Neighbors {J.H}

tomb and back

When Carmen still hadn't responded the next day Jaden began to worry, what if she was really mad at him. What did all of this mean for them?

Minutes passed like hours and he couldn't take it. So he took the next step and tried texting the girls, but of course, the only one who answered was Faith. So he called Faith.

"Hey, have you talked to Carmen? I left her a text and voicemail but she still hasn't responded." Jaden said the moment Faith picked up.

"Yeah she's good, her dad knew she was going through something so he came down to visit. She's been with him all day." Faith sighed.

"Damn, so do you know when she'll be free or when her dad leaves?"

"Knowing her dad, he'll be here until she seems better, so I'd text her. But I don't know, this is your mess Jaden. You made it and now you need to fix it." Faith's tone was strong and steady with an underlying sense of comfort.

"I know I know, I'll try reaching out again. Thanks Faith." Jaden muttered.

Moments after the two mutually hung up, Jaden closed his call tab and opened his texts. He kept typing and deleting, typing and deleting. Paragraphs turned into gibberish before disappearing.  Finally he settled on something short and simple.

Hey babe, I'd really like to apologize in person. Let me know when you're free, love you

Carmen was in the kitchen with her dad when she got Jaden's text. After letting out a sigh she opened the text, Carmen read it just to close the tab without a response.

"Alright kiddo, seriously, what is going on with you?" Carmen's father frowned as he leaned against the counter.

Carmen crossed her arms and looked at her feet as she chewed her lip.

"It's stupid." She mumbled.

"I don't think your feelings are stupid Carmen, and you shouldn't invalidate your own feelings."

"You're right." She said pushing a curl behind her ear.

"It's Jaden, for the past few weeks he's been hanging out with this girl that we're both friends with. She's super sweet but they film and post together acting all flirting and I don't like it. He always says they're just friends but they seem so intimate, I just can't help but question it. I mean he's hung out with her everyday since he moved and I haven't seen him once. He barely responds to my messages and then when he does respond he takes forever to." Carmen's eyes watered.

"Did you tell him that you felt this way?"

"No but-"

"See that's your problem sweetie. It doesn't make what he's done okay but you're also leaving him uninformed. I've met Jaden, he's a good kid, and I'm sure he would fix things if you have him the chance."

It was silent for a few moments as the two thought.

"Do you love him?" Her father asked softly.

"Yeah, a lot." She nodded with a small smile.

"Then you put in the work, love ain't easy sweetie but it's worth it."

"So you tell that sboy you love him but he needs to fix his shit and then you tell me how it goes, okay?" Her dad grinned now.

"Okay" Carmen smiled and hugged her father.

After grabbing her phone she ran up to her room and opened her voicemail. She listened to Jaden's voicemail as tears filled her eyes.

She pressed the call back button and in a matter of seconds Jaden picked up.

"Baby, finally, I was getting worried." Jaden's breath hitched for a moment after speaking.

"Hey J, we uh, we need to talk." She sniffled.

"Like in person? Or on the phone?" He asked instantly slipping on his shoes.

"I don't know, I just need to tell you how I feel and I really need you to listen. Please Jay." She said wiping her tears.

Instantly Carmen began to spill out everything she had been feeling and thinking. How much she loved him and how she just didn't want things to end.

But what she didn't know was that Jaden was driving to while listening to her. He felt like his heart was breaking knowing that he had hurt her. He lived this girl with his whole heart and the thought of losing her, it scared him more than anything else. He couldn't lose Carmen, no, he wouldn't.

By the time he got to her house he could hardly understand her through her crying. He used his house key copy to get inside and head straight in.

He walked up the steps and to her door. Jaden immediately walked in, phone in hand, heart torn.

She looked up at him and hung up the call.
He walked over to her bed nervously. Carmen had become silent.

After a moment of stillness and silence, Carmen got up and threw her arms around Jaden and clung to him. He held her close and kept kissing her hair and mumbling apologies.

He told her how sorry he was, that he fucked up, and how he would put in the work to fix this. About how he would talk to Mads and take down every post and that he lived Carmen and only Carmen. That she was the only one for him.

He hadn't even realized but he had began to cry, letting out shaky breaths.

He sat on her bed as he began to spiral into a panic attack.

Carmen was shocked at first, almost scared.

But she followed her natural reaction and climbed into his lap. She wrapped her legs around his waist and played with his hair. She spoke positive affirmations in a soft and gentle voice. Slowly but surely Jaden began to relax.

"I'm so sorry, that was so stupid." He said embarrassed as he looked down.

Carmen cupped his cheeks and brought up his head so their eyes met.

"I love you to the tomb and back Jaden Hossler." She whispered before kissing him.

Instantly all their problems washed away in that kiss. They were them again, two kids, deeply in love in the most extraordinary.

"I love you more Carmen Carter." He smiled before kissing her again.

And suddenly all was right in the world.