Things That Were Never Meant: UnOrdinary (Arlo x John)

Chapter 20

The fact that John's father was staying for a week meant John faking everything so his father wouldn't see how damaged his own son was.

The next day after school, his father went to his dorm, playing pokers with him along with Blyke, and after that, they went outside for dinner once again.

His father wanted to invite Seraphina and Arlo, to eat with them, but John convinced him that it would be too sudden, and that they might not be able to come since there isn't a prior notice. With that, his father told John that he wants to have a dinner with all of John's friends around this week, telling him that he should inform them and choose a specific date.

The request terrified John. His father believes that he was friends with Arlo and Blyke, and although Blyke wouldn't really mind playing along, John didn't like the idea of convincing Arlo to play along when the dark haired man couldn't even forgive him.

He also didn't want Seraphina to see how fake he was, how desperate he was, pretending to be friends with the blond just to please his father.

Still, John agreed, telling him that he'll bring them once Saturday comes. His response earned a smile from his father, as well as a warm hug. He told him how happy he is that John was getting better, and that he was finally having other friends.

It crushed John since John wasn't really doing better. He was worse-- he felt miserable, and just the feeling of his father's arms around him made him feel like he might crumble down.

He couldn't break his father's heart, he couldn't disappoint him, but the more he pretended to be fine in front of his father, the more difficult it is to breathe. He've done this before, back when he was taken to Keon after what happened on his old school.

He never told his father about what happened before, but he was able to get better. It's the same as it is now, John doesn't have to tell him. He could handle this himself, and... He could get better on his own.

For now, John would have to have his father believe that John is fine. He would fake everything for now, just for a week-- he would have to act like how his father would want him to be.

Putting up an act in front of Seraphina, and his father-- John's used to it.

But to have Arlo sit and witness everything again, it made John feel so pathetic. Maybe, he shouldn't have agreed. He doesn't want to talk to Arlo again. He doesn't even want to see him, and despite the blond's apologies to him, it still felt so heavy on his chest.

If ever John decided to only tell about Arlo's betrayal, he knew what his father would have said.

John, no one is able to heal without being able to forgive.

The dark haired man could almost imagine his voice, but how can he just forgive? Arlo didn't just hurt him, he humiliated him, shattered every bit of trust he had, and have completely managed to make John feel more disgusted than he already did with himself.

But... Is it really the blond's fault? Arlo have only ambushed and locked him, but does that make him worse than John was? He wasn't even the one who assaulted him, the dark haired man just blamed the blond, because it was the easy thing for him to do.

John have hurt a lot of people in the past, even those whom he once considered as friends. He've beaten them up almost to death. He was violent, he abused his power, he was selfish-- John was a bad person and yet,

Yet he still received a chance to change.

Back then, John have hurt his father for whom he've become, but his father never left him, and although he was disappointed, he never got mad, or even yelled at him for the terrible things he've done.

Arlo was trying to apologize to him, he regretted what he did, and he was trying to make it up. If his father was able to forgive John, he should also be able to forgive the blond.

But, John wasn't his father. His father was kindest person he knew, and unlike him,

He was a monster.

--------------------------------

During breaks, Remi have noticed that John's eyes were looking more and more empty. She sat at the table in front of John, and he didn't even attempted to tell her off or at least, glare at her like he usually did. He seemed to be so lost, that Remi was starting to get worried.

Blyke have told her about John's father visiting his dorm and inviting him to dinner, and Remi could only feel sorry with the way Blyke have described everything.

He told her about how hard John was trying to pretend that he was close to both Arlo and Blyke just for his father, and how he've heard John's conversation with the blond.

What Arlo did was really terrible, even when he confessed to Remi what he did, for a moment, it felt like she no longer knew her friend. She couldn't believe that Arlo could do something like that.

However, she also noticed that Arlo regrets what he've done, and that John, well...

It would take a lot of time for John to be able to trust again. But they shouldn't give up! Remi would keep on trying to befriend John, and Arlo should keep on trying too! Even Blyke was trying-- and Seraphina, she purposely lessened her time with John so he would have someone else other than her even if it might hurt him.

Seraphina wanted John to have kind friends whom he could trust-- She told that to Remi when they've had a talk after she've noticed the Queen attempting to befriend John.

"Hey, John."

The dark haired man didn't noticed her, and he just remained sitting there.

Remi showed him her plate, hoping that John would react or noticed, but he's just isn't responding.

"How can you ignore a triple chocolate cake?" she asked him, placing down the plate.

With his lack of reaction, Remi started shaking his arms lightly, and it gained a reaction on John's face, with his eyes going wide. Unexpectedly, John hit her face with his fist, almost causing Remi to fall off her chair.

"Fuck off and get your hands off me!!"

He was now glaring at him, and Remi didn't know what to the at the moment. Students were now whispering about what John did, she was thinking of leaving, but she doesn't want him to look any more terrible than he seemed in the eyes of the students.

"Sorry if I surprised you, I just wanted to give you the cake-- you first met Sera because of it, right?" she smiled at him.

This time, John didn't lashed out, she just stared at Remi with his gaze remaining cold, he opened his mouth for a bit, closing it again, only to hold back what he would say.