WHAT COMES AFTER THE END OF THIS

Chapter 60

Chapter 60

Yrene's PoV

School seemed more of a nuisance than it had ever before. Especially with all the preparations for homecoming going on in every nook and cranny and boyfriends proposing for the dance to their girls in the most outrageously cutest ways. Although, we talked every night on video call, there was still an emptiness that just wasn't completed by it. My heart longed to hold him and my body missed his warmth in bed at night, especially since I had been spending every night in his protection and safety. As if a connection had snapped open he called me that very instant, as if he sensed that I was missing him ,
"Hey, baby." He coos.
"Hey, handsome." I greet back with the same amount of adorability in my voice. What? Can a girlfriend not openly profess her love for her boyfriend?
"Homecoming is tomorrow, right?" Sorrow contaminates my bloodstream and I sigh letting him know he is right.
"Hey, why the long face? There'll be many homecomings and dances and I'll try my best to take you to most. It's a promise, just let it go this time. For me?"
How can I say no to those mesmerising eyes? How can his one smile not light up my entire world?
"Anyways, what's up with you?"
"Oxford is tough business babe; I've got about five assignments I have to do this weekend, I might not even be able to call you up tomorrow but that's okay, because you'll be at the dance anyways." My mood dampens further as I was at least expecting a long seven hour video call session with him, that is, if he didn't come home for the weekend, which I had expected him to do in all honesty.
"I don't think I'll go." I confess and his line goes silent for a few minutes before I hear him again; cradling pay phone between my neck and my shoulder I dump my books into my locker, walking towards the common room for my free lesson.
"Babe, don't say that. I know for a fact that you picked out that black net dress ages ago from Michele's collection to wear to the homecoming. You can't not go."
"But Jay that was before I started seeing you; I had no idea that I'd want to go to my first homecoming with you then! I don't want to go with anyone else, more specifically your brother in law!"
"Sweet cheeks, my brother in law is you brother. Go with him this time and I promise I'll take you to the next one. Promise."
"Swear on your life?"
"Cross my heart and hope to die." He answers and my heart is about to burst with the absolute amount of love I have for him. I'm in the corridor with Chase's office now and and surprisingly my brother is here too,
"Who are you talking to?"
"Who do you think?"
"Katie?"
"No you psychotic monkey; it's your best mate."
"Hey Jay!" He hollers into the speaker and Chase walks out of his office. No more words are exchanged between Ross and Jason, which is uncharacteristic since they have a lot to say to each other, especially when it's my phone bill they are increasing and once again I get the feel that my brother is trying to hide something from me by biting his tongue for fear of saying too much. But the question is: what is there to hide?
I end my call with Jason with our usual banter about who loves who more before I walk up to a Chase with raised eyebrows who is joined by Bear and his warm smile.
"Look at my baby sister; all grown up and exchanging vows of love with a boy." He wipes away an imaginary tear and I punch his shoulder lightly. The three of us make our way into Chase's office and I instantly get rid of my scarf which I had been using all week to keep prying eyes off the hickeys Jason had left behind. Chase's eyes widen and Bear gives me a disapproving look before asking me to cover it up with 'that toner paint thing you use', in easier terms, my concealer. We make casual talk till Bear gets up to leave, kissing my forehead and smacking Chase's mocha head. Silence hangs in the air, and I feel like I can cut it with a knife; yes, it is that thick, that is before Jason breaks it and it becomes a back and forth screaming match between us,
"Yrene?"
"Yeah?"
"Have you told Jason?"
"Told him what?" I grit my teeth and speak the words through them.
"Everything."
Okay now this is getting a little out of hand, why is he being so controlling? He is most definitely not my father, or in this case, my mother, but that is inconsequential.
"And everything includes?"
"You know what 'everything' includes!"
"I want to hear you say it!" I retort in a fit of anger.
He walks over to me, grabs my left arm and pulls my sleeve above my wrist,
"This! Have you told him about this?" He, too, screams at me.
"What does it matter? i haven't touched my blade ever since I started going out with him!" I yell back with as much strength in my voice as a person who is lying can muster; considering I had slashed my ankle a few times during that time span when I spiralled too bad and had to bring myself to reality but I had ensured that cuts weren't deep, just small incisions to remind me that I was real and alive.
"That's all good but he deserves to know, Yrene. He needs to know. It's his right, don't take it from him. If he loves you he will accept you for who you are; he will help you, he will heal you!"
Now he really is testing my patience with his unwanted lectures on how to deal with my relationships.
"I am fine! I am happy and he makes me not want to kill myself! And that is rucking enough for me! His love is enough for me and when the time seems right I will tell him all he needs to know and right now, he does need to fucking know, Chase! I'm okay!" I pinch the bridge of my nose in order to calm myself down but it seems that Chase has no intentions of letting me do so.
"Fine? You are fine? Have you looked at yourself? The weight you have lost! He holds my bony wrist and brings it to my eye level," you call this fine?"
I snatch my hand away from him and collect my belongings to leave but he adds on,
"You may be happy, Yrene, but you are anything but fine."
"Fuck you and your controlling attitude Chase!" I flip him the bird and slam the door to his office in his face before leaving; he calls after me; a broken plea and I have no option but to give in and listen to what he has to say, despite the fact that I am beyond irritated by him right now.
~*~
Jason's PoV

I was walking to my car when I called her up; trying to play it cool and lying though my teeth about not coming over to take her to the dance but I couldn't afford to ruin the surprise. Not when Ross, Raymond and I had planned out everything, from the way I'd propose to her for the dance to the colour of my suit; which would match that of her dress. As excited as a five year old on Christmas morning, I hang up the suit in the back seat, pocket the locket she had given me and slip into the driver's seat. At one point I feel like I would give in and tell her the truth especially when she had sighed so gloomily at my responses and questions. What? I couldn't bear even the smallest amount of sorrow etching a frown onto her pretty face.