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1. 25. Again
To say I was nervous yet bubbling with excitement the whole drive to Jason's, would be an understatement.
I was practically glowing in the sunlight that streaked into the car through the windows.
Jason might not be that thrilled to see Clinton but I think he deserves to know the truth.
And so does Clinton, who really needs to relieve some tension in his shoulders considering he's always stressed out.
I turn my head to the side to look at him driving leisurely through the traffic of the city.
A smile instantly graces my lips and I grasp his hand on the gear to squeeze it one time in affection before withdrawing.
What greets me is another sight to behold.
Clinton looks over at me, only to smile back before resuming his driving.
Though I sense the tension in his shoulders, the worry lines on his forehead and the slig
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Than There Was Us PART - II
JASON'S POVIt's been five years.Five years since I saw her, five years since I heard her laughter, five years since I left for good.She never came back to me.Not when I left, not now or ever since that fateful evening she was at my apartment; staring off into the space. I could practically see her soul dying on my floor.Clinton's voice booming through my penthouse, loud and raging like a faint noise in the background as my ears ringed with the dead silence of Justine's colorless face.Her face, pale and ashen as if she had seen a ghost. Body paralysed as she stared off into the distance behind me. A few seconds later I realized she's looking at my half naked companion.Katherine or Kaitlyn, I don't remember her name. I just remember the feeling of bliss and that few seconds of euphoria, anything to forget he
Than There Was Us 2. 1. I'm Back
JASON'S POVI feel the shadows of the skyscrapers on my face, rushing by as I lean back in my seat.My eyes scan the city like a map of its own, as the car moves at a slow pace in the heavy traffic.It feels like nothing has changed. The people, the city, the skyscrapers, everything feels the same and yet somehow everything has changed.Or maybe it's just me who has.My faint reflection in the window stares back at me and I watch the fine lines of my now rugged face, far from the delicate features I once held.Somehow, my face has hardened and once where there was a smile before now lays a thin line of nothingness; blank like my soul.I left for America, a day after I received the letter. And here I'm now, a little nervous, fidgeting yet somehow a numb sort of calm as my heart palpitates in my chest rapidly.I can already tell from the familia
Than There Was Us 2. 2. Pass Out
She looks beautiful.I don't have to ponder on it much, it's quite obvious.Eyes bright and a matching smile, this confident lady who looks exactly like Justine is someone I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting.And the fact that I'm already sweating my armpits out, is not helping my situation.Her sudden appearance seems to have taken me by surprise but not her.She was definitely expecting my arrival, guessing from her relaxed demeanor.She's anything like the girl I've always known and yet something different.It's noticeable straight away. This version of Justine is a far cry from the one I knew five years ago.What happened?It is the only question that seems to linger in my head as her unflattering gaze meets mine, not breaking for a second.My hands are clammy by the time I return her smile hesi
Than There Was Us 2. 3. Mom
My gaze follows mom to Justine and back to that kid, repeating it all over again.This is not happening.My head instantly travels back in time and runs through different scenarios that ensued before my leaving the country. But nothing adds up.I never slept with Justine and this kid looks nothing like me. I'm pretty sure I would've remembered if I did sleep with Justine though.Justin's face is scrunged up in confusion while mom on the other hand just looks guilty."Hey, you brought the rude guy", the kid crosses his arms and turns towards me.My eyebrows disappear into my hairline.Rude guy? Seriously?"Cole, honey. What are you talking about?", mom pulls him to face her, again.Cole.So that's his name. I can't help the familiar feeling I get as I look at him again.Justine on t
Than There Was Us 2. 4. Paparazzi
"Grandma", Cole's voice barks from beside me jostling me into action."Oh my God", a faint plea from Justine is like a noise in the background as I reach mom in time.The moment I reach her, I'm shouting again."What the fuck happened?", I exclaim, despite the presence of a child in the room.I look at the blood mixing with the pool of water along with the shards of glass from probably a broken glass bottle around mom and dread fills my lungs.My eyes take in the edge of the counter that's covered in mom's blood and my own blood runs cold.Shit."We don't know. She came in to get water and we were all in the living room when we heard the crash", replies Liza, frantically.Her hands are shaking as she looks at mom."Jason, we need to take her to the hospital right away", Ben's voice breaks through my head's frantic
Than There Was Us 2. 5. List It Out
You would think the days after that would be smooth for me.But no, they weren't.From taking care of mom to avoiding Justine and her devil-of-a-kid, Cole. It wasn't easy, especially if you put work in the mix.Meetings, appointments, clients didn't care about who I was and if I was transitioning back to the American lifestyle. They only cared about work.Were it not for Ben, I would've been roadkill by now.Two weeks of work. With mom's incessant bickering and Justine's to-and-fro comings and goings.Honestly, I have no idea what's going on in her head. Either of them.Mom wants to drive me mad and Justine won't stop staring at me.I've been giving the latter a bit of a cold-shoulder. But I will definitely snap at her if she doesn't stop looking at me.Lately, Justine has been visiting us every day in the morning before I leave for
Than There Was Us 2. 6. 1. It's Real
Silence and then there's noise, deafening noise. Ringing in my ears as I trip back on my seat in disbelief.This can't be.He's clearly kidding me.But... he doesn't seem like it.Somehow, the words seem unreal and yet so much real than anything I've ever heard before.Something inside me wants to believe it to be true, just so there is nothing in between us. Just me and Justine. But somehow that part of me that says it's not true seems almost delusional."What?", I whisper, swallowing hard.Ben looks anguished, like he wants to be anywhere but here at the moment."He's been dead for two years, Jason", he looks away at last.That's when it comes out of me. This uncontrollable laughter I can't seem to get a hold off."Clinton's dead", I laugh out again even more louder than the words I just spoke."T
Than There Was Us 2. 6. 2. Disaster
Next morning I wake up to the sound of birds chirping.Peering open my eyes, I come face-to-face with a bird cage that I'm definitely sure wasn't mine.I pull back just in time before one of the birds in the cage, jump over to my side and peck my nose.If the pounding in my head's any indication, I know I've done something I'm going to regret.Sitting up I realize I'm in a sort of a studio apartment. With tall windows behind the bed I'm sitting on. A slanted ceiling closing in front of me and immense sunlight shining on my back.That makes me realize, I'm not wearing a shirt. Wooden flooring but nothing else in the room except for the birds, the bed and two nightstands beside it.I walk towards the only door in the room and open it. It's an open space. Tall ceilings and an open kitchen, in an open living room and paintings on every freaking wall that's
Latest chapter
- Than There Was Us Acknowledgements
- Than There Was Us E P I L O G U E
- Than There Was Us 2. 25. 3. Safer In Your Arms
- Than There Was Us 2. 25. 2. Baiting The Pawn
- Than There Was Us 2. 25. 1. Anxiety And Angst
- Than There Was Us 2. 24. Rely On Me
- Than There Was Us 2. 23. Bring Me Back
- Than There Was Us 2. 22. Aftermath
- Than There Was Us 2. 21. Dilemma
