Bring Me Light [Editing]

Chapter 11 - Elena

Jackson's father scared me. He came up to our doorstep fuming, his whole face red, nostrils flaring, and his whole body was slightly shaking with all the anger.

"Where's my son?" he growled at me when I opened the door.

"I....I don't know sir," I said, quietly.

"He left an hour ago, and he hasn't come back. How could you not know where he is? He's been hanging around you and your little house for weeks now. WHERE IS HE?"

His face was getting redder by the minute.

"I don't know." My voice barely came out as a whisper. My mom was off seeing a show, and I was home alone tonight. I couldn't call for any help if this man suddenly decided to beat me up.

"Call him."

"What?"

"CALL HIM!" he yells. "There's a better chance he'll pick up if it's you, than me," he mutters after. "Tell him he needs to get home. NOW."

I nod slowly, pulling out my phone, as Jackson's father walks back down the pathway to his own house.

"Hello?" Jackson answers on the first ring.

"Jack, where are you? You've been away for a good hour now...." I start slowly. Suddenly an image of Jack's father yelling at me comes to mind. If his father will get mad at me like that, what are the chances of Jack doing it to me too?

"I'm sorry Elena," Jack apologizes. "I just kind of lost track of time I guess. What do you need?"

"Your father wants you home. He thought if I called you, there'd be a better chance that you'd pick up. And I don't think he's happy either," I warn, as my voice starts to weaken. "He looked pretty angry when he talked to me."

My voice shakes slightly, and I have to stable myself. "So, um, Jackson. You should probably get home."

I hear Jackson sigh on the other side of the line. "I'm on my way," he says, and hangs up.

For some reason, all of this scares me. Jack is one of the nicest people I've ever met, really. But his father - his father is just Jackson's polar opposite. Where Jackson is kind and caring, his father is intimidating and scary. What if Jackson suddenly turned on me like that?

I stopped myself before it got worse. My mind switches to Jackson a lot now, and I don't know what I'm supposed to do about it.

Jackson is always on my mind. He's always there when I need to think, waiting in the back of my head.

I decided to clear my head of him and watch some Netflix. I had set up my own little fortress. There was a blanket in the corner of my bedroom hanging from different angles. There were pillows inside as well as being next to a few outlets. The nook was surrounded by books and drawing notebooks, creating my own little 'Paradise'.

I called it my 'Happy Corner'.

Like a happy place.

But in a corner.

I was in the middle of watching one of my favorite shows, NCIS, when I heard a knocking on my door.

"Elena? Dinner is ready. Are you gonna come down?" My mother called through the door. I stared at the posters on the opposite side of the wall, picturing my mother's face falling if I didn't answer.

"Sure mom." I said. I stood up, stretching. I opened the door, and almost instantly I was embraced by my mother.

"Excellent! I made some chicken and rice with greenbeans." She smiled. I smiled back. She knew just how to warm me up.

I always felt bad for my mom. She did everything on her own now. After Joy had died, my mom and dad went quiet, nothing happened between them. Soon my father couldn't take the stress, so he just got up and left.

Just got up and left.

I don't see him anymore. He left my mother and I to tend to ourselves as well as my mother to hold this family up. My dad left with no warning, no note, but he packed his bags and exited our lives. Its just us now.

Just us.

I scooped so rice and piled some chicken on top. My mom was a great cook. I loved her food. Mmm.
After I spilled some teriyaki sauce on the food, I grabbed an small plate and spooned my greenbeans.

"Wow Elena. You're actually eating." My mom giggled.

"Mmm hmm." I mumbled while stuffing my mouth.

"Jeez. This is what happens when you don't eat lunch Elena!" My mother scolded as I reached for seconds just after she sat down to eat.

"Whatever." I laughed.

It was times like this, when my mother and I forget about our pasts, that we can actually laugh and have fun. I always love these times. When my mom and I can smile without crying.

"I need to ask a very important question." Mom smiled.

"Mmm! Mmm kay. Shoot." I said, chewing. My mom's smile quickly turned mischievous.

"Do you love Jackson?"

"Mom!"

"What? Elena, you have never ever really liked boys. So when you start hanging around one, I become suspicious."

"Okay. Okay, let's just clarify, I do not love Jackson. He's a good person, I think he's cool but I do not love him." I stood.

"Fine then. But Elena, do you want to watch movie? We could watch one if you want." She clawed at me, trying to get me to stay.

"No thanks mom. I'm really tired and I need to study. I also just need some time to think." I resisted the urge to add about Jackson to the end of that sentence. I could feel my face immediately fal.

"Yeah, yeah okay." My mom hugged me one last time before shooing me upstairs.

And that was about the last time my life seemed like it was turning up.

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(A/N)
Oh. My. Gosh. GUYS! Hi! Its been so long I know. But here is an extra long, fun chapter for all you loyal readers. Thank you for the support! We've been so busy this year but we are trying our bests! Thank you for being patient.

Xxxx!

   *** The WritingGeeks Team ***