Status: Slow But Sure
I'm Adopted: Vengeance Edition.
92
Jackie's POV
"I have to piss." I announced loudly as the doorbell rang. Everyone stared at me "Well, I'll get that I guess then first..." I walked over, smiling on the inside.
Matt had been crawling on the inside the entire time he was here because I was ignoring him. I had my fingers glued to the keyboard of my phone texting Aaron, some kid I knew from my Psych class at school. He was like six foot four, brown hair, green eyes, and built. He was in the class for background for his criminal justice degree. He was really nice, and really nice to look at and we had hit it off in our first class together. He had my sense of humor, and he barely knew the band. Knew of them, not obsessed with them. No one in my school really was, so I wasn't worried about it. But of course Zack had been drilling me about him since he saw me send that text earlier. I mean, what was I gonna do? Miss the chance to watch Matt squirm while I talked about another man?
HA!
"Hey!" I smiled as I opened the door, greeted by Aaron's big smile.
"Hi! He smiled and hugged me "So what's up? Just hangin out?" He asked.
"Ya, the guys were getting together, we were gonna barbeque some food, drink some beers." I shrugged.
"Sounds like a good time. Anyone wanna play some beer pong?" Aaron asked. I could just hear the judgement seeping from the guys.
And as if right on cue, Matt began laughing. I could tell what was coming next.
"What are you? In high school?" He laughed.
Aaron looked around my shoulder and his eyes met Matt.
"Let me introduce you guys before we start acting like middle shcoolers." I sneered at Matt. I had left out those details to Aaron when we talked and hung out. He knew the whole Maddy story, but he didn't know it was Matt. And he didn't know my past, just that I was adopted and back. No drugs.
Matt glared at me over the comment and I sat down on the small couch, patting the seat next to me for Aaron. He sat and laughed in Matt's direction.
"Clearly someones stuck in middle shool." He laughed "What's up Sanders?"
"Nothing much, you know, just living the dream Bradshaw."
I stared between the two "Wait... wait, you know eachother?" I asked.
"I grew up down the street from this asshole," Aaron pointed at Matt and laughed "Few years older than me, but we played football together in high school and my older brother knew him. I didn't know you were in a band."
"Oh, the band." Matt nodded "Yah, it was a struggle in school. But we got it now, tours and shit."
"That's sick-"
And the conversastoin kept it going. I was drop jawed, confused as fuck as to how my Matt knew my Aaron. This was seriously fucked up.
"Hey... HEY! Jackie!"
I snapped my eyes open and shut a few times before focussing on Aaron's hand infront of my face "What?" I asked.
"You were shaking." Aaron put his hand on my shoulder "You're still shaking."
I looked at my hands and noticed they were trembling like leaves on a tree. "I'll be right back, I probably just need some water." I stood up and went upstairs. I could hear footsteps following me but I was concentrating on the fact I hadn't taken my pills this morning or this afternoon and I could feel my head getting lighter. I slammed my body into my dresser and grabbed he bag of pills out of the top drawer. I lifted my hand to my mouth and glanced at my pailing skin in the mirror, catching Matt's eye from the doorway. I let a tear slip out my eye and felt my head hit the wooden dresser before everthing went black.
Matt's POV
"I'll be right back, I probably just need some water." She stood and raced up the stairs.
"I'll be back." I raised my hand as words began to leave Aaron's mouth, and chased after Jackie.
She paid no attention to me calling after her and I head a thud as he body collided with her dresser. Her hair fell into her face as she scrambled to grab pills from a small orange bottle.
"Jackie, sit down, you need to sit-"
Her eyes lifted off her hand as they momentarily met mine before she collapsed. "FUCK." I mumbled, shutting the door behind me as I rushed over so no one walked in. Her head had hit off the dresser, leaving a small cut on her forehead. I knelt down and cradled her in my arms, brushing her hair from her face. I could feel her body shaking in my hands and lifted her up.
I walked her into the bathroom and sat her down on the toilet as her eyelids slowly fluttered open.
"Where... what's going on?" She looked up at me, her hand clasping over her mouth quickly.
"Calm down, take these." I handed her the two pills she dropped on the floor and a glass of water. She took them quick and looked up at me "Don't talk. Give it a few minutes." I leaned against the counter and watched as she slowly slid her way to the floor and pressed her back against the bath tub. I raised an eyebrow at her.
"It's nice and cold." She whispered, her voice quiet, not as strong as it had been a few weeks ago when she told me we would never be anything more than friends. "I'm sorry you-"
"Stop." I shook my head.
"No, you shouldn't have to deal with this shit." She shook her head and wiped the tears falling from her eyes with her wrist "It's not your job, it's not for you to deal with-"
"Jackie just stop ok?" I groaned "I just so happened to be the one to follow you and I'm just glad someone did so you didn't fuckin die." I helped her stand "You smacked your forehead."
"I see that... and feel it." She winced as she applied a cloth to her head.
"You should probably-"
"You can leave now." She snapped, turning to me, her eyes a deep green, one I'd never seen before.
"I just wanna make sure you're ok."
"It's not your job Matt, stop it." She shook her head, wincing again.
"It's not a job, Jaclyn, it's being a friend-"
"WELL FUCKING STOP OK?!" She screamed. "I'm so done! I don't want to fucking be with you ok? I don't want to hang out with you, I don't want to fucking look at you ok?!" She screamed, cracking the glass she was holding "I want you to just leave ok?! I dont want to look at your fucking face any more. It fucking hurts and I can't deal with it. I want to be fucking normal."
"I just want to help you, I just-"
"STOP. STOP TRYING TO SAVE ME MATT. You can't. I can't even save myself, look at me!" She screamed "I'm a fucking wreck. I can't function. I lost my fucking child. I'm pushing away the only man who actually loves me regardless of how fucking insane I am, just stop caring!"
"I can't!" I screamed. Because I love you tingled against my lipts but I promised not only Michelle but Zack also that I wouldn't pull that card.
"Well then I can't be around you." She walked out of the room and into her bedroom.
I walked behind her and groaned "Can you just realize that this is a thing?" I asked "We're going to see eachother, Zack's not gonna let you leave, you can't escape it."
"I'm not the problem." She laughed and sat on her bed "You are. You always have to care." She laughed a little "I couldn't give less fucks about you if I tried! I honestly don't give a flying fuck what you think any more. I just want you to start acting like a fucking normal person. Like a normal friend if you have to be one."
"Brian or Jim would have done the same thing." I stood infront of her "You know for a fact they would have-"
"Then why didn't they? Why are they sitting downstairs with Aaron right now?" She asked.
"Another thing," I stopped her "What's with you hanging out with Aaron Bradshaw? He's a fucking prick-"
"Not from what I've expirienced." She shrugged "He's a nice kid, shut up Matthew. Get your head out of your goddamn ass, it's not a fucking hat!" She shouted and I couldn't helpl but laugh.
"That joke is older than you are, shut up." I laughed as she stood up. "You're not fooling me, Jackie. You're putting up this wall of fake strenght. You need to get a grip."
"Oh really?" She laughed, shaking her head "A grip on what? reality? Cuz I'm pretty sure I have a better grip on reality than you do." She smiled "Just fuck off, Matt. Please."
"Fine. I'll stop giving a fuck." I shrugged and walked out the door "You'll crack, I know you will." I smiled back at her, watching the corners of her mouth twitch with a smile as I walked out of view.
"I have to piss." I announced loudly as the doorbell rang. Everyone stared at me "Well, I'll get that I guess then first..." I walked over, smiling on the inside.
Matt had been crawling on the inside the entire time he was here because I was ignoring him. I had my fingers glued to the keyboard of my phone texting Aaron, some kid I knew from my Psych class at school. He was like six foot four, brown hair, green eyes, and built. He was in the class for background for his criminal justice degree. He was really nice, and really nice to look at and we had hit it off in our first class together. He had my sense of humor, and he barely knew the band. Knew of them, not obsessed with them. No one in my school really was, so I wasn't worried about it. But of course Zack had been drilling me about him since he saw me send that text earlier. I mean, what was I gonna do? Miss the chance to watch Matt squirm while I talked about another man?
HA!
"Hey!" I smiled as I opened the door, greeted by Aaron's big smile.
"Hi! He smiled and hugged me "So what's up? Just hangin out?" He asked.
"Ya, the guys were getting together, we were gonna barbeque some food, drink some beers." I shrugged.
"Sounds like a good time. Anyone wanna play some beer pong?" Aaron asked. I could just hear the judgement seeping from the guys.
And as if right on cue, Matt began laughing. I could tell what was coming next.
"What are you? In high school?" He laughed.
Aaron looked around my shoulder and his eyes met Matt.
"Let me introduce you guys before we start acting like middle shcoolers." I sneered at Matt. I had left out those details to Aaron when we talked and hung out. He knew the whole Maddy story, but he didn't know it was Matt. And he didn't know my past, just that I was adopted and back. No drugs.
Matt glared at me over the comment and I sat down on the small couch, patting the seat next to me for Aaron. He sat and laughed in Matt's direction.
"Clearly someones stuck in middle shool." He laughed "What's up Sanders?"
"Nothing much, you know, just living the dream Bradshaw."
I stared between the two "Wait... wait, you know eachother?" I asked.
"I grew up down the street from this asshole," Aaron pointed at Matt and laughed "Few years older than me, but we played football together in high school and my older brother knew him. I didn't know you were in a band."
"Oh, the band." Matt nodded "Yah, it was a struggle in school. But we got it now, tours and shit."
"That's sick-"
And the conversastoin kept it going. I was drop jawed, confused as fuck as to how my Matt knew my Aaron. This was seriously fucked up.
"Hey... HEY! Jackie!"
I snapped my eyes open and shut a few times before focussing on Aaron's hand infront of my face "What?" I asked.
"You were shaking." Aaron put his hand on my shoulder "You're still shaking."
I looked at my hands and noticed they were trembling like leaves on a tree. "I'll be right back, I probably just need some water." I stood up and went upstairs. I could hear footsteps following me but I was concentrating on the fact I hadn't taken my pills this morning or this afternoon and I could feel my head getting lighter. I slammed my body into my dresser and grabbed he bag of pills out of the top drawer. I lifted my hand to my mouth and glanced at my pailing skin in the mirror, catching Matt's eye from the doorway. I let a tear slip out my eye and felt my head hit the wooden dresser before everthing went black.
Matt's POV
"I'll be right back, I probably just need some water." She stood and raced up the stairs.
"I'll be back." I raised my hand as words began to leave Aaron's mouth, and chased after Jackie.
She paid no attention to me calling after her and I head a thud as he body collided with her dresser. Her hair fell into her face as she scrambled to grab pills from a small orange bottle.
"Jackie, sit down, you need to sit-"
Her eyes lifted off her hand as they momentarily met mine before she collapsed. "FUCK." I mumbled, shutting the door behind me as I rushed over so no one walked in. Her head had hit off the dresser, leaving a small cut on her forehead. I knelt down and cradled her in my arms, brushing her hair from her face. I could feel her body shaking in my hands and lifted her up.
I walked her into the bathroom and sat her down on the toilet as her eyelids slowly fluttered open.
"Where... what's going on?" She looked up at me, her hand clasping over her mouth quickly.
"Calm down, take these." I handed her the two pills she dropped on the floor and a glass of water. She took them quick and looked up at me "Don't talk. Give it a few minutes." I leaned against the counter and watched as she slowly slid her way to the floor and pressed her back against the bath tub. I raised an eyebrow at her.
"It's nice and cold." She whispered, her voice quiet, not as strong as it had been a few weeks ago when she told me we would never be anything more than friends. "I'm sorry you-"
"Stop." I shook my head.
"No, you shouldn't have to deal with this shit." She shook her head and wiped the tears falling from her eyes with her wrist "It's not your job, it's not for you to deal with-"
"Jackie just stop ok?" I groaned "I just so happened to be the one to follow you and I'm just glad someone did so you didn't fuckin die." I helped her stand "You smacked your forehead."
"I see that... and feel it." She winced as she applied a cloth to her head.
"You should probably-"
"You can leave now." She snapped, turning to me, her eyes a deep green, one I'd never seen before.
"I just wanna make sure you're ok."
"It's not your job Matt, stop it." She shook her head, wincing again.
"It's not a job, Jaclyn, it's being a friend-"
"WELL FUCKING STOP OK?!" She screamed. "I'm so done! I don't want to fucking be with you ok? I don't want to hang out with you, I don't want to fucking look at you ok?!" She screamed, cracking the glass she was holding "I want you to just leave ok?! I dont want to look at your fucking face any more. It fucking hurts and I can't deal with it. I want to be fucking normal."
"I just want to help you, I just-"
"STOP. STOP TRYING TO SAVE ME MATT. You can't. I can't even save myself, look at me!" She screamed "I'm a fucking wreck. I can't function. I lost my fucking child. I'm pushing away the only man who actually loves me regardless of how fucking insane I am, just stop caring!"
"I can't!" I screamed. Because I love you tingled against my lipts but I promised not only Michelle but Zack also that I wouldn't pull that card.
"Well then I can't be around you." She walked out of the room and into her bedroom.
I walked behind her and groaned "Can you just realize that this is a thing?" I asked "We're going to see eachother, Zack's not gonna let you leave, you can't escape it."
"I'm not the problem." She laughed and sat on her bed "You are. You always have to care." She laughed a little "I couldn't give less fucks about you if I tried! I honestly don't give a flying fuck what you think any more. I just want you to start acting like a fucking normal person. Like a normal friend if you have to be one."
"Brian or Jim would have done the same thing." I stood infront of her "You know for a fact they would have-"
"Then why didn't they? Why are they sitting downstairs with Aaron right now?" She asked.
"Another thing," I stopped her "What's with you hanging out with Aaron Bradshaw? He's a fucking prick-"
"Not from what I've expirienced." She shrugged "He's a nice kid, shut up Matthew. Get your head out of your goddamn ass, it's not a fucking hat!" She shouted and I couldn't helpl but laugh.
"That joke is older than you are, shut up." I laughed as she stood up. "You're not fooling me, Jackie. You're putting up this wall of fake strenght. You need to get a grip."
"Oh really?" She laughed, shaking her head "A grip on what? reality? Cuz I'm pretty sure I have a better grip on reality than you do." She smiled "Just fuck off, Matt. Please."
"Fine. I'll stop giving a fuck." I shrugged and walked out the door "You'll crack, I know you will." I smiled back at her, watching the corners of her mouth twitch with a smile as I walked out of view.