Chapter Seventeen // Purity
Days after hearing what Alex had said about my father made me feel sick to my stomach but I kept trying to deny it.
Alex took a week off from work so we are all able to go to New Jersey. I am placing my last bag in the car and letting out a soft sigh trying to forget everything from the past couple of weeks.
"Are you ready?" Katie asked me.
I nod mutely and get inside the van.
We were going by plane with me, Katie, triplets, Eric and Eli were going two days before and Caleb, Landon, twins, Danny, Carter, Wyatt and Alex were taking a plane two days later since Alex had to be at work for those two extra days.
I got in the van trying to think of something happy but thinking seemed impossible. Katie was on her phone trying to get the directions to the airport. Eli got in humming whatever was playing on the radio then the other four slowly made their way to the car talking about whatever was so important to them. None of them, except for Katie and Alex, knows what's going on with me. None of them has asked either.
Jayden, Hayden and Kayden moved all the way in the back while Eric sat in the middle with Eli and I sat in the front waiting for Katie to pull out.
Once Katie decided to go the guys were yelling at me to change the radio to sports.
I did and they shut up and sat back listening to how baseball season was over.
I placed my headphone in my ears and closed my eyes in hopes that I could be able to get over this pain.
+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+
"When are we going to see him?" Eli asked looking over at me and then his mom.
"In a few days sweetie." Katie smiled.
"Why aren't you jumping for joy. We're in New Jersey for your sake. Aren't you wanting to see anyone?" Jayden asked becoming suspicious once again.
"I'm tried Jayden. Can't I just be tired?" I asked.
"I mean you can be but I would think you'd still be excited." Jayden said holding his bag outside my old home which is just a townhouse.
I unlocked the door and walked in and coughed. I forgot how much it wreaked. It smelt of alcohol and smoke covering the walls.
"Why does it smell bad?" Eli plugged his nose.
"My dad used to drink a lot and smoked Eli." I muttered walking into the house trying to forget it.
Memories washed through my brain and the remainder of her washed through.
"Erika!" My mom called out for me.
I stomped my way down stairs feeling angry.
"What!" I hiss.
"Why aren't you dressed for school? You're going to be late." She had a soft tone in her voice that was relaxing.
"Why are you dying? See mom there's a million questions to yet be answered." I stormed back up the stairs slamming my door.
"Erika! Honey!" She sounded like it pained her just to speak to me.
My dad and mom acted as if nothing was happening to her. Like there was always going to be a tomorrow with her.
I was cleared from my thoughts when Eli screamed.
"Rat!"
I jumped out of my thoughts and before Eli killed the thing with a empty beer bottle I picked up this creature.
"Eli. It's a baby kitten." I mutter picking it up and walking it outside.
"Oh. Kitten. It's still ugly enough to be a rat." Eli sighed in relief.
"Mommy why can't we feed the kitties anymore?" I asked her.
"Because honey we are struggling as it is. We can't save everything."
"But it's not fair to them. It's not their fault that they're homeless."
"I know honey but the worlds like that sometimes. Sometimes life is unfair." She whispered.
"Erika?" Katie whispered making me come back again.
"Hmm?" I hummed.
"Is everything ok?" She asked.
"Yeah. Everything's fine." I smiled at her this time.
"You seem to be a little out of things. Ever since you walked into this house." She said rubbing my back.
"Just trying to register everything again. I'm gonna clean up around here. I didn't think it was this messy." I whispered.
"Ok honey." She nodded.
I picked up the multiple empty bottles of empty beers and put them in a box. I picked it up and took it to the trash outside in the alley but before I was able to do that the doorbell rang.
I sighed and put the box down to answer the door.
"I'll get it!" Eli screamed and he opened the door before I could get to it.
"Who are you?" Eli said looking at the figure in the doorway.
"Charles." He smiled at Eli. "Who are you?" He got down to his level and stared at him.
"Charles what are you doing here?" I asked.
"Erika." Charles smiled widely. "Back so soon?" He asked.
"Yeah. I guess you could say that. Now what are you doing here?" I asked.
"I was walking by and noticed your lights on. I was making sure no one broke in considering the fact that you live in a tight part of the city." He said smiling at me.
I've always hated Charles even during my time with his son. He was a nightmare. I constantly felt as if I was being stalked by him. He was a strange man.
"Well thank you for checking up on the house. I need to get going now." He stopped the door from closing with his foot.
He always pushed his way through life. Jack never really talked about him or even wanted me to meet his dad for months of us being together and then one day I met him by accident. A place I worked, a coffee shop two blocks away from my house. Jack was visit me and apparently his dad followed.
I was going table my table giving them what they wanted.
"Thank you so much deary." An old lady grinned widely at me and looked back at her book.
"My pleasure." I grinned.
The elderly were my favorite about the coffee shop because they were the most kind. They didn't grump about coffee not being ready when others wanted it to be. They mostly forgot about time while others around them rushed time.
I was cleaning off the front counter when Jack walked in.
"Babe." Jack said holding a dozen roses.
I smiled at him. "You didn't have too." I said softly.
"But I did. It's our six month anniversary. Six months of being with someone worth wild. Thank you for loving me." He was also holding a letter behind those roses.
"A letter?" I grinned.
"I can't write like a pro but I tried too for you." He said. "I know I'm probably not the most amazing guy around but I'm trying to be enough for you." Jack said sitting down on the stool in front of me.
I took both the flowers and letter from him. "You're doing just fine. In fact I love you even more than before." I kissed him over the counter. "Thank you for remembering. I'll be right back. I'm going to put them in my cubby and place them in a vase when I get home and for the letter. That will be read later."
I walked in the back and smelt the roses. They were white because we were both pretty pure then, things started getting crazy after meeting his dad.
I placed them in my cubby and went back to find Jack looking pale.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Erika." He sounded urgent and nervous. "My dad's here."
"What wrong with that?" I asked looking around then.
"Because he's weird around the girls I date." he said.
"Baby nothings going to change because you have a unusual dad." I said back.
Neither Jack nor I knew about each other really. We both kept are really personal things about us to ourselves.
Charles walked back from the men's room.
"Hello." He grinned at me and at the time I thought that was sweet.
"Hi!" I greeted back.
"So I'm guessing your mystery girl." He said.
"I guess so." I looked at now horrified Jack.
"Sorry for my sudden appearance. My son was acting very cheerful recently and I just had to find out why. My names Charles Johnson."
"Nice to meet you." I grinned.
"And you are?" He asked his smile still there.
'Erika. Erika Thomson."
"Erika. Such a beautiful name." He said.
"Thank you." I knew my cheeks flushed red.
"You know Erika means ruler." He said.
"I did not know that." I said sounding surprised.
"It's true."
"I see." I said now noticing that the cafe was getting busy.
"Well I have to get going. I got a busy night. I hope to see you again and soon Erika. Have a nice night." He waved goodbye without even saying anything to his son.
"Bye!" I waved and looked at Jack who literally looks like his life was sucked out of him.
"It wasn't that bad Jack. I don't know why you got so nervous. He's a good person." I said trying to make him feel better.
"Erika. I'm worried still. The girls I've dated said that they feel stalked. I'm not comfortable with this."
"Well I'm not leaving. I'll be fine." I said kissing him one last time before going back to work.
Turns out though Jack was right. His father was a weird one. Every single night I walked home I felt like I was being followed. Like I was being watched. I closed my curtains at night and got dressed in the bathroom where no windows were. I also saw his father a lot more at random times. Sometimes walking past my house, eating at the cafe, at the store, at school and sometimes also at Jack's house. During the beginning of me and Jack's relationship it was as if Charles didn't even exist and then after that day he was everywhere.
"Not so fast sweetie. I wanna catch up. Want to go get some coffee?" He asked.
"I can't. I'm busy." I said trying to push him out again.
"I can always help with whatever you're busy with." He said trying to be helpful.
"I'm good. Thank you though."
"How long are you staying around here?" Charles asked.
"Not long." I said.
"Putting that house for sale?" He asked.
"No." I said trying to make him disappear.
"How are you and Jack doing?" He asked.
"We broke up." I said.
"When?" He sounded surprised at that.
"Over a year ago." I said wanting him to just go.
"I'm sorry to hear that Erika." He said sounding hurt.
"It's fine. I'm happy now. Thanks for stopping by." I said trying to make him leave.
"Erika!" I groaned at the voice knowing that I was doomed.
'Who's that? Your new boyfriend?" Charles asked.
"No." I said then noticing Eli was still there looking back and forth at both of us.
"Eli. Go upstairs please." I asked him.
He nodded and went.
Jayden appeared and looked amused then.
"Who's this?" He asked behind me.
"Charles Johnson." He greeted his smile appeared.
"Jay!" I hissed pushing him back and then slamming the door on Charles foot making him pull back. I closed the door locking it then feeling less stressed.
"Jack's dad visits you?" Jayden had an amused smile on his face.
"Yes he does. Now stop!" I pointed my finger at him feeling my anxiety kick in.
"What's been up with you?" He asked.
"Nothing!" I yelled at him now.
"Obviously it's not nothing if you're getting defensive about it." He pointed out.
"Can this just stop. Please." I begged.
"I'm just wondering Erika." He said walking away.
My phone rang and I picked it up. "Tell your dad to back off." I said through the phone.
"Why what happened?" Jack asked.
"He showed up at my house Jack!" I yelled.
"He went to Colorado?" He didn't sound very happy.
"No I'm back in Jersey for a little bit but I need your dad to go. He's messing things up right now and why didn't he know that we broke up?" I asked.
"I didn't think we were going to be broken up for good. But wait your back? He showed up? What did he say? What did he do?" Jack was full of questions.
"Meet me at the cafe I'll fill you in." I said though the phone.
"Ok." He said then hanging up.
I grabbed my shoes but Katie stopped me.
"Where are you going?" She asked me.
"I'm meeting up with a friend. I'll be back and you can call me any time. I'll answer. I promise." I said.
"Ok." Katie said.
"Katie?" I said turning around.
"I don't want the guys walking around the street. It's a little different then in Colorado. People are bad news around here." I said.
"I won't. Erika." She now had a concerned voice.
"Yes?" I asked.
"Can you please take one of the older boys." She asked.
I felt sick.
"Yeah." I said.
"I'll go!" Jayden came out of nowhere and gave up his time to spend it with me. I knew this was already a bad idea.
I was already going out the door and Jayden sadly caught up.
"So how hot is your friend?" He asked. "Scrawny? Brownish black curly hair? Shorter than me? Dresses like they own the place? Cares for you? Has a dick. Surprisingly. Oh and let me guess he's obsessed with you." Jayden already knew who we were meeting and I hated that he did.
"Jack isn't all that bad." I muttered as we walked.
"Please Erika. Stop telling yourself that. It gets really annoying." Jayden said.
"He's not Jayden." I said turning down an alley to get to the cafe quicker.
"Please. You always hang around trouble. It's like your a magnet and you instantly pull them towards you." He said as he followed my moves.
We passed by many drug addicts and I ignored every single one of them but Jayden stared as we passed by.
"I don't mean to bring trouble." I whispered.
"I know you don't mean too. But you sure protect them." He said shaking his head.
"I'm not protecting them." I shake my head.
We walk into the cafe then and Jayden looks at me as I connect them with Jack's.
"But you sure do look at him as if it's the first time." Jayden said putting his arm around my waist and I knew he was trying to make Jack angry.
Jayden was also trouble. Like he said I was surrounded in it. I was drowning in it actually.
"Jack." I smiled at him and Jack fixed his eyes onto me.
"Hey." He grinned.
Jayden stayed close behind me making sure Jack wouldn't try anything.
"Why are you back?" He asked.
"I wanted too. I have to clear some things up." I said looking around at the coffee shop.
"Nothing's changed if that's what you're wondering." Jack said then leading me to a empty table.
"Oh." I said sitting down next to Jayden who pulled my chair very close to his.
"I remember bringing you flowers every month for our anniversary. White Roses were your favorite because you thought of purity." Jack smiled at the reminder of it.
"Purity?" Jayden then seemed interested.
"I'm still a virgin Jayden. That's what he means by that." I said but Jack knew more.
"That's it?" Jayden didn't seem to happy about that. "Wait so you and Jack and the beanstalk didn't bang?"
"No. We didn't. I respected her. I didn't want to anyways. I loved her so much that I wouldn't force anything." He said staring at Jayden with competition in his eyes.
"I respect her too in fact she trusts me a lot Jack. So I know the shit you pulled on her so fuck off." Jayden glared at him.
"He knows everything?" He looked at me a bit hurt.
"He does." I whispered.
"He knows it was an accident right?" He asked.
"I've tried to tell him that multiple times but he doesn't listen." I said looking at my hands.
"You can't accidentally stab someone." Jayden glared at him. "I'm watching every move you make Jackie."
"So that's why you came. You want to make sure I don't screw her over. I love her. I'm in love with her still if I wasn't I wouldn't have went to Colorado, I wouldn't have given her that letter. I'd do anything for her. No matter what it takes I will try to get her back."
"Well back off pussy because I'm making sure you don't." Jayden had rage glowing in his eyes.
I got up causing the chair and the ground to disagree with each other as the chair slid across the ground.
"Enough!" I hissed.
"Sit down Erika." Jayden said yanking me down. "I wasn't planning on ripping off his head in public. That would make a scene."
"I'm sorry Erika." Jack said softly and apologetically.
"It's ok." I said quietly too.
Jayden looked pissed off and annoyed.
"You forgive too easily." Jayden's words echoed through my brain and I tried to shake it away.
"So I need you to make sure your dad stays away." I said.
"I can't control him." Jack said.
"Just a few minutes ago you said you'd do just about anything for her." Jayden said happy suddenly.
"And I will. I'll try my best." He said now looking at me with remorse.
"Thank you." I whispered.
"Your dad's worried about you." Jack said then.
"I know." I said sounded as if we were talking about the weather.
"You're acting weird." Jack said.
"I just can't see him right now Jack." I said which caused Jayden's ears to perk up.
"Why not?" Jack asked.
"I just can't. Can't that be enough of a reason?" I asked.
"No. It can't be I worry about you constantly." Jack said.
"Damn do you ever stop saying shit that you don't mean." Jayden said harshly.
"What?" Jack asked.
"You heard me." Jayden growled out.
"I do mean everything I just said." Jack said sounded defencive.
"Bullshit." Jayden glared then.
A/N- As of right now I have one more chapter completed and then the rest aren't even written. I write chapter by chapter and every week I post one. My juices aren't flowing as of recently and next week I will post chapter eighteen but you will have to be patient with me for the rest of the story. I love you guys very much and hope you guys have a good week. I love you!