it starts and ends with the jordan's

Chapter 5

[Josephine's POV]

3 days later...

I wake up to someone knocking on my door. I try to ignore it and see if they'll go away, but they don't. I drag my body out of the bed where I've spent the last three days.

When I open the door I am met with a bright smile that only belongs to one person.

"Good morning Jo and I come in?" Anna asks with a big smile.

"Uh ya sure. It's uh kinda messy I just-"

"It's okay Jo it's totally acceptable." She says softly while stepping inside my room. "How have you been keeping up?"

"Honestly I don't know. The last three days are fuzzy. All I know is that I spent them in bed. I don't even know how I got food." I try to giggle so I can lighten the mood but it fails and I see sympathy growing on Anna's face.

"Hero's been bringing you food. When we go for dinner he orders you food and brings it up."

"Oh, that's really kind of him." I say actually smiling now.

"Ya, he's been taking pretty good care of you." Anna smiles at the ground.

"Anyway back to why I came here, there's a hall down in the lobby and I rented it out for dinner that way it's only us. I was hoping maybe you would feel ready to try and have a meal with us. You don't even have to dress nice, sweatpants would do the trick. We all just really wanna see you." Anna asks with pure hope that I agree.

"Um... know what, I'll try. I may have to leave early if it's too much but I will definitely try." I smile nervously back at Anna.

"Yay Jo! This is such great progress. You are so strong. I know this may not help but the man, who did this to you, he's in jail charged with sexual assault."

My heart sinks into my stomach with a feeling of relief. He's now stuck in a cell where he won't be able to scar any more girls like me.

"It really does help. Thank you again Anna for all the support, I wouldn't have made it through this without and the rest of the cast." I start tearing up at my own words.

It's true. I never would've made it without them all being here for me.

"Well, I have to go down and help them get the hall ready for dinner. It's in an hour so I'll leave you to yourself and I'll see you soon." Anna says exiting my hotel room.

One hour gives me enough time to try to shower.

I turn the hot water on hoping it'll calm the nerves about going and leaving this room. I don't know who's out there now. Who's willing to hurt me while I simply use the restroom. I sit on the shower floor while possible ends to this dinner flood my head.

1. I can enjoy myself and actually talk to people, which will hopefully help get me out of this funk that man threw me in.
2. The same thing can happen but it could end worse. I could be taken up to some creeps room unable to protect myself.
3. I could panic and rush out in the middle of dinner and embarrass the shit out of myself.
4. I could stay quiet and keep my head down, not having to talk but still being surrounded by cheery people which I hope will boost my mood.

As I rinse out the vanilla-scented conditioner from my hair I decided that I'm going with option 1. It's not an option to go with any of the other outcomes. I need to get back to myself. That man stole too much from me, he is not stealing my future and my happiness.

I get out of the shower and wrap a towel around my body. I turn the hairdryer on and begin to dry my long blonde hair. Once my hair is dry I curl my hair and put a few tiny braids at the front.

Makeup. I haven't been taking care of myself the past few days so makeup will be my savior from heaven. I have huge and very dark eye bags hanging from below my eyes. I cover them up with layers of concealer. My face has lost all colour so I add some contour and blush to make me appear alive. I finish off with curling my lashes and adding some mascara and I walk out of the washroom, into my closet. Anna said showing up in sweatpants would be totally fine, but if I'm getting out I want to try to go out as if nothing has happened. I don't want to wear a dress though. I grab a pair of baggy white jeans and a black corset. I slip on my Jordan's and grab my leather jacket from a hanger. I look at myself and I am shocked to say the least at my transformation.

Just as I'm about to leave I hear a knock once again coming from my door. I expect it's Anna again so I quickly open it while trying to put on a necklace. It's not Anna waiting behind the door.

My heart goes out to the man standing in front of me. The man who saved me from being used in my drunken state. The man who dressed me in pajamas so I would never have to look at the dress that was rolled up onto my stomach. Hero saved me, and every part of me will be forever grateful.

"Jo- you...your dressed up?" Hero says eyeing me up and down.

"Um ya do i look okay?" I pull down the hem on my jacket out of nervousness.

"Ya you look more than okay, you look very.. beautiful." He nervously smiles staring at my shoes.

I smile and blush a bit. "Well thank you."

"Are you ready to go to dinner?"

"Ya I guess so. I wanted to thank you for bringing me food the last couple days. Anna told me it was you who has been taking care of me."

"Jo stop thanking me, this is the least I could do after i waiting so long to go in that washroom." A look of guilt seeps across his face.

My heart sinks. Hero's been pinning this on him the whole time. He can't possibly be blaming what happened on himself, he's the one who saved me.

"Hey, look at me. You did nothing to help him in that situation. If it wasn't for you I could have been- ugh god who knows I could be dead in his apartment right now. You saved me hero and I will never stop thanking you for that but please don't blame yourself it'll break my heart." We haven't broken eye contact since I started talking but it's nice. I like looking into those deep green eyes. I can feel a tear run down my cheek and he catches it with his thumb.

"Don't cry he has taken to much from you already. Don't let him make you cry." Hero pulls me into his chest and wraps his arms around my waist.

I can hear his voice break at the end and when I pull away from his embrace I see his eyes red and tearing up.

"Before we both start crying I say we head down and see everyone." I say with a smile trying to ease both his and my pain.

"Sounds like a plan. Your strong Langford." He chuckles as he pushes the button for the elevator.

[Hero's POV]

We walk down the hallway and I feel Jo stop behind me. I turn around I see her frozen in her tracks.

"Jo we don't have to go in if you are not ready. I can take you back up to your rooms and we can watch movies or something" I offer to try to calm her.

She looks pale and her body is shaking slightly but enough for me to notice.

She takes a few seconds to reply, she's probably thinking about my offer.

"I really want to say yes to that but I know I need this. I need my life back and this is how I start."

"Ok we'll take your time and I'm right behind you."

Jo smiles at me and takes a deep breath before I open the door for her.