Bad is an Understatement | ✓

Chapter 49: Keeping Your Enemies Close

I wake up on a spongy surface and my body feels a lot warmer than it did last time. Slowly, as my body adjusts, I sit up and look around the dark room.

Currently, sitting on the bottom bunk of a bed, I notice that the whole room is empty and metal rods, same as a prison cell, played the roll of one of the walls.

Calmly, I climb out of the bed and try to look down the dimly lit hall, but I fail when I spot absolutely nothing. It was just me in this giant place, alone and locked up.

I can't believe I trusted him.

"You're awake, beautiful," I'm startled by the voice coming from behind me. Once my brain takes in the familiar voice, my eyes widen.

It can't be.

I turn around to see someone I thought I would never ever see again.

"Jack?" My eye's start to tear up.

"You tell me," he grins.

"Oh my god! I-it's you!" I run up to him, and he catches me as my legs curl around his waist. Like old times, his arms perfectly wrapped my body in them holding me closer than ever.

"I missed you so much," he speaks almost as if the words have been on the tip of his tongue forever. I can literally feel the pain in his voice.

I pull my head back and look at his vibrant features. Without even thinking, I land my lips on his. The kiss was long awaited, but it didn't feel the same as before.

It was different. It shouldn't have been, but it did and it's maybe because my love for Jack isn't as strong as it used to be.

He lets me down after a minute, but keeps his arms around me. I lean my head against his chest, and feel his heart beat in the sync of my own.

"How are you a-"

"Not right now, Riley," he stops me.

The tears rush down my cheeks as everything gradually sinks in. I back away from him, but our hands never let go.

"I'm so sorry Jack. I should've never accepted you as a part of my life or else the story would be story so much different today."

"It could've been worse too. I'm alive Riley, that's all that should matter," he tries to assure me as he wipes my tears. His green eye's showed nothing, but the truth.

He still loves me.

"Why didn't you come back?" I drop my gaze. If his eye's were telling the truth then why did he let me live with the sorrow of his death?

"Look at me Riley." Jack begs. I do as I'm told. "I didn't come back, because I wanted you out of your father's shadow. I wanted you to have control over yourself. If I came back, your dad would've used me as bait to keep you under him and I wanted you out. I wanted you to be happy even if it was without me. I knew it would be hard for you, but I knew that you would be able to move on and you did." I feel my heart drop to my stomach in a matter of seconds.

"The love in your eyes for me has faded Riley. People might think that I'm crazy to say this, but I couldn't be more happy about it."

"Don't say that Jack, I love you."

"You might love me, but a bigger percent of your love now belongs to someone else."

"I'm sorry," I apologize as tears leak through my eyes.

"Don't be. I did this, and I couldn't be happier."

He pulls me into his chest, and firmly hugs me.