𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐓

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞: 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

It's been a week since the incident at the ice cream shop. My mom doesn't even talk to me properly. The only times she talks to me is when she calls me to eat lunch and dinner. 

When we're eating it's always silent. There is no more small talk, laughs, or cheerful energy. It's all just dull and awkward. 

I usually spend most of my day in my room while my mom is out with Jason. 

It kills me inside to know that she would much rather hang out with him than with me. It hurts to know that a pervert like him is my mom's whole world. 

It's already 10 pm and my mom's not back yet. I was a bit worried since she's always back before 9. 

I went downstairs to get some water to clear my head. I decided to call her but was interrupted by the doorbell. That's weird. My mom has the house keys so why would she ring the doorbell. 

I looked through the little keyhole just to see my mom drunk while Jason was holding on to her tightly. Without wasting a second I opened the door.

"Oh my god, Mom! What happened to her?" I asked Jason with nothing but concern in my voice.

"We were at a bar and I told her to stop drinking but she didn't listen to me." Jason replied back to me in a slightly scared voice.

I tried to carry my mom to her bedroom but her unresponsiveness wasn't of much help. That's when Jason suggested that he carry her inside. The last thing I wanted was for this man to enter our house. But I had no choice. I couldn't carry her inside by myself. 

I looked at Jason and nodded. He wasted no time and carried her bridal style inside. I quietly shut the door and rushed upstairs to my mom's bedroom. Jason gently place my mom on her bed and made sure to cover her with a blanket. He then pecked her forehead and turned to me.

"I'll get going now. Please take care of her." Jason told me calmly.

I nodded again and followed him back downstairs. He immediately left without saying anything else. 

It was then when I realized that there was something in his eyes. A new look. It wasn't perverted at all. It showed pure concern and care. Jason Crawford's eyes showed care? How can a pervert like him look so worried a few minutes ago? 

That exact moment reminded me of my dad. His eyes would also always show care and concern for my mom. 

I was nervous. 

Did I really misunderstand Jason?

 I couldn't think straight. I think it's best if I just go to sleep now. 

I went back to my room and constantly kept shifting left and right for about an hour. 

I was so confused. 

Why is he like this? 

At times he's a disgusting monster and other times he's a complete gentleman. 

I don't know what's with him. 

All I know is that I can't trust him. 

I spent another hour thinking about his behavior. It was already past midnight and my eyes started to close. Before I knew it I was asleep. 

The next morning I woke up to hear my mom groaning. It must be her hangover. I quickly rushed to her and asked if she was okay. Her first sentence broke me though.

"Where is Jason?" she asked me in a cold voice.

Even in such a state, she can only think about him. I was on the verge of tears and quickly looked down while covering my teary eyes. I was about to answer her when I heard her sob. I quickly shot my head up and saw my mom in tears. I quickly wiped my tears and was about to comfort her but she cut me off.

"Baby I'm so sorry." my mom spoke to me while trying not to choke on her tears.

Just seeing her in this state made me want to break down in front of her right then and there. 

But I didn't. 

I couldn't. 

I had to stay strong for her. 

She was about to say something else but this time I cut her off.

"Mom, it's okay. Let me get some water for you." I spoke to her in a gentle voice while trying not to cry.

She weakly nodded while I went downstairs to the kitchen. And that's when I let my tears fall down. One by one they fell as I started to fill a tall glass of water for her. I took a deep breath and wiped my tears before bringing the water back upstairs. Before I went into the room I saw my mom just staring at the wall. She had an emotionless face on.

"Mom?" I softly called her.

She turned her head at the speed of lightning and looked right into my eyes. There was something behind those eyes. It was the look I never wanted to see on her face again. The same look she had in her eyes three years ago when my dad died. 

Guilt. 

My mom always blamed herself for my dad's death even though it was inevitable. There was nothing that anyone could have done to save him. 

I swore to myself that day that I would never let her have that look in her eyes again but I failed to do so. 

She was guilty again. She felt horrible for how she treated me. But seeing her with all this guilt in her eyes broke me all over again. 

It was like someone stabbed me fifty times in the heart and then left me in a forest of hungry animals so that I could rot to death. 

I wanted to hug her so badly but I knew that it wouldn't help. I swallowed up all my ego and dialed a number. 

Not just any number. 

Jason Crawford's number. 

Why am I doing this? 

I'm supposed to hate this guy right? 

But my gut is telling me that this is the right thing to do. 

Within the second ring, he picked up. I didn't even let him speak before I blurted out the entire situation. Before I even finished he cut me off. He told me he was on his way. I could hear the panic in his voice and him already getting into his car. 

In less than 10 minutes the doorbell rang. I rushed to the door only to see an out-of-breath Jason. Without wasting any time he immediately rushed towards my mom. I followed him from behind and for once saw Jason as a normal person and not a freaky jerk. 

The way he helped my mom. 

The way he calmed her down. 

The way he loves her. 

It all hit me. 

Maybe I was so blinded by hate I couldn't see how much my mom and him love each other. 

I left the room to give them privacy and went back to my room. I didn't know what to do anymore. 

Should I give Jason a chance?

What if he's actually a creepy pervert that's just acting nice? 

But what if he's actually genuine? 

I know people say that time fixes everything but can time really help me make a decision? 

I don't know. 

I just don't know.