The walk back home only lasted for about 15 minutes. I wished it was longer though.
I wanted to spend more time with Jax, I wanted to talk to him and get to know him more.
Despite how much I slowed down my pace, I found myself standing right outside my door steps.
I was just about to ring the bell when I suddenly remembered how mum didn't want me hanging with Jax.
A sudden feeling of sadness overwhelmed me as mum's cruel words and lies about Jax repeated in my mind like a broken record.
I didn't know how to break this news to Jax, to tell him the nasty and untrue things my mum said about him. Or to stay away from him. It's almost impossible to do so.
How am I suppose to tell him to leave so that my mum don't see us together? It's so difficult honestly, I don't know what to do.
It's not as simple as just opening your mouth.
I wished somebody could help me figure this out.
"Shailey?" He called out to me, probably not for the first time, as he waved his hand in front of my face. "You okay?" He asked.
"Oh yeah, just thinking," I told him as I snapped back to reality. "Jax, I think you should lea-"
"I wanna say hi to Mrs Costello," he said with a bright and sincere smile on his face and that broke my heart.
What am I suppose to do? I can't tell him, at least not today.
I hesitated for a moment then took in a deep breath, ready to tell him to leave.
"Jax, I think you should-"
Before I could manage to finish my sentence, mum pushed open the door.
"Shailey? I knew I heard your voice," she mumbled. "What are you doing outside..." Her questioned faded off as her eyes averted to look at Jax who gave her a smile.
"Jax, what are doing here?" Mum asked, her voice suddenly cold and hard.
I could see the confusion in his eyes as he retraced his arm, his smile fading away.
At that point, I wanted to hold onto his hand tightly and reassure him but I can't and I didn't.
"I thought that it would only be polite to say hi to you."
"Be polite? I don't need that. All I want is for you to stay away from my daughter. I don't want her getting any bad influence from you," mum told Jax bluntly in his face as she pulled me inside the house, leaving Jax outside.
"Mum!" I protested and she turned to glare at me, effectively shutting me up. All I could do was to stare at him and do nothing to defend him. It sucks, really.
I didn't like mum controlling my life and planning my future for me. I didn't like what she was doing yet I can't do anything about it.
"I don't want hanging around with my daughter. Please leave now," mum ordered as she pointed away from our house.
"No I'm not leaving," Jax said firmly as he looked straight into my mum's eyes. "I don't see how I'm a bad influence to Shailey, Mrs Costello," he said, trying to be calm and respectful although I know inside of him was a raging fire ready to burst at any moment.
"It's because of you, Shailey is starting to get into trouble at school, her grades are getting worse, her conduct is affected, she is starting to come home past the curfew. And that's not the Shailey I raised to be. It's only when she met you, she became another person. So, right now all I'm asking is for you to keep a distance from her."
"Mum!" This time I couldn't help it, I couldn't stop myself from lashing out when I had all this pent up anger in me. "This is so unfair to Jax! He is not what you think he is. You can't just do this. You can't blame him."
"Shailey," Jax called out to me as his eyes that were filled with hurt and confusion stared right into mine. "It's okay. I will leave right now. I understand."
He turned to look at my mum, his eyes turned cold and empty, unlike the flirty and cocky boy I know.
"Don't worry Mrs Costello, I will stay away from your daughter. You are right, it's my fault, I am to blame."
With that said, I watched as he turned on his heels and left. His shoulders were slightly hunched as he kept his head hung low while he dragged his feet along the way.
"Wait Jax!" I yelled, trying to call him back, to explain everything, to apologise for all the mean things my mum accused him of but he left without looking back; even when I called his name.
"Stay here Shailey," mum demanded as she held onto my shoulders firmly. "You are not going after that boy."
"He is not just a boy mother, he is my friend and I won't let you say such things about him," I snapped right back at her and finally broke free from her tight grip.
I went to run after Jax, searching for him in this busy neighbour hood.
"Shailey Costello!" I heard mum shouted my name, but I didn't care, I didn't even look back as I continued to go after Jax.
"Jax! Please stop!" I called out to him as I saw him from a distance. He stood out amongst the crowd with his ridiculous height of 1.9m.
He didn't look back as I called him, I could imagine him walking forward, ignoring my pleas as he kept his eyes looking straight ahead, his mind a blank.
"Jax!" I called out for the last time as I finally reached him and grabbed onto his forearm with both hands.
He stopped in his tracks and slowly turned to look at me without saying a single word.
His eyes looked dead and soulless, like they were just an empty void. And honestly, it scared me.
"Please hear me out," I begged. "I'm so sorry for everything that happened. Let me explain."
"I should be sorry," he spoke this time. "I ruined your future."
"No, you didn't. What makes you think it's ruined?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Your mum seemed to suggest so," he said bitterly, speaking as if the words were poison in his mouth.
"Can we talk?" I pleaded as I looked at him in his eyes. "Please?"
"There's nothing much to talk about. I will stay away from you, I promise."
"But I don't want that. I want you around."
"Guess you just have to get use to not having me around then."
A/N:
Just like I promised! I'm updating another chapter today to compensate for the obvious lack of updates the past two weeks
Tell me if you expected this! And don't forget to vote, comment and share if you like this chapter! It will mean a lot to me ❤️❤️❤️
See ya soon! 😊
Much love,
Rachel xx