CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE:
45: ~Marina's Pov~
"Look I know you're really not asking for my opinion or anything but don't you think you're being saucy instead of being supportive, your fam-"
"You're damn right I'm not asking for your opinion, so if you don't mind?" I raised my brow at the glass of alcohol shot he was toying with on the wooden table.
"Fine." Bodie sighed and passed me my eighth shot for the night.
In contrast to the windy evening atmosphere present outside, Vibe Bar was relatively warm in it's damp atmosphere due to the sprayers by either side of the entry door that sprinkle water on each customer who walks through the door as a form of welcome.
The orange lamps hanging from the ceiling and placed on each table alongside the dim red and blue lighting in the large bar really gave off it's intended Japanese themed vibes. Japanese writings were also carved on the counter top, while the visible walls has Japanese murals, the floor just had writings.
Also they had an arcade and an inner chamber meant for all sorts of board and billiards games. The Bar had booths and even VIP sections with red beaded curtains for privacy in the darker corners but all around the center wooden table tops and stools were strategically arranged. Two minutes in and I understood why Bodie couldn't shut up about the place.
Bodie and I sat at the main counter behind which the bartender was working, overlooking the numerous drink shelves, wine cellers and the deadly appealing options they held.
Might be the alcohol but I guess I had divulged all my life problems to Bodie in the last thirty minutes and the honest truth is; Bodie is a good drinking partner, I mean he doesn't push conversations, doesn't ask further questions, he just sits, drinks and listens. Well except for few minutes ago when he tried to be a 'voice of reason', I mean he was right but I really didn't need judgement right now.
I'll worry about real life later.
"I have to admit, you've got some backbone Marietta, ten shots down and you haven't slipped off your stool yet, that's particularly amusing for a first timer." Bodie smirked at me.
Darnell's cocky smile flashed before my eyes and I felt my heart ache.
"Double shots now." I said to the bartender.
The door jingled and a couple of guys walked in, hissing cusses as water sprinkled on them.
"I'll be right back." Bodie tapped the counter before excusing himself.
I wasn't sure how long it'll take Bodie to get back but the personal space was nice, giving me some time to replay today's events all over again for the fifteen hundredth time.
I wanted to drink till I couldn't remember anything any longer especially not Darnell or my parents.
"Looks like you're having too much to drink, princess."
I might be a little tipsy but that sure as hell wasn't Bodie's voice.
~ ~ ~
~Jason's POV~
Jakob warned me not to go after Marina but we both had already messed up everything.
The moment I arrived and Jakob told me she might have read our texts and isn't picking her phone anymore, the message was clear.
I messed up big time for not telling her the truth. Going to Santa Monica together was just a distraction, her parents knew and my parents knew too, we claimed we were protecting her but were we really?
The bitter feeling of guilt I was feeling multiplied when Bodie texted me her location out of the blues at least she wasn't alone but being at a bar, I was pretty sure she might be having a couple of drinks. I know she shouldn't even be drinking at all but heck anyone else in her case would have done worse.
I was resting against my Mazda outside on the driveway in the chilly evening atmosphere when I heard the front door squeak open, my head shot up from glancing at my lit phone screen displaying how many times I'd phoned Marina in the last two hours to see my Mom walking towards my direction.
We had all been at the hospital but it was getting pretty late and we had to leave, Jakob was skeptical about leaving his Mom behind, alone through the night with his Dad whom was barely conscious but she'd forced him home for Marina's sake, if only she knew where her princess had skidded too hours ago.
"You've refused to come in." My Mom broke the lingering silence as she took the same posture as me.
"She has refused to go home, Mom."
"You mentioned she wasn't alone and Jakob warned you to stay clear from her to avoid worsening the situation."
"Exactly, and that's the problem!"
"It's their family, Jason..." Tiffany sighed. "You love her, don't you?"
"With my entire being." I muttered, shutting my eyes as a strange wave of emotions washed over me.
"Don't you think Jakob loves her even more? And He's trying to protect her too."
"That's the mentality we all had from the beginning, I think we all need to understand that Marie is no longer a little girl and should stop being treated as such, Jakob is just running away from reality, she already knows, there's nothing more to hide. I don't know much about girls but I know Marie loves me and needs me around especially right now."
"But she is ignoring your calls!" My mom said firmly, attempting to knock sense into my skull.
"All the more reason!" In my doggedness, I wasn't having it.
"If he wants to go after her, let him Tiffany." My Dad's strong voice echoed.
Mom and I looked up at the same time, he was standing few meters away from us and seemed to have caught-on on our conversation.
"Jace is right, we all knew about the divorce but kept it from her because she was the youngest and we didn't want to break her heart? I think about it now and realize... It is total bullshit. Please son, go get her and if she doesn't want to go home, you can bring her here."
"I hope she agrees to come." My Mom said sadly as she went to stand by my Dad whom placed a protective hand across her shoulder.
"There's no harm in trying." He said.
"We will be waiting up for you guys."
~ ~ ~
The moment I pulled up in the parking lot of the Bar, I spotted Bodie at a corner making a phone call, his face looked strained and agitated. I picked my phone up from the passengers seat and saw a text Bodie had sent five minutes ago.
Bodie: please get here fast, there's been a lil complication.
My heartbeat galloped for a second. Why wasn't Marie with him?
I rushed out of the car immediately and jogged towards him, I noticed how he frantically ended his call when he sighted me.
"Thank God! Just go in, she's at the counter, get her and leave." Bodie gushed in a haste.
"Dude calm down! Is everything okay? Is she okay? How much did she have to drink?"
"Not much apparently, while she thought she was taking alcohol shots, all she was really taking was spiked alkaline water oh but the first five shots were real alcohol." Bodie explained.
Okay but Bodie is one clever kid.
"Is she okay?" I asked one last time.
"For now! Hurry! Get her and leave! I sold some fake coke to some nigga and he has found me, the gang is on their way but you have to get Marietta out of here asap."
My brain registered his words quickly and I swiftly went through the entrance doors. Ice cold water sprinkled on me from nowhere the same time I spotted Marie but she wasn't alone, some nasty looking guy had her in a conversation. I went cold when I saw his tattooed hand swirling up her arm and charged towards them.
I shoved the guy away so hard he fell to the ground.
"Marie let's go!" My voice came out hoarse and authoritative.
She squinted up at me then with savage eyes. "Oh look, it's my night in shining armor, Jason Kuyper, the same one who came up with a getaway trip to hide the truth about my own family from me." The sarcasm in her slurred voice was painful.
"Look Marie, I'd explain but there's no time, we have to g-" I tried to grab her hand and move but a heavy crashing sound drew everyone's attention.
A random person had been used to destroy a piece of furniture.
Then another one.
Tables were being turned over.
The Bar went in hysteria as more bodies started flying around. Bodie's so called gang must have arrived. Civilians were screaming and making their escape.
There was no more time. We had to leave quickly.
The guy from earlier spun me around and reset my jaw with a terrible blow, I felt like my teeth had gone up into my brain. Marie screamed and tried to intervene. The good thing about playing basketball is knowing how to work with seconds and the little distraction was enough for me to send my knee into the man's crouch and land him a good blow across the face in revenge.
I pulled Marie's hand without thinking if I was gonna hurt her and dragged her across the disheveled room through all the fighting and breaking of glass and woodenware. Lucky for us the entrance wasn't blocked.
A sudden scream of shattering glasswares made us pause at the door. Bodie's jet black hair couldn't be mistaken even in the shaken crowd, he had flung a guy in black across the counter and unto the multiple shelves of alcohol and drinks.
Too bad I couldn't stay and fight with him in gratitude for keeping my girl safe.
Once we were outside we jumped into my car, revving the engine, we blasted out of the Vibe Bar premises. The sirens wailing from a distance was a sure call that the police was on their way, hopefully things won't get too sideways before they arrived.
I stepped on the gas harder as I still felt a rush of adrenaline from earlier. I was lost in the sound of my own heavy breathing that I didn't realize rain had began to pitter patter on the roof of my car and windshield.
"Jason, STOP!" Her voice sounded so distant.
"I SAID STOP THE DAMN CAR!!!"
I gasped like my spirit had suddenly found it's way back into my body and saw the speed I was driving on... 220mph.
I abruptly held the brake. The tyres screeched loudly, as my Mazda went 360 twice and then stopped, luckily the car didn't summersault into the bush and thank heavens these roads were lonely at night.
The moment I heard the car door slam shut was when I really came back to reality. I jumped out of the car and the blast of cool wind that hit me alongside the heavy beating down of the rain made me flinch for a second.
"Marie where are you goi-" I never heard the rest of the words that were supposed to leave my mouth because they never left.
The slap that went across my cheek was more painful than having an opponent shoot a ball at your nose.
"Oowww..." I cried unconsciously as I held unto my wet cheek.
I was going to ask what she did that for but then I remembered and tried to pull her close instead. Her resistance as she hit my chest continuously with tears streaming down her face alongside rain water made my heart ache more and more.
"Why didn't you tell me?... You lied to me, just like everybody else... I hate you... Why?... Leave me alone... Please just go away... I hate you... Take your hands off me, Jason... A liar, that's what you are!" Her voice trailed off as she choked on a sob.
I sniffed, my eyes were brimming with tears too, "I am sorry, Marie. I didn't mean to hurt you."
"Why didn't you tell me?" She looked up into my eyes.
The kind of look that could destroy a person.
Her wet hair was glued to her face now, her eyes were dull, hurt and red, her nose was a shade of mauve and her lips were deeper in color... They looked appealing. I wanted to pull her against me and kiss her deeply but she'd hate me if I did that.
She chose Darnell not you. My subconscious taunted.
Why wasn't Darnell here anyway?
Why didn't I think about it earlier?
"Answer me, Jace!" She cried as her hands fell limply to her side. "Even if no one was going to tell me, why didn't you?"
At least now she was letting me hold her, holding unto her arm, I could feel the goosebumps on her skin, she was cold. I pulled her against my chest and to my surprise she held unto me and sobbed some more.
"I'm sorry, Marie." I gulped back my own tears although a treacherous one escaped from the corner of my left eye and dropped on her hair.
The tight grip her fingers had on my shirt was scary and satisfying even though her nails were already boring into my skin.
"You said you loved me." She muttered and hiccupped.
"And I still do..."
Memories of our last night in Santa Monica that day on the outdoor basketball court danced before my mind's eye and I recalled the first time I actually told her that I loved her.
"I love you, Marie." I muttered and hugged her tighter like she was going to disappear after this moment.
The rain kept coming down heavy on both of us, we were both drenched and cold but neither of us wanted to break the hug or end the moment so we just remained. Her sobs were gentle now. My fingers gently stroked through the tangles of her sandy blond hair and I swear my heart was swelling with content.
"I love you." I heard her whisper after a very long moment as she drew in a shaky breath.
Thank you. I said inwardly.
I love you more.
I'll always love you, MJ.
I love you till forever falls apart.
~ ~ ~
A/N: please hand me another tissue *blows nose* I want a Jason! I enjoyed writing this chapter and kinda low-key want her to end up with Jason but oh well it's her choice. Please don't forget to vote so she can forgive Jakob and comment if you liked the little action scene I thought about on a whim while writing this chapter, see you in forty-six.
TheShadyButterfly🦋.