I also apologize for any mistakes, chapters haven't been FULLY proofread yet. ;/
E B O N Y
The next morning came and I felt, for once in my life, calm. Not the peaceful type of calm I'd always be awaiting, but the type of calm that I knew would stir, but I'd take the time to relish it for the moment.
Paris lay still asleep beside me, her form quite messy as she nearly kicked me out of the bed last night, and almost let me freeze to death as she snatched the sheets away.
But once I got settled in, I found myself sleeping quite nice. Especially after last nights break down. And I appreciated that I could rest as well as I did. Even if it meant it was only for now.
I was in the bathroom now, washing myself off and being marvelled at how great the soap smelled, and how nice the water jets too made my skin feel. It was like I was getting a mini massage of some sort, and the feeling just brought tingles to my toes.
Which was something I never experienced before.
And as I pondered on the things I never experienced before my mind drifted as I thought about Jackson, and this hotel, and that man from the bar. The way he looked at me made me feel odd.
Odd in a bad way. As if he knew something about me that I didn't even know. Which was in itself, terrifying.
But I quickly shook the thought away as I finally stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around me and avoiding the mirror like I always do.
I opened the door and stepped out, hearing a angelic like humming coming from the bedroom. Paris got up and grabbed her things, still humming and not even noticing my presence as I stared at her in awe when she turned to me and gasped.
"H-How long have you been standing there?" She asked, with a shaky smile.
"I just got out of the shower." I said smiling at her, as she gave me a hesitant look. "Paris your voice is amazing." I assured her, as she shook her head and then chuckled.
"Don't amp me up. I'm not that great." She began to walk past me and into the bathroom, but I stopped her as I gently touched her arm. "I'm serious. You have the voice of an angel." My words must have affected her in a way I couldn't quite figure out as she gulped and then nodded with a "Thanks." before stepping into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.
I never expected for Paris to be the singing type, but I didn't know much about her, and that could be the least that she was capable of.
I then made my way over to my bag and began to dig through my clothes, which were minimal to nothing that I hadn't worn yesterday, or the days before.
And then I saw an outfit laid out on the bed. As I wondered if it was left out for me the bathroom door opened and Paris peeked out as I turned to her. "Those clothes are for you by the way. Thank me later." She winked and then closed the bathroom door.
I smiled and grabbed the jeans and sweater, sliding them on and then fixing up the bed.
---
It had been an hour or two later when Paris and I stepped out of the hotel room, and knocked on the door across from us.
I was nervous to be face to face with Jackson because yet again, I didn't know if he was still upset with me from last night.
Finally the door opened revealing Markus with a towel hanging dangerously loose on his hips and his body dripping wet. I myself had my mouth gawked open like a school girl, and Paris only raised an eyebrow and leaned on the doorway. "I was coming to ask if you guys were ready for breakfast yet, but by the looks of it, I guess not." She then looked him up and down as he bit his cheek and shrugged.
"I'll be ready soon." He said, leaving the door open for us to step in, and I noticed he didn't mention Jackson as he turned around.
"Where's Jackson?" Paris asked, speaking my thoughts exactly as we both stepped into the room and took a seat on the couch.
Markus was in the bathroom changing as he answered. "The guy left last night, and never came back." He then stepped out of the bathroom with only a pair of jeans on as I began to slightly worry.
"Have you tried calling him-"
"No Paris I didn't call the guy because he knows what he's doing. Besides, it wouldn't be too bad if we just gave him his fucking space after-" Markus once again clenched his jaw and shook his head as he stopped himself.
"Nevermind, lets go." He grabbed a shirt off the bed and slid it on as he headed for the door.
I saw the way Paris looked at him and he looked at her, as if she was telling him something I didn't know.
But I put it behind me, as it wasn't any of my business.
We made our way out of the hotel rooms and to the elevators. Paris pushed the button and the elevator came up, and as the doors opened Jackson stood there as he leaned on the elevator wall, with his eyes closed as he popped them open as soon as the doors opened.
He looked exhausted.
"Great, lets go." He said, as we all stared at him.
"What do you mean 'lets go'?" Paris argued with a look that obviously said she wanted answers. But by the way Jackson ignored her and pressed the button on the elevator as we stepped on, meant he actually couldn't care less.
"We're getting breakfast." Was his simple answer as the doors closed and we rode down.
I heard Markus briefly talk to him, asking him where he's been but Jackson only answered with 'don't worry about it'.
I also noticed the way he kept looking behind himself at me with those eyes that I felt a little nervous about. I could tell he was still reeling off of what I told him last night, and I had to clear it up before things got too bad. And for some reason my nose picked up on the strange smell of perfume. But I only assumed it was Paris as I looked over at her, and saw her eyeing the back of Jackson's neck with feisty eyes.
We all stepped off the elevator when we got down to the lobby, and made our way to the front desk as the woman smiled at Jackson with a bright smile. "Here are your keys, monsieur." The woman said, handing Jackson a pair of keys, and then Markus his as I watched her eyes linger down Jacksons body, and I just furrowed my eyebrows as she then looked at me and gave me a genuine smile.
We then made our way to the front doors of the hotel, and as we stepped out of the building I stepped on something and as I looked down i noticed that it was a lighter. It was fancy, and it reminded me of something I had seen before.
The designs on it, and the initial. M.
"Ebony." Jackson called over his shoulder, as I glanced back up at him and noticed he was holding the door open for me.
I briefly smiled in an apology and then walked to the car, sliding in as Jackson slammed the door closed behind me. Seconds later Jackson entered into the jeep and put something into his pocket as he started the car, and we drove off.
Silence surrounded us heavily. The only sound was the sound of the brief air conditioning, and a low humming of the cars motor running.
As the air conditioning was running, I also came to the conclusion that the perfume scent I had smelled was not coming from Paris, but Jackson. But I pushed that thought away as I tried to think of a way to apologize to him.
"Jackson, I-"
"You don't have to apologize to me Ebony." He never once looked over at me as he said this, and I knew he was still a little hurt.
Despite him not admitting it.
"In fact you don't even have to think that I'm hurt by what you told me." Then he looked at me as his eyes held something different in them as he spoke. "I've come to terms with the shit I've done to scare you. I've shown you things your not used too, and of course you'd be afraid of me because of that, so stop trying to apologize for something that is not your fault." He looked back to the road as the light turned green and his speed increased.
"Your right Jackson. I shouldn't have to apologize to you because of the honest truth." I saw the way his jaw clenched and he gripped the steering wheel. His knuckles turning more pale than they already were as I gulped and continued.
"But we're both wrong. Me more than you." His eyes briefly found mine as I explained what Paris told me last night. "Even if you killed a man in cold blood, or you hurt some men to get your friend back, it was because you were protecting me and protecting Markus." His grip on the steering wheel never loosened up like I would have expected, but instead he seemed to be getting more upset as he leaned his other arm on the door and brought his hand up to caress the stubble on his chin while we sat at another red light.
This one seemed to be coincidentally longer than any of the other lights.
"And for that Jackson you deserve an apology from me. For the ungrateful way I've been acting-"
"Ebony, stop."
"I'm sorry for taking everything you've done for me for granted."
"Ebony-"
"You saved me when I needed saving the most. And you've been trying your hardest to keep me safe, and make sure I feel at pea-"
"Ebony I said stop it GOTDAMN it!" He hit the steering wheel and yelled at me as I immediately shut my mouth, and tears came to my eyes on instinct as a ball of fear rose to the surface of my eyes.
A quick image of Gale flashed through my mind as I had the urge to protect myself by bringing up my hands over my head, but I somehow didn't as I only stared at Jackson, and he did the same to me.
I tried to blink away the frightened tears, but they wouldn't stop surfacing as I kept thinking about how in that moment I saw Gale instead of Jackson.
"Ebony-" his voice was softer now, but I didn't give him time to finish what he had to say before I was struggling to get out of the car. "Ebony wait-" he tried to grab my arm, but I jerked away from him.
I then figured out how to unlock the door and I jumped out, not knowing where I was but I didn't want to be in there any longer with him.
I wiped my tears, as I heard another door slam shut. "Ebony!" Paris ran over to me, and grabbed me as I shook my head and tried to pull away from her.
"Ebony, stop crying." She turned me around to her as I sniffled and she wiped my tears. "Tell me what happened." She asked, as I took in shaky breaths and tried to explain to her what just happened.
But I only ended up shaking my head and gulping down the tears that continued to try and fall. "I-It doesn't matter right now." I whispered, avoiding her eyes that I knew held some type of disappointment.
It wasn't like I didn't want to tell her, I just didn't want to seem so weak for crying because Jackson yelled at me.
"You know you can tell me anything Ebony. Anything in the world and I won't judge you. I've been in your shoes before, I know how your life may seem, please don't let your insecurities misguide you." Her eyes stayed on my own as I nodded and she pulled me into a hug.
My eyes caught Jacksons as he leaned on the car and stared at me, his arms were crossed and he seemed like he was having some sort of debate in his mind as he gave me a look that I wasn't familiar with.
Finally I pulled away from Paris and Markus now spoke. "Were still having breakfast right? Okay great." He asked and then answered his own question as Paris held my hand and we made our way to a little restaurant we happened to stop at.
Jackson parked the car, as I was told by Paris, and the three of us found a seat inside. I knew Paris wanted to know more about what happened with Jackson and I, and I assured her everything was fine.
She sat next to me as Jackson finally walked in and he let out a deep breath as he slid in beside Markus, and Markus asked Paris what she was getting to eat.
"I'm getting pancakes and bacon, what about you Paris." Paris shrugged at his words as she bit her lip. "I'd like to know why Ebony came crying out of your car." Paris slapped her menu against the table and eyed Jackson as he bit his cheek and looked back at her with the same deadly look.
"Your over stepping your boundaries, and its not cool." Jackson said, raising an eyebrow as Paris only shook her head and continued to eye him.
"I only overstep my boundaries when I know someone who's supposed to be protected, has now been once again been betrayed." I knew Paris hit a low blow when she said that, because of what she told me last night.
She wouldn't actually go against her word, right?
But by the way Jacksons eyes grew darker, and the way his head dropped a slight inch, I knew she was pushing it.
"Don't test me Paris." Jacksons voice somehow came out as a deep almost animalistic growl as I saw Paris slightly falter, but she stood her ground as Markus and I both watched Jackson's hands ball into fists at the table.
Markus cracked his knuckles under the table, and I wondered if he was preparing to stop a fight.
But I also wondered if Jackson would really hit a girl. Moreover someone he's known, intimately.
"Here's the pancakes and bacon you all ordered." A woman came by, setting food onto the table coincidentally.
She glanced at Markus and he winked as she smiled and looked around the table, before landing on me. "What would you all like for drinks?" Her eyes never left my own as I looked down at the menu before me and gulped.
"I-I don't know." I whispered as no one answered. Paris and Jackson were still tense about the recent situation and Markus-well I don't know why Markus left me to do this on my own.
"Anything you want hunny." She smiled at me, and I nodded but not really knowing what to get still.
Then, as to not waste her time anymore, or make her get a little aggravated and annoyed with me, I ordered milkshakes for everyone.
With small cups of orange juice.
"Right on it. I'll be back with those as quick as I can." She smiled as she then turned to leave.
"Cut it out. That shit is not cool Paris, you know Jackson has his reasons behind anything so why would you test him?" Markus began to dig into their conversation as Paris scoffed and set her menu down again.
"So your saying it's just okay for him to leave at night and fuck some random bitch in the middle of the night while Ebony's in the bathroom crying because she feels bad about hurting him?" She eyed Markus, as Jackson blinked several times to conceal the shock in his eyes as they then found mine briefly as I felt an exhale of oxygen leave my system.
Paris knew I was crying? I asked myself, but I also questioned what she said about what he did. Did he actually do what Paris said?
It had to be true by the way Jackson reacted as I blinked several times also trying to conceal the emotion in my eyes. I didnt know why I had felt so emotional about what he had did, but something deep down in me felt almost betrayed in a way. Despite knowing that I was the one to practically make him leave last night.
Before I knew it I stood up and rushed to go to the bathroom, and then Paris grabbed my arm and gave me that worried look. "You okay?" She asked, as I let out a shaky sigh and nodded. "I-just p-please dont follow me." I pulled away then and practically ran to the bathroom, grateful that Paris took my words into consideration, and my feelings at the moment as she didnt follow me.
I pushed the door open and went right to the mirror. My eyes were indeed turning red from holding back the tears that always wanted to come through. I bit my cheek and decided to spray some water on my face.
I instantly thought about Jackson and how my mind imagined him as Gale. It terrified me to the deepest of my own fears to end up back in a situation like Gales, or even worse - back in Gales hands. And the fact that I felt hurt by what Paris said about Jackson sleeping with some woman, didnt help the situation as a part of me felt like i knew who it was.
I felt the betrayal, and it hurt just as much as when Gale betrayed his own words of saying he'd never lay a hand on me.
He'd promised to protect me.
I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh. I couldnt let this affect me as much as my mind was trying to tell me to let it. And to calm myself, I turned on the faucet once again and sprayed my face with cold water. And as I then looked up, and opened my eyes I caught the eyes of someone else in the bathroom, and a shocked gasp left my system.
The woman who I thought was gone for good stood behind me. The reason behind the abuse I endured for years, and was reminded everyday that her death was my fault.
That woman was my mother.
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- Ellipticall 🌻