Tempest (Royce/Winston)

023

"How the hell does him not being here make me selfish?"

"You're acting like this night is just about you".

"I... Well, I mean... It kind of is?" He sounded unsure of himself, "I'm trying so hard not to get mad at you because I know you don't understand how I'm feeling, how I've been feeling for a really long time".

Taking a deep breath, I tapped my fingers against the steering wheel. "Tell me how you're feeling then".

"I just want to have one thing be about me, ever since Axel died, every time a special day comes up, my mom just always talks about how Axel should be here. Christmas was supposed to be fun, we were supposed to celebrate a-and open presents, but that didn't happen because my mom was too sad to care about getting out of the bed. My dad's depression wasn't going to give him a break for one day, so he wasn't in the mood either. 

"We had a party to celebrate me becoming a senior and it went well, but I could tell no one was really into it because Axel was missing. Everything is always about Axel, I shouldn't feel like I'm still competing for attention with him when he's not even here anymore. I just want to have one fucking night where it's about me. So I'm sorry if I'm being selfish, but I just want this night to be... To be mine, I want this to be my night".

Jacob was staring out of the window with his arms folded over his chest, I decided to just let him be because knowing him, he didn't want me to touch him right now. Now that he explained himself, I understand why he was acting the way he was. Jacob wasn't being selfish, I shouldn't have told him he was. All the boy wanted was some attention because ever since Axel started to spend more time with me, and less time with his family, everyone began to worry more about Axel and less about Jacob.

"I'm sorry I called you selfish".

Jacob didn't respond, all he did was shrug his shoulders and continue to stare out of the window like the streetlamps were the most fascinating things in the world. I continued to drive us to the banquet hall that our prom was being held in. I frowned, I really need to learn to stop ruining everything. When I finally made it to the banquet hall, finding a place to park was a struggle, but I did eventually find a parking space. Jacob got out of the car before I could even turn it off and I sat there for a moment, praying to God that I hadn't ruined prom for him.

Everyone was waiting for me near the entrance of the hall, Elijah was talking with Jacob and Ray was staring at me as I walked up to him.

"We literally just got here and you've already made him mad?"

"I didn't mean to, I swear" I said quietly, "I just said something really stupid".

"What did you say?"

"Mrs. Teresa was obviously sad about Axel not being here to go to prom, and Jacob just kind of seemed like he didn't care... I told him to stop being selfish, to stop acting like the night was just about him... I didn't know that he felt like he's been competing for attention with his brother ever since he's been gone. Jacob just really wants the night to not revolve around Axel, and I should've known that, but I didn't".

Ray stared at me for a moment, his eyes set into a cold glare. "I don't know much about relationships, seeing as they're not my thing, but I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to constantly make your partner feel like shit". I opened my mouth to speak, to let him know that I didn't fucking mean to, but he stopped me by his raising his eyebrows, "right?"

I sighed in defeat, taking a deep breath to let my annoyance and anger free. "Right".

"Go talk to him, please" he requested, "you guys are supposed to be having fun".