Tap..
Tap..
Tap..
It was about 2 in the morning when I checked my phone. Whoever it was disturbing my sleep will suffer the upcoming consequences. I climb out of bed and look out my window. I see someone that I didn't think would be here.
Rayan...
I find my way to the door and open it to greet him. Instead of his usual style of two braids, his hair was up in a bun and I couldn't lie, he looked good. His all black clothing suited him well.
"What are you doing here?"
"Is it okay if I come in?." I nod and let him in the house. He takes a seat on my couch and I sit next to him.
"I heard about the rumors. I'm sorry." He came to my house at 2 am for that? He could've just texted me.
"Its ok. I guess." It was awkwardly quiet for a few minutes until i spoke up again.
"I'm sorry about what happened between us. I meant to tell you a long time ago but you kinda went MIA on me."
"Yeah I didn't exactly take it too well." He chuckles. "We had some good times though right?"
"Yeah I guess we did... kid." I say calling him by my old nickname for him.
He smirks and looks at me with a look in his eyes that I can't quite read. His stare is so intense that I looked away to my shoes.
Before I can even blink, he catches me off guard by grabbing my chin and pressing our lips together.
I'm not able to move for a couple of seconds because I'm in shock but once my mind catches up I push him away from me.
"What are you doing?!" I glare at him while wiping my lips off.
"Jacob isn't right for you. He's not who you think he is."
"Yes he is. What do you mean?"
"Why do you think nobody at school fucks with him?"
"I.. I just assumed he was unsociable."
"Freshman year he had a girlfriend and got locked up from domestic violence. She was loyal to him and he was overprotective. One day at school he saw her talking to another guy and beat the shit out of her in front of everybody."
I ball my fists in disbelief. He probably only made this up because I led him on. "You're lying. That's not true!"
"Ask him yourself then. If you don't leave him, you'll be next."
"He would never touch me in that way." He laughs again while shaking his head.
"That's what Janai said." He stands up and makes his way out the door. "Oh and by the way. Me and Ryan were the ones who spread the rumors about you." He says before closing the door.
That night I got no sleep.
******
The next day I walked down the hall to my first class with not only a heavy mind, but heavy eyes also. After Rayan left my house I couldn't sleep for nothing in the world.
I continued to walk down the hall with my eyes less than halfway open. I knew it was a bad idea because I found myself crashing into something and falling in the ground.
"I'm so sorry. Are you ok?" A female voice says. I open my eyes and look up at her. She was extremely beautiful.
She was about the same skin tone as me and had the same long curly hair I did, but made it look better. We both had the same hazel-green eyes and full pink lips. She looked exactly like me, except better.
"It's okay, my eyes were kinda closed." I chuckle as she helps me off the ground. Once she looks at me her eyes widen in surprise.
"You're her... you're Jacob's girlfriend."
"Uh... yeah? "
"Are you having trouble leaving him?"
"No. Why would you think that?"
"Haven't you heard what he did?" My mind instantly went back to what rayan told me last night.
"Yes but that's not true." I defend him.
"It is true..." She sighs while biting her lip. "I'm the girl."
"Wait... you're Janai?" Ironic how we look the same, have similar names and she used to date the same guy.
She nods. "I'm going to help you. I don't want you to be the next girl he hurts. People told me the same thing about him but I didn't listen."
"I don't need your help. He wouldn't hurt me." Even though what She was saying was probably true, I knew he wasn't that person anymore. He changed for the better.
"Please listen to me. I said the same thing but he proved me wrong. Doesn't he still hit Bella?"
"He hasn't touched her in almost two months. I've made him better."
"You can't just fix people. Sooner or later the real him will come out." With that she pulls her bag up on her shoulder and goes her separate direction.
//Bella//
I decided that today I wasn't going to school. I honestly need a break from everything. I sat in the back of the diner with a chocolate milkshake that i had bought.
Now that I'm actually pregnant I don't know what I'm going to do. I dont know how I'll tell my mom. Jacob definitely can't know, I don't know what he'll do.
Considering I won't have any help from Ryan I might have to drop out of school.
A girl that I recognize to be Kiera walks over and sits across from me.
"Bella right?" She says. I nod and take a sip from my milkshake. "I'm really sorry about what happened the other day."
"It's ok. My best friend... well... ex best friend was right about him."
"I know you don't know me like that but do you mind me asking what happened?"
"I found out she was dating my brother for almost five months now."
"Not to sound rude or anything but that doesn't seem too bad."
"Well my brother abuses me and she knew that but still went behind my back."
"Well that's kinda fucked up."
Considering what happened all those years ago when he went to jail, I highly doubted anyone would want to be with him. Maybe she didn't know.
"It's kinda ironic how now that I'm pregnant and in need of her but I don't talk to her anymore. And we kinda got in a fight yesterday so I doubt that she would be here for me now."
"Maybe you should call her. You never know. And you have absolutely no one to help you?"
"I'll think about it. And no, Ryan was the one who suggested I get an abortion but honestly I wouldn't be able to. Thats taking an innocent life."
Kiera was honestly a really good listener. She stayed quiet and paid attention as I continued to talk.
Before I knew it we had talked for almost 2 hours.
"Put my number in your phone. If you ever need help with something or someone to go to your doctor's appointments with you I'll be glad to be there."
I nod and hand my phone to her. She quickly logged it in and handed it back before leaving.
These past few weeks I've lost a lot of things. Jamiah, Dayvonn, Ryan, my freedom. Maybe having Kiera as a friend would finally be a gain for me.
//Jacob//
I drop my bag as soon as I walk into my house after school. I was honestly so worn out and had a heavy mind with my dad having cancer. I havent gone to visit him in a while but I know they have him on bed rest for a while.
My mother emerges from the kitchen. I could tell by her baggy bloodshot eyes that she was hungover. She waves me over to sit at the table with her and I do so.
"Have you seen your dad lately?" She asjs catching me by surprise.
"Not for a week or so. Why?"
"I just figured since he told you about his health and that you guys were building a relationship you'd be there to see him."
"When did he tell you he got cancer?" I'm surprised that she was willing to connect with him after what he put her through. Put us through.
"That day that he came here. He said that he was dying and that he wanted to make everything right before he left."
"So you're all of a sudden on his side now? Is that why you started back ddinking?"
She hesitated for a few seconds then takes a deep breath.
"Yes that's why. But trust me I don't like this situation just as much as you." She pats my shoulder with a smile on her face. "I'm so proud of you Jacob. Jamiah has a really good effect on you."
"Wait.. you know about us? Who told you?"
"Nobody had to tell me. I could tell when she first started staying here." I don't know why but I felt my cheeks getting hot. "Take care of her okay? I don't want what happened last time to repeat itself."
"I promise. You have to promise to stop drinking."
"I promise baby." I found myself pulling my mom into a warming hug. It felt weird because I hadn't hugged my mother in years.
****
I eventually found myself in the crowded parking lot of the hospital. I circled around multiple times trying to find a space.
I need to have closure with my dad. And not the kind of closure where he says the same things over again and my shitting him out. I need for us to get in the same page before it's too late. He may have abandoned me and my mother but I can't live forever with hate in my heart. I want to be happy for once.
Once I finally find a space I park my car and walk into the hospital building. I Got up to the fifth floor and walked down the long corridors.
I recognized my father's doctor and made it a priority to ask how Joseph was doing.
"Dr. Brown?" He turns around and recognized me. "How's my dad doing?"
A frown immediately sets on his face as he flips through his clipboard. "Joseph Perez... The tumor has spread across his brain and he's lost his sight. He's been responding really well in everything else but now unfortunately he's blind."
I close my eyes for a few seconds and take a breath. "Can I see him?" He nods and pats my shoulder.
I open the hospital door and see my dad sitting up looking forward. Skylar sat in the corner with tears running down her eyes.
"Joann?" He asks when he heard the door close.
"No it's me. Jacob." Even though his eyes looked completely dead I saw them slightly light up. He honestly looked horrible like he could die any day now.
He was completely bald and pale. Even his voice sounded like it would collapse.
Skylar rushes over to me and takes wraps me in a tight hug. I felt her chest falling up and down as she sobbed into my chest.
"What I tell you about that crying Skylar? Everything is gonna be okay." He says.
"But you're dying daddy." Her voice cracks making me hug her tighter. I know it must kill her to see him like this.
"You gotta be strong okay? I'll always be with you." She lets go of me and hugs Joseph placing a kiss on his cheek.
"You still there Jacob?" I pull up a chair and sit next to his bed.
"I'm right here."
"I know that I messed up badly and I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too. For always shutting you out." It's silent again and I take another deep breath. "I know we dont have much time but I want us to start over." I could tell I caught him by surprise because he scrunches his eyes then smiles.
"I'm happy to hear that son."