Fire and Freedom - Book One of the Café Latte Trilogy

Chapter Twenty-Seven - Jasper

Chapter Twenty-Seven – Jasper

Harper regained longer bursts of consciousness as the night went on. He was exhausted, but happy to talk quietly for a bit. It took him a few minutes to realise that Ross had absolutely bolted. "Where's he gone?" he asked, frowning.

I shrugged a little. "He said he was going to check in with his dad, Raven said he'd had another heart attack." Seeing Harper's eyes widened, I hastily added, "He's okay, though. But apparently Ross just walked straight out of the hospital and vanished. He's not answering his phone."

"What a wanker," Harper muttered, closing his eyes. "Is he fully incapable of emotion, or do you think he does it to wind us up?"

I smiled. "I think he's just confused, and overwhelmed. You mean a lot to him, I think he's panicked."

Harper sighed. "You're very patient with him."

"Oh I'm furious with him," I chuckled. "When I find him, he is absolutely going to get the shit kicked out of him for ditching me without a word. He just freaks when someone he loves is hurt."

Harper's eyes opened, and he asked me, "Do you love him?"

"What?" I was surprised by the question. "Um, I - well, I care a lot about him, especially right now, but I - you know, it's not like that, he's not really into the whole - it's complicated."

"Sounds like a yes," he replied, and then made a noise of exasperation. "Idiot."

"I'm not an idiot," I protested.

Harper shook his head. "I meant Ross, Ross is an idiot. You're smart, you're caring, you're beautiful, and you love him despite him pushing you away. He's an idiot for letting someone as lovely as you slip through his fingers."

I blushed a little. "Thank you. I think he was embarrassed because he cried in front of me. It's the sort of thing I imagine he doesn't want other people to see. I'm sad though, that he felt the need to run away."

"Well, you know why," Harper sighed. "He thinks you're going to run away from him now he's lost his stupid 'nothing can touch me, I'm invincible, I'm mysterious and cool' attitude. He's trying to beat you to the punch."

I blinked. "You really think that's it?"

Harper smiled a little. "I've known him a long time. Ross' biggest fear is that he'll bring down all the walls, open up the slightest little bit, and people will run for the hills. You've got to make sure he knows you're not running from him, no matter if he tries running from you. Let him know he's not going to lose you just because he's got flaws."

"He's always had flaws," I replied.

Harper laughed. "Yeah, tell him that, too. It'd help."

I watched as he turned on his side to look at me. "Sure you're alright for now?"

"Yeah," he nodded, and his smile vanished. "I'm sorry I worried you all, it must have been scary to see. And... well, pneumonia isn't a great thing for someone like me to go through, my immune system is very weakened from the HIV. But we'll see how the IVs go and hopefully, I'll recover quickly."

He didn't sound convinced. He looked like he was resigned to his fate. I told him forcefully, "You're going to rest up, and do everything the doctors tell you to do, and we are going to get you better."

Harper smiled, and then said, "I think I need to sleep for a bit now, Jasper. You go sort out that dickhead and talk some sense into him, okay?"

It wasn't long before he fell asleep. I had no idea where to find Ross, or what to say to him when I did find him, but I knew I had to try.