Love At The Headington Hill

CHAPTER 22 - A Marvellous Day.

Julian had no idea about what he was doing.

Maybe he really had gone insane. The moment his father had entered their house a few days back. He knew something had gone terribly wrong with his mum. It's like all those years of hating the idea of him was for nothing.

His mother was being manipulated.

He still remembered the late nights they ended up fighting. It all seemed normal until it got physical. Then he was starting to get involved in everything.

It wasn't uncommon. Some people did face it.

That was what he had used to convince himself with. Just because a handful of others faced it, he had thought it was normal. But then he did realise maybe something that cannot be saved wasn't worth saving.

So, he stopped trying to form a bond between them. Stopped getting in their issues, stopped being the only thing that kept them together.

And sure enough, they filed a divorce when he was twelve.

It was all okay for a long time after that. Both of the people inside his 'home' pretended that John Peterson did not exist. Until now.

When his father had knocked on their door, his mum hadn't even looked a bit concerned or worried. She was rather happy. And she seemed to have forgotten everything that took place before the last ten years.

But then again, maybe she had always been like that. There was obviously a reason she didn't remarry in all these years. Maybe somewhere inside her, she had always loved his father. Not sensing the decline in her emotional health.

And he had to watch as he made fake promises to her again. He had to watch as she took her upstairs again.

He was feeling like a boy again all of a sudden these days. The small boy of twelve.

And he was scared again. Maybe that's why he had given up on Valerie now. Maybe he didn't want to end up in a loveless relationship. He didn't want someone who didn't want him. And to force himself onto her would make him none different than his father. Just in a twisted way.

No matter how much he needed love.

He just wanted a normal family now, or maybe a friend. But everyone was already dealing with something. What were his issues compared to what Sebastian had gone through? What Valerie was going through?

That was when he decided to shut himself out.

Then he reread all of Sebastian's texts again. Then changed his mind.

So here he was, blurting out every single thing about his life to Sebastian. Trying to untie the knot of a thousand threads that controlled his life. He was still trying.

When he finally finished speaking, a heavy silence fell.

Julian forced himself to look up at Sebastian. He was staring at him in a peculiar manner. Then he drew in a long breath.

"How can I help?"

Julian closed his eyes,"I don't know, not really. Just wanted to get it off my chest." He shook his head, as if to clear some non-existent thoughts,"Look, can you not tell anyone about this? Not even Valerie." His green eyes stared at the hazel ones, he whispered, "Please."

Sebastian's laugh was wry, "Believe me, I can't. I doubt I'll even talk to her alone again."

Julian frowned, "Why, what wrong?"

He shook his head, "No, nothing. Forget about it."

Julian knew better than to push him with personal matters, he would rather get even more secretive. He he just nodded. Then another awkward silence followed. Sebastian scrutinised him, as if trying to read his face. Then spoke again, breaking the silence.