Song: When I Was Your Man by Bruno Mars

Chapter Fifty-five: I've always wanted a snot collection

Serena Davis and Zane Rivers, friends from the beginning, have now become lovers. The perfect couple is brewing in our mists.

"I don't think you want to be reading that."

I jumped at the sound of someone's voice behind me. When I turned around it was Jayden.

Okay, maybe I shouldn't have been looking at CeCe's blog over and over again, but I just couldn't help it. And the headlines, Oh my goodness, I hate CeCe Ryder already. But I did look pathetic in the pictures.

I wasn't in the mood for Jayden right now. I held up a hand. "Please don't start. I'm not at my best."

He frowned. "I can see that. And you probably know I know why."

I just turned and continued walking. He caught up to me and started along with me. He took my phone from my hand.

I touched my forehead. "Please stop."

"I'm trying to help you."

"You're giving me a migraine."

He shook his head. "No. The review you keep reading over and over again is giving you a migraine. Shouldn't you be in school?"

I didn't reply him.

"You know, you're near Tate's and that is usually where me and my brother are at. Do you think it's smart?"

I stopped in my tracks when I noticed I could see Tate's from where I stood.

"Oh, so you're listening to me now."

I still didn't answer. I just turned and started heading the opposite way. He started along beside me as well.

"My brother has seen the blog."

I crossed my arms. "He must be delighted."

Jayden clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth. "No, Actually he's very pissed off."

My eyebrows creased.

He answered the question, I didn't even ask yet. "He's pissed off because Zane hurt you. Let's just hope Zane has some high-tech security at his house."

I stopped. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He stopped also and turned to me. "It means Jaxon is pissed off at Zaney boy for hurting you and when he's pissed off, he's problematic."

My heart sunk. "Does he plan to hurt him?"

"Why would you care? Shouldn't you hate his guts?"

"I may be angry with him, but that doesn't mean I don't still care for him."

It's true. No matter how angry I was at Zane, I couldn't stand the thought of him being hurt. 

Or worse, dead.

Jaxon wouldn't go that far, right?

Well, he's a psychopathic stalker that is obsessed with you. What do you think the maniac would do to your boyfriend?

Ex-boyfriend.

He nodded. "Well he needs to get his act together. I mean, look at you, you look like you've been ran over by a truckload full of shit."

"I could really do without everyone telling me how bad I look."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"With you, no thanks." I continued on my way. And again, he followed.

"Are you sure? You can pretend I'm not here."

"Why would you even want to waste your time talking to me about my feelings?"

"You know, I think I took a liking to you."

I turned to him, and with the way he laughed, I must have looked horrified. "I didn't mean it like that. You're not really my type."

I let out a sigh of relief.

"You have an interesting life, you know."

"Do you know everything about me?"

"Well... I do know a lot from what I can tell from my brother's weird collection. I know that your Dad and Mum divorced two years ago. And that your Mum was in an accident a few weeks back, and is now in Africa with her doctor boyfriend. I know you and your sister are at your Dad's house with his new family. I know that you have two older siblings who are currently not in the country. I know you have four friends and there are four girls in your school who give you bullshit, one of them being your stepsister. I know that this guy called Wren fell in love with your second identity, and then found out and decided to keep his distance. I know this other guy called Axel fell in love with your real identity. And I know there's this girl called Serena who's trying to snag your Prince Charming."

I blinked. "You seem to know as much as me."

"And yet, my brother seems to know more. What I don't know, is why Zane would cheat on you."

"Please can we not talk about him? I'm not ready for another session of waterworks."

"Too late." He muttered as he put his hand in his pocket and held out a handkerchief to me.

I stared at it. "How do I know it's not infected or I mean poisoned?"

"Because in my family, the apple does fall too far from the tree."

"If you're referring to your brother, that is wrong because it's an idiom that deals with parents not siblings."

His eyebrows shot up. "Did I ask for a lesson? I don't remember doing so though."

I took the hanky, cleaned my tears and blew my nose in it. I handed it back to him. He held only the tip of it.

"Thank you. I've always wanted a snot collection." He replied, sarcastically.

I smiled. "You're welcome."

"Look at that, Jay just made Char smile."

"No he did not."

He nodded. "I think he did. You're welcome."

Thanks.

He stopped in his tracks and turned to the side. 

"What?" I asked.

"I think I saw movement."

My eyes snapped in the direction his did. Out of the shadows came Jaxon smiling very brightly. "Hello brother."

"Oh shit!" Jay cursed under his breath. I unconsciously started backing away.

Jaxon crossed the street and stood in front of Jay. Jay was tall, but Jaxon was taller so it was sort of an intimidating stance.

"Jaxon, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." His eyes flashed to me and his jaw clenched. "Why do you look like that?"

Really?

"You mean scared?" Jay asked. "You're freaking her out bro."

Jaxon ignored Jay and stepped around him towards me. I kept stepping back until my back hit the wall. What am I afraid off? It's day time. People are not much, but they're here.

"Don't be scared. It's just me."

Well...

Jay put a hand on his shoulder and Jaxon shrugged it off. "Stay out of this bro. None of this is your business." He turned to him. "What are you doing with her?"

"I ran into her, and she thought I was you."

He turned back to me. "Don't be sad. Don't worry. I'll hurt whoever makes you sad."

"No." I muttered.

He took another step towards me. I kept my eyes downward. He touched my chin and raised it up. "I am not the enemy. He is."

I flinched away from his touch. "You injured me."

He looked like he felt bad. "I didn't mean to."

Well, what do you think was going to happen if you kept kicking me that hard?

He put his hand on my face and I turned my head. "Please don't touch me."

He listened to me and took a step back. And another and another until he was at Jay's side. He sent me one last look before turning to his brother, his jaw set in a straight line.

"Let's go."

Jayden didn't even argue as his brother started heading down the street. He just shot me a glance and muttered, "Bye" before stalking after his brother.

"Bye." I replied even though he couldn't see me.

*******************

"I didn't think you were the type to skip school."

It was a really long walk to Dad's house, but it gave me time to cry, and then think, and then cry as I was thinking. School wasn't yet over by the time I got to the house. 

When I had opened the door, Mrs. Brooks was coming down the stairs.

"I'm not skipping school."

Really?

"It's school hours, and you're here." She expatiated.

"It's complicated."

Not really.

"I see."

I doubt she could say much seeing as she probably knew Anastasia skipped school also.

"Tell Grace to make you a cup of green tea, it could help with your fever."

I gave her a blank stare. "I don't have a fever."

She gestured to my face. "Then what could be the cause of that?"

Without wanting to give her an explanation, I went with "I have a fever."

"But you said you didn't."

"It's complicated."

She nodded. "I see. Then you still need that green tea. When she's done, make sure she goes back to her quarters."

She started walking past me, but my voice stopped her. "Why?"

"Because green tea is very nutritional. It contains a catechin called-"

I cut her off. "No. What I meant is, why can't Grace stay in the house? I've seen her quarters, it's not a very comfortable place. It's very congested. It's the size of my bathroom. Maybe even smaller."

"I don't see how that is any of my business."

"There are so many empty rooms in this house. Why can't she just stay in one of them?"

"Because she's the help."

"She's also human. She could suffocate there. She can't even eat with us. There are empty seats at the dining table. Please just think about it."

She hesitated. "Fine." And then she walked out of the house.

I headed to Grace's quarters which was like a small shed at the back of the house. I knocked on the door, but there was no reply. There's no way she couldn't hear me. The place is probably smaller than my bathroom. Maybe she's in the house.

You should have checked first.

I headed back to the house, and saw her in the kitchen doing something. She turned around and handed me the cup of green tea. 

"Thank you." I sat at the edge of the table and started sipping it from my mug. She just stayed there, staring at me.

"How come you don't speak to me?"

She glanced down, shyly. "Me cannot speaking proper. I did not going to class."

"Oh."

"Thanking you for say it to Madame."

"It was no problem. How come you can't speak properly if you're surrounded by people who can?"

"Madame do not like to be see me in this place. So I go away."

"How old are you?"

"I are just 19."

"Really? I thought you were older."

"Hard work making youth be fade."

"Oh. I could help you with your English if you want."

She sent me a smile. "Madame never say yes."

"Don't worry. It'll be our secret."

She smiled and nodded before starting to head out. "If you are just 19, why are you here? Why not in school?"

She hesitated. "Father gave me away when just 12. Mother died so he did not want me no more. He gave me away to be servant for money. I kept being selling until 3 years ago, Madame buy me."

My heart broke for her. For a father to sell his own daughter is horrible. "I am so sorry." I walked up to her and gave her a hug.

At that moment, all my problems seemed so little compared to hers. Her mother died. Her father sold her like she was an object. She became a servant. Who knew if she was maltreated where she came from? And now she has ended up here, I cannot let her be mistreated again.

"It okay. I forget all about it."

I looked at her, and she wasn't even shedding a single tear. "You are so strong. I wish I was more like you."

"Whatever bad is doing you now will go away so do not worry. It okay." I hugged her again. She patted my back. "It okay."

"Go rest. I bring you sweetening meal."

I smiled at her. "Thank you."

"No. Thank you."

She headed out of the room. I went back to the counter and continued with the very bitter green tea. How do people love this stuff? It is literally 95 percent water and 5 percent leaf. 

I needed to busy myself to prevent unwanted thoughts, the green tea would be useless if I continued crying. I carried my mug out of the kitchen to my bedroom. I'm going to watch a movie.

**************

How was that? I hope it wasn't too short.

Please vote, comment, share and give feedback. Thanks and Toodles ;)