Always | Protector 3.3 (#Wattys2018)

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Nolan

       My whole family was going to the arcade today because that was our family's favourite place to go to, but I told them I wasn't feeling too good, and how Kingsley was up all night so I was extremely tired. They actually believed me for once, mainly because it was partly true.

       The main truth was that I just wasn't in the mood to be around a bunch of people, so I would rather stay back with Kingsley.

       Kingsley went down for a nap, so I was just in the kitchen getting something to eat. Well, by getting something to eat, I meant looking endlessly through the cupboards and the fridge before coming up with nothing to eat. So, I sat down at the small table in the kitchen and went on my phone.

       I really shouldn't be looking at pictures of me and Jerome on my phone because that was going to make me miss him even more, but I was doing that anyway. And I made the stupid mistake of looking back at our really old photos together, because our relationship was a lot easier before my anxiety and adjustment disorder started making a bigger impact on my life. Now, I always felt too clingy to him and that he was getting annoyed with me.

       It took me a lot of willpower to lock my phone so I would stop looking at photos of me and Jerome, but it was too late for me. I was already in a bad mood now, and I could feel the tears starting to come. There was no way I could make it through this week without seeing Jerome.

       I heard the front door open, so I quickly wiped my tears away so whoever it was wouldn't see me crying.

       "Nolan?!" Orchid called. I didn't even know what she was doing here. She did go with our family to the arcade, and they didn't even leave fifteen minutes ago.

       "Yeah?!" I called.

       Orchid walked into the kitchen and took one look at me before she sat down beside me at the table. "You know, it's okay to cry."

       I shook my head and felt the tears coming again. "I'm tired of everyone thinking I'm this weak person who cries all the time."

       "We don't think that," Orchid said. "We see you as someone who's mentally ill and struggles with change."

       "Right, because that makes things even better," I said.

       "It does, because there's nothing wrong with being mentally ill," Orchid said.

       "Why aren't you even at the arcade?" I asked.

       "My twin-tuition was telling me somehing was wrong," Orchid said. "And clearly something is. If you're missing Jerome too much, why don't you tell him?"

       "And what am I supposed to tell him?" I asked. "I can't ask him to come home when he's still on the meet and greet tour. And me video chatting him isn't working. I need to actually see him, but I'm going to have to wait until the tour comes to Miami."

       Orchid sighed. "I really wish there was something I could do to make you feel better."

       "Well, there isn't, so you could let me mope," I said.

        "Nolan...."

        I just rested my head on the table. "I hate feeling this hopeless. I can't do anything without Jerome nearby."

       "There's nothing wrong with it," Orchid said. "It's not your fault that you have really bad anxiety and adjustment disorder. I'm sure there are a lot of people in the world who needs their significant other nearby, and it doesn't matter at all."

       "Yes, it does," I said. "Because there's so much Jerome can't do because of me. He couldn't even be at a family reunion for a week before I broke down. The only reason why I'm doing a tiny bit better is because I'm staying here. And it's starting to get a lot worse with Trixie always wanting to come over."

       "Ugh, Trixie," Orchid said. "No one likes her."

       "Alan does," I said.

       "For some odd reason," Orchid said. "I swear, she's put him under a spell or something. She completely clashes with our family."

       "Oh, you don't know?" I asked. "She's only joking."

       Orchid snorted and rolled her eyes as my cell phone rang. I looked at it, but I didn't feel like asnwering. "Who is it?" Orchid asked.

       "The tour," I said. "I don't feel like talking to anyone at the moment."

       "Uh, what if it has do to with Jerome?" Orchid asked. "Forget it, I'll answer it." She reached for my phone and answered it before holding it up to her ear. "Hello, Nolan's phone and his very awesome and favourite sister is speaking....He's actually sleeping right now. Can I take a message?....Really? Yeah, of course. When and where?....Alright, got it. I'll pass on the message. Thanks."

       "Who was it?" I asked as Orchid hung up.

       "The tour, obviously," Orchid said. "You told me that."

       "I know, but I meant why were they calling?" I asked.

       "Then ask why they're calling, not who," Orchid said. "Anyway, I think there's a way for you to see Jerome sooner than next week."

       I furrowed my eyebrows. "How?"

       "Well, how do you feel about taking a little road trip?"

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Ooh, I wonder what's going on. *insert lenny face* im too lazy to copy and paste lol oops.