Dedicated to @MusicLuver0216 for her support to the story! ^-^ Thank you!

CHAPTER 13 : Survive the devil

Yesterday’s attack still showed its impact as I was feeling utterly sick and uncomfortable. If I was still in home, dad would be going crazy about it and keep on shoving medicine and adequate food in my mouth, and of course, calling Dr Brown and asking him tons of questions. No matter how hard I tried to calm him down, he wouldn’t stop. It was like he was having asthma attack and not me because the stress was visible on his face more. That showed what an amazing father I had.

I woke up at early morning the next day due to the immense pain and tightness in my chest. I could make out from my bed that it was still dark and the Sun hasn’t rise yet. I could feel the chills in the atmosphere due to the low temperature so I covered myself up to my neck with the blanket and stared at the curtained window aimlessly, thinking of all the events that took place the previous day.

I still couldn’t believe Ryan didn’t trust me with his problems. He didn’t want me near him when he was going through all this. If Ashton wouldn’t have told me this, I would still be in dark and would be hating Ryan because he cheated on me and not because he lied to me.

“Jade, are you up?” Dillan’s voice called softly from the opposite side of the door. I had made him worried as well, which was not very nice as of me because the guy already had his own issues to sort out.

I remember when I was in school and found out that Dillan was going to study with us, I wasn’t very pleased by that as he acted like a jerk when we went to the polo match. But then we became friends and slowly, we became like siblings. He was like my brother that sometimes acted as an older one by taking care of me and the other moments, behaves like a younger one.

“Yes, I’m up.” I said slowly, my voice hoarse. I was too tired to even speak anything because my whole body was aching.

The door opened, making a horrible noise along with it.

“Arg, get it fixed.” I complained while covering my ears with my palm.

“I’ll do it later.” he spoke, closing the door behind him. “Now, eat this.”

He placed a bowl of hot chicken soup in front of me and then stood straight. I looked at him in confusion while he was smiling proudly at his masterpiece.

“Why?” I asked, sliding the bowl a little away from myself.

“Because you’re sick and I know you eat chicken soup when you’re ill.” he stated, crossing his arm over his chest.

I gasped mentally at his statement. How did he even know about it? I had never felt so sick in front of him that he’ll know such things. Oh wait.

 “Who told you that?” I asked.

“I called your dad.” he said innocently but till then, I was terrified. What have he done? Now dad will get worried about me.

“Dillan, didn’t I tell you about ‘don’t tell my dad’ about this situation?”

“You did but it was important. And don’t worry, I didn’t tell him about you. I asked it in a twisted method, or what you can call, in Dillan Mercer’s method.” he smirked confidently, going a chuckle from me.

“Okay, thank you Dillan. You are a sweetheart.” I managed to say and then again laid myself on the soft sheets.

“If you were well right now, I would be fighting with you for calling me with such a feminine name but I’ll let it pass.” he chuckled. He took off his shoes and sat next to me.

“Now eat it Jojo.” he said in a motherly tone.

“I’m too lazy to do that.” I complained and hugged him from his torso.

“It’s five in the morning Jade and you haven’t eaten anything last night, it’s not good for you.” he spoke, keeping the spoon filled with steaming soup which smelled delicious.

I opened my mouth a little for the soup to pass slowly and carefully, without getting it drop on the bed.

“It tastes delicious. You made it right?” I asked the guy sitting next to my sleeping body.

“Yep, I did. Who else?” he answered in an obvious tone, offering another spoon of soup, which I happily ate. Because Dillan made it and that too amazingly. To be honest, I wanted to cry at that moment. He was taking such good care of me, even when he didn’t have anything to do with this all.

“Um, Dillan?”

“Hmm?” he spoke softly, with one of his hand busy in offering me soup while the other was placed protectively on my head.

“I love you.” I murmured, tears blurring my vision. I managed to get up and enveloped Dillan in a warm hug. Placing my head in the crook of his neck, I felt his warmth.

He returned the gesture and placed the bowl on the side table. Placing his hands around my waist, he pulled me closer and muttered in my hair,”I love you too Jade.”

“As much as I’m loving this brother-sister reunion that I don’t want to break it but I would like to talk to Jade for a few minutes please.” Ashton’s voice said from the direction of the door.

I turned around and saw him standing on the footsteps of my bedroom door. His expression was not clear as my room was still pinch dark and the only light that filled it up a little was coming from the living room.

“Why?” Dillan asked, his hands still wrapped from me protectively.

“Please Dillan, don’t be like this. Let me talk, nothing bad will happen by that.” Ashton spoke, taking steps closer to the bed.

“No, you can’t talk and fill up nonsense in her head. She had enough Ashton.” Dillan said firmly.

I was shocked to see him quarrelling with his brother, especially because of me. I would never want to be the topic of someone fighting.

“Nothing’s bad with that Dillan, Ashton’s right.” I spoke, looking him straight into the eye.

“See? She knows me better than you.” Ashton teased, taking the seat on the chair near to the bed.

“Fine, I’ll go but remember what I told you last night brother.” Dillan spoke and stood up. He placed his hand over my forehead when I was again laying down and spoke, “You feel warm. Stay in today, okay?”

“Okay, I’m always happy to bunk college.” I chuckled, followed by Dillan.

After he left the room, Ashton turned on the bedside lamp and pulled the chair closer to the bed.

“I’m sorry for last night Jade. I didn’t know it will end up like this.”

“It’s fine. I over reacted a bit.”

“Are you okay now?”

“Yes, I am.” I lied.

“Look, you’re like a sister to me. Dillan and I, we both see you like our own sister and that is why I know why he’s so protective for you. I know I shouldn’t have told you what I said last night but I had no choice left.”

“You don’t have to apology in every sentence, you know?” I chuckled lightly

“I can’t help it. I know that it’s my fault that you looks so awful today.”

“Well, thank you.” I said sardonically.

He took a deep breath and began, “Do you think Ryan could ever do such a thing to you? Cheat on you?”

I stayed quiet; it wasn’t my time to speak now. I didn’t even know the answer of his question. But then, a question popped in my head which I couldn’t resist to ignore.

“Can I ask you something?” I asked.

“Sure.”

“Yesterday, when I was coming from college, I heard Ryan talking to someone. He seemed pretty tensed and worried. Do you have any idea about that?” I asked.

“Um, about that.” He seemed to be thinking deeply for it, lost in his thoughts.

“Okay, do you remember that Ryan never used to attend lunch time in school?”

“Yes.” I always asked him about it but Ryan seemed to be ignoring the question all this time.

“He used to go to his house, to be with his mother.”

That left me confused. Why would he do that?

“I told you that the relationship between his parents is not on good terms so because of that, his mother always seemed depressed and sad. In public, she may seem to be the happiest woman in the world but when she was at home, she was sad. And that got Ryan worried for her. He once saw his mom grabbing a knife from the kitchen counter and thought that she was going to harm herself. He was just worried for her Jade. He’s her son; every son is very close to his mother and wants to protect every female member of his family. That was what Ryan was doing. Yesterday when you heard him talking on the phone, it must be from his mother, he keeps on telling her not to take any wrong step, even when she’s not even thinking of doing anything.”

I listened to him carefully, taking in every word he spoke.

“His mother is a very strong woman. I’ve known her since I became friends with Ryan and I know that she won’t do anything to herself but Ryan, he’s just too stubborn to understand. Yes, she is very depressed by her failed martial life and may have thought of doing things she shouldn’t be doing but that doesn’t mean she would kill herself and leave her beloved children alone.”

“Then why don’t they file for a divorce? It would be better for both of them.” I spoke, covering myself with the blanket again.

“It’s not so easy. Mr Matthews is a man of show. He won’t get separated from his wife as she holds a very respectful and honoured persona in the society and the whole business industry. Mrs Matthews love her husband a lot but I don’t know why she is still tolerating him when he doesn’t even treat her right.”

“Maybe it’s because she thinks that it’ll affect her children?” I suggested.

“Yeah but they are both grown up now, what’s the problem in separating now? Even Ryan wants his mother to get separate from his father.” Ashton said.

After all his explanation, I felt a hint of guilt deep inside for Ryan. He was going through so much but I couldn’t help him at all. He never told me but I didn’t see it myself? How was that even possible?

“To be honest, I never even liked his dad myself. He’s just too rude and self-centred. And that is why Ryan hates him so much” Ashton spoke.

“But it still doesn’t explain why he broke up with me Ash? I mean, I know what he’s going through is awful and I wish I could do anything about it but why me? Why doesn’t he want me near him?” I asked, pressuring on ‘me’.

“It’s because he thinks he’ll be like his dad as well. He has grown up watching a failed husband and father. He thinks he would turn up like his father. You know he pushes away everyone he loves at the time of troubles because he doesn’t want them to suffer along with him.”

I closed my eyes. I couldn’t take the pain; it was getting out of my control.

How didn’t I not see it all the whole time? Was I blind? I just couldn’t believe anything at that moment. My whole body was exhausted. First the attack and now the situations with Ryan, I couldn’t take the stress any longer.

“Why are you telling me this now?” I asked, my voice cracked.

“Because there is only one person that could fix his fucking brain. And that’s you.”

I narrowed my eyes at the guy in front of me. Me? Really? How was I the one?

“He’s crazy about you Jade. He waited so many years to be with you. I’ve seen him talking about you endlessly. I know how much he cares about you and he will never say no to you.”

“But how am I supposed to ‘fix’ him?” I asked, fingering quoting ‘fix’.

A smirk formed on his face, like he had an evil plan in his mind.

“Do anything. Tease him, make him jealous, torture him, do anything, just stay near him.”

“What kind of a friend are you Ash? You’re asking me to torture Ryan?” I asked with disbelief.

“So> He broke your heart, didn’t he? Make him pay for that. Just stay near him Jade, don’t ignore the poor guy, he needs you, even if it’s a negative way.”

I chuckled at his explanation. It sounded kind of fun though, no matter how much I felt sad for Ryan, he still broke my heart and he deserved to pay for that. And I was going to do it.

“So, what do you think?” Ash asked, hope clear in his eyes.

“Um, okay, why not?” I chuckled and got up.

“Great. You really are a good listener.” He got up and kissed my forehead.”Take care kid.”

“I will.”

Ash walked toward the door happily and then turned to me before getting out.”Hey Jade, thank you.”

“No problem. I’ll have fun with doing what you told.” I laughed along with Ash and then he went out.

I closed my eyes and laid comfortably on the bed, thinking of that devil who once took my heart and he still has it.

But now, I have to survive the devil

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Blah, the chapter sucked! Sorry!

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