One Life To Live ( A Princeton Love Story)

Take Care Pt. 2

GINGER

Hours and hours had gone by. Jacob hadn't come home yet. I lied back on the couch, staring at the ceiling. I searched for answers as to why I was so secretive towards Jacob even when he promised time and time again to be there for me. I cut my eyes towards that little, pink journal across from me. Visions of Jacob reading every word came in my head. I hid my face in my hands in embarrassment. Everything I had yet to tell him was spilled into the open because he found that journal. What would I say to him? I had already said a mouthful when I wrote all my private business down. At that point, it seemed like there was NOTHING that could really be said. It felt awkward and embarrassing. I was used to that, but not that the fact that Jacob knew so much when I certainly wasn't ready to blurt those horrible memories to him.

JACOB

The diner had cleared of customers; Ray and I were the only two remaining. We chuckled quietly with one another as we noticed the diner's staff throwing us irritated looks. They were obviously ready for us to make our exit. We hadn't bothered to even purchase food like the both of us had come to do. We were too busy catching up on old times.

"Tell me more about this Ginger chick, you keep beating around the bush," Ray challenged.

I smiled a bittersweet smile. I felt nice and warm inside thinking about her, but I had a pang of uneasiness also. It was almost as if I could sense when something wasn't okay with her. I shrugged it off, praying that nothing had gone terribly wrong back at the apartment.

I replied, "She's a sweetheart from New Jersey, but a true New Yorker at heart. However, Ginger wasn't so nice when I met her. She was guarded and kinda rude. But, with some work, I was able to break down some of those walls. I feel like God still has some plans for our relationship, though."

He sank further down in the diner's booth, sighing loudly. A confused expression grew on my face.

Ray says, "Sounds like a lot of tears and drama to me. I'm not about that life."

It amazed me how fast he could change from wise and insightful to shallow and indifferent.

"Man, take me seriously right now. You're my bro. At least care," I begged.

"Perez, I'm just saying that's the life for me. Dealing with all the extra stuff is not the way for me to go."

I rolled my eyes, not believing what he said. I had predicted that someday, somewhere, there would be a female that would make Rayon change his opinions about relationships. There would be a girl that would cuff him.

"Ray, you're saying that now but there'll be a girl you can't live without sooner or later. She's gonna change your whole life," I warned to him.

He scoffed dismissively as he stood up slowly. I stood up also, and we left the diner. We joined the city life once again. Lights flashed and taxi cabs zoomed past. The fast paced atmosphere got my mind racing. I loved New York, but I could never really relax with all that was going on in my surroundings. Unless I was with Ginger, that is. I remembered instantly that I had left her alone. Time had flown by, and I had managed to forget my responsibilities as a boyfriend. I hadn't bothered to call and check in, tell her I was leaving, or any of that. To the average person, that would probably be excusable. But Ginger and I were far from the average, typical, normal couple. Things could blow up fast between us just as fast as things could blossom into good.

I said my final words to Rayon, exchanged phone numbers with him, and rushed home. I opened the apartment's door. She gave me a weak smile as I entered. I hugged her tight and close to me. I could feel her shake. Her breath was shaky too.

I whispered, "Are you gonna leave me wondering what's the matter, or are you gonna let me love you?"

She whispered back with tears in her eyes and fear in her voice, "You read it. I didn't want you to know yet."

I closed my eyes in sympathy. I knew what Ginger was referring to. I had hoped she wouldn't get worked up over it.

I kissed her forehead and mumbled,"The loneliness? Done. The hurt? Over with. The pain? Forget about it. The lies? You'll never have to hear any from me."

Her falling tears soaked my shirt; I didn't mind. But my heart did. I felt her fragile hands release me as she fell to her knees. The crying grew louder. I tried to pick her up, but she resisted. So I dropped to my knees also.

Ginger spoke through her tears. "Jacob, you just don't know how hard it is to deal with the fact that family doesn't want you. They took all that was important to me. They told me I wasn't worth anything. I started to believe that. I spent my whole life being invisible. Why do you continue to waste your time with an emotionally disturbed 21 year old virgin?"

Those words stung. I hated that she thought that way about herself. She was worth so much more. More than she knew. And I didn't care that she was a virgin. I thought of it as admirable. She took it as if nobody wanted or cared about her, though.

"Listen to me, Ginger" I said firmly. "You are NOT some lost cause. You are a beautiful human being. Forget what your stupid family told you. Forget what that ex told you. I'm not that guy and never will be. I know you've been hurt by others. And I'm glad I read what I read. I now know there's a reason for your pain. I'm not gonna try to abandon you like your mom. I will NEVER tear you down like those so-called 'friends'. And that son of a ***** that HIT YOU? He'll never be me. I love you,understand?"

She nodded her head. There was no real expression. Ginger looked numb. I was hoping that all I had said hadn't fallen on deaf ears. I needed her to get through that stubborn heart of hers that I was nothing like anyone she had been bruised by. I felt the urge to only heal her. And love her.

She turned away from me and mumbled, "Promise me you'll never enter my private life again."

I shook my head, kissed her cheek, and said "I can't promise that."

With that, the tears I had tried to hold back streamed down my face faster than I could swipe them away. I went up to my room and packed a bag.

I made my way back downstairs with the bad in hand. "You need some alone time, I think. If you agree, then I'll walk right out the door I'll let you have it."

I had no idea how to make her feel completely trustworthy of me. Sometimes she was, at times she wasn't. I frustrated me to no end. What was I supposed to say? What was I to do? And I hadn't read that journal, would she even have told me about all that hurt?

"Don't go, I'm sorry," she cried out.

"How can I make all the hurt go away, Ginger?" I asked desperately.

"Show me in the best way possible that you'll never leave me behind like everyone else did." she said quietly.

I saw no other way to do that....

than to give her what she's been praying for.

CLIFF HANGER.!!!! So? Like it? Comment below or tweet me @Its_Ambyy to tell me what you think.