Jemma

CHAPTER 30- Confession

I fell to the ground, suddenly feeling beyond overwhelmed. A trap? Father? Agroas? This was too real. I can’t take it anymore. I can’t...

“I knew this day would come but I never thought it would be this soon...” Riley whispered, devastated.

I bit my lip as I felt him slowly descend to the ground beside me. “I need to tell you things, Jemma.” He continued. “Things that might change the way you look at me forever. But, I can’t hold back anymore. I just...I need to tell you.”

My chest thudded as the conversation I overheard between him and Paulo began flooding my mind. And suddenly I knew that this was it. The moment of truth.

“Before I speak though, I need you to promise me something.”

 I nodded anxiously. “Ok...”

He hesitated. “Promise me that once you know everything you’ll leave with Ava, just like you said you would.”

“What?” I breathed, shocked.

“Please Jemma. This wasn’t easy for me to say so please don’t make me repeat it.”

I stared at the distance blankly. I knew it was my decision to leave in the first place. But hearing him actually ask it of me, it hurt.

 “You want me to leave you?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not good for you.”

My gaze dropped sadly. I didn’t know what to say.

 “Promise me.” He breathed, his voice demanding.

“I...”

“Please Jemma, please.”  

I looked into his desperate eyes and slowly, trickles of tears slid over my cheek. Suddenly, I knew that I was once again passing by a crossroad and whichever direction I decided to take next was bound to shift my life forever.

“Remember that night, the night we snuck out of the cave for the last time?” I nodded tearfully. “Remember what you told me then?”

Once again, I nodded.

“You said you were suffocated;” he murmured bitterly. “That everything about that place felt wrong. You know why that was? It was because it wasn’t where you were supposed to be. Not trapped in that cave, not in this dying planet, not with me...”

“That’s not true!”

“Jemma...” He whispered, his voice doubtful.

“Okay...maybe the cave part was true.” I whispered tearfully. “But being with you is what always kept me going, what kept me strong.”

“Maybe that was what you wanted to believe. But the truth is, I am what held you back all this time, blocked you from achieving your destiny. Maybe if I wasn’t there, maybe you could’ve saved your parents, your aunt, Victoria and everyone else we lost...”

“Riley, why are you saying that?”

“Because it’s the truth...” He stressed stubbornly. “Will you promise me now?”

“I...I can’t...”

He nodded sadly. “Just as well. Once you hear what I have to say, you’ll make that decision on your own.”

************

When he began speaking, I felt my chest thumping in fear of what he had to say. He was so sure that I’d run the other way once I heard his confession that his unfortunate confidence was affecting me. I was suddenly afraid that maybe, maybe his words would be so horrible that they’d somehow change me. And that thought was beyond terrifying.