she gets engaged to Jason. Just thinking that my darlings hand will be set into another mans makes me want to smash something against the wall but I remind myself that he loves her and that this is for her, so that she can get a good love filled life she can flaunt in public not a life she has to keep a secret from even her family. When I had told her I cared for her, that we cared for each other, something in her eyes shifted as if she wanted to correct but withheld herself from it. As she caressed my cheek it took all of my willpower to not turn my face into her palm and kiss her warm skin, just her plain touch was intoxicating. She was a drug to me and I was addicted her. I wanted to stay away, distance myself but nothing seemed to work so I gave in to the desire of just holding her in my embrace once before she was tied off to another man. But as I promised her, I would make everything okay for her. Even if it drained the last drop of blood in my body I would do it. Not that it wasn't happening already as by every passing day I distanced myself from her I felt as if I lost a part of me in the process.
Dear God, if you're there, help me get through this test. Help me forget the taste of her lips and the warmth of her skin or how her hands perfectly fit into mine. And God? Protect her from everything, give me her burdens and punish me for her sins but let my Yrene be happy and cherished.
~*~
Yrene's PoV

The classes zoomed by and my friends got more impatient and excited by every passing second about my engagement. Yes, indeed, some friends I have, who care not for what I truly want but for what they think is right for me. However, I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that a few days back they were crying with me about the whole situation and now not one of them can wipe the smile off their face. There was something they all knew that I didn't. But I would find out sooner or later.
"Hey baby sister!"
"Hello Bear!"
"So tonight?" I tell him yes and he pulls me into a hug,
"Bear how will I do this?"
"Why don't you start by telling me what you think is the main obstacle that you have to overcome? Or like why do you not want to be engaged to Jason?"
"For starters he's a playboy, he's slept with almost every girl on this campus and neighbouring ones too not to mention...." I caught myself before I let it slip that I might be in love with his brother. He gives me a knowing smile and tells me that Jason will change after the engagement and i don't even want to know how he knows this but his words are oddly comforting.
"Also wear the bracelet I gave you. For good luck." He winks at me and I swat his arm and tell him that I haven't taken it off my wrist since Monday. He kisses my forehead and I leave with Joss to go home. As soon as I reach my house I run up to my room and throw myself onto my bed and scream with my face buried in pillows so that no one can hear perfect Yrene Jones screaming like a psycho.