He was a step closer to reaching, turning the tables, and going back to where he already was. There was a coldness in her eyes as she talked, as she looked at him but if he just stared long enough, it was merely a tap hiding the field of warmth that rested there. He'd keep trying, 'cause...why not? It was that day of the week when he finally has to visit his mother, and he had informed Maria about it, she maintained her distance, although the right accommodation hadn't been provided for her and he didn't know where she currently stayed but the fact that she wouldn't be with him at the penthouse made his stomach. He was sure he loved his old house better. Jackson waddled into the bathroom to get prepared, as crazy as it sounds, he was more excited to see Maria than his mother. Does that make him a horrible person? Even if he was, his foolish heart wouldn't confirm it. He also knew how happy his mother would be to see her, it was hard living off sad excuses of Maria being busy, too
"What? I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean." Jackson came to a sudden halt, whatever this man had in mind, it wasn't going to sit nicely with anyone of them. "Oh, you know what I mean. Does tying knots at a nameless church count as anything? For all I know you are very much single and she's just living off you."What was this madness going to lead to?"Father..." He muttered under his breath, the rest of the word sat stuck in his lungs. "What? Don't act surprised son, I know very much about people like that, she could be using you for all care, say money...fame, all of this could be an act and that's why I've paid little to no attention to that love interest of yours." He spoke as though he was unaware of the gravity of his words and how annoying they sounded to Jackson. "Why can't you for once surprise me and leave behind these delusions and see the good in things and people?" He sighed, obviously drained and frustrated, then again, of what use was conversing with him
"Come on in, careful..." Jackson said as he helped his mother into his home. He quickly picked up some food wrappers he had miserably left to lie around during the worst few weeks of his life. Without her there, he hadn't felt the need to be a person, he merely just existed, surviving over pizza and his delusions of when things got better. Jackson hadn't realized how in bad shape the house was. And he even forgot to book an appointment with the cleaning services. Harry and Maria were the ones who cared about stuff like that. "Ah, we should have cleaned up before leaving," Maria turned to his mother after throwing Jackson a demeaning look, "we had visitors over earlier...some friends and colleagues, it was quite a party," she chuckled nervously, immediately arranging what she could. She mouthed "clean your house." to Jackson, and he returned a plain but embarrassed smile. "Jackson now has friends!?" Jackson assisted her in occupying the comfiest couch, "It's a miracle he met you,
It's been quite a long day for all of them, she'd been three but listening to Mrs. Jones talk about her marriage drained her even more. It was funny to think a person whom you thought you knew everything about could switch up and show you how contrary they are to your views of them. In Mrs. Jones's eyes, Maria saw herself. That fear lingered there even though she was away from her husband, that must have been the reason she was eager to leave the hospital just like Maria had left Spain, for good. There were a lot of what-ifs flying around in her head. What if Andrew was in fact lying around in the shadows and waiting for the perfect time to strike? He was a walking time bomb and would not hesitate to blow up at the least expected time. If only things really went as planned, if only. "Maria?" Jackson called out with questions written all over his face, it was obvious that wasn't the first time he called her, she had been lost in her thoughts. "Are you okay?""Yeah, yeah- sorry," she
She had completely forgotten about Harry, it felt like he was just someone in the background and when she was with whom she actually wanted, everything about him fader before her eyes, she had even forgotten to inform him that she wouldn't be home. Humans were born with the natural instinct of selfishness, putting their needs first and disregarding everything else as soon as their desire came into play. It made her feel terribly guilty and that tiny voice in her head ceaselessly explained how much of a terrible person she was. Maria shuffled her feet against the ticklish rug. Was she to tell Jackson that it was at Harry's she had stayed for the past few weeks? He wasn't aware that Harry liked her, if he did, their relationship might go down the drain, she couldn't bear the weight of that — being the reason why happily ever afters was scarce.But if she wanted to keep this man, honestly should come first."Yesterday when I left, why'd you ask?" Talk about the most annoying way to revea
Mi Amor, synonymous with trouble in the well. Her brain yelled, trouble! Danger! Don't go closer. Maria's whole body shook as she moved to the package, fear eating up every part of her. She felt like she could break if she moved without caution, her bones ached. The spinning sensation her head replayed made the ground wobbly, as though she walked on foam. She crouched and with quivering fingers, she picked up the package, her hands wouldn't work the way they normally would, she felt like paper, limp and lifeless with a grip only strong enough to tear wet serviettes. Whoever had dropped the packager would have passed through security, and for him to have come to the highest floor, it scared her even more. It was Andrew no doubt, no one else knew or addressed her as that. Maria felt sick to he stomach as she took the package inside, leaning on the thick walls for support as she walked. She set it down on the table, it contained something, right? And she should check whatever that was.
"Oh, I see. Nice to meet you, I'm Jones Jackson, but then you probably already know." He said calmly. I am also the guy you may have told your problems to but that doesn't matter now. The words he didn't say.Sean cleared his throat, "He is very new in the industry, and surprisingly, he was vouched for by one of the producers. He does stunts too, so I figured he'd come in handy. Jackson shot the guy whom he now learnt to address as Andrew, a piercing gaze. He looked nothing like him, facially. His jaws were squared and it looked as though he could lift weights with them. His eyes fell on his broad shoulders and biceps, they were complimented by the brown T-shirt he wore. Jackson could see where the idea of their semblance came from, it was in the physique, although Jackson was taller, the similarities couldn't be disregarded. Jackson wanted to ask how Andrew got here or why he now seemed to be closer after they had thought they would never meet again. But he couldn't, could he? Becau
She was curled up in a ball on the large bed, feeling sorry for herself as the mental admonishment went on. She had promised herself she was going to tell him. How hard could it be to explain that a crazy person from your past has come to ruin the future and you swear with everything you have that you have nothing to do with them anymore? And you more or less ruin the chances of things going on we'll between you both. She hugged her knees closer. He looked so happy, so happy that it made her glad knowing she was a reason for someone's happiness, knowing she wasn't ruining it as usual. He was the bright portion of her life, the one that has not been contaminated by all the weird things that had happened to her, he was the only one who doesn't see her as a broken person. Could it be that way because she had not shown him the broken parts of her? Does that count as lying?Tears welled up in her eyes and she blinked them back. The thought of Andrew sent shivers sliding down her spine. She
*FINAL CHAPTER*"I found the pills, and- and I don't know what to say," she broke down and started to cry. "After all these while, you still take them? I thought you were done! I thought you were clean! God... it's been six months and you kept lying to me! You lied to me!"She watched him wince and he sought the right words to say. He crumbled before her. He looked like the ghost of his former self."Why do you keep going back? After rehab! After the therapy sessions, why do you keep going back!?" She yelled, frantic. Her terror was built up by the moment."Because no one understands!" He yelled back. "No matter how hard I try to be me, no matter how hard I try to stop, I keep finding my way back to it! I was clean! Till I wasn't. I tried! I tried and tried but there was nothing to help me get through it""But I am here-""No, not like that. I know but not that like that, okay?" He threw the cup on the table across the wall and grabbed his head, pulling and thugging at his hair, "Wha
Jackson- Jackson had been hit. She chanted in her head, it replayed over and over. The image of him struggling with Andrew, that was the last thing she remembered before the world fell into a threatening silence. Her eyes slowly opened to a blinding glow of light. She shut them back because they hurt. Maria tried again and opened her eyes slowly this time. It took a while to overpower the headache and realize that she was in a hospital, and next to her was Jackson, fast asleep with half his body on the bed and the lower half on the chair that was next to the bed.She would have shouted if her throat didn't feel clogged. Jackson was next to her. What had happened? It felt as though it's been months till she last saw him. Maria squirmed lightly, shaking the bed a little to wake him up. She needed to know what had happened. Everything felt like a threat."Jackson, Jackson," she called out slowly and when he didn't answer, she could feel her eyes begin to water, "Jackson, please wake up.
On his phone's screen was a picture of Maria unconscious and with a nasty injury on her head. He was still at Harry's when he received the picture. He had been shocked beyond word, and Harry had to squeeze the phone out of his hands to know the reason for his shock. The message came with an instruction of confidentiality and an address he was asked to come discreetly without company, if he did anything out of place, she would be badly hurt. If the shock hadn't been obvious on his face, Jackson would have thought going alone was the best option. He couldn't stand the thought of something bad happening to her. She had been through enough already. It's been long since Jackson experienced such crippling anxiety. It was as though every nerve in his body worked at a faster pace and then took a downward spiral at intervals. This was bad. It was really bad. He never should have left her, clearly, he underestimated Andrew. This has to be his doing, it wasn't traceable to anyone else. "Calm
For the brief moment that her eyes pried open, she felt that she was in transit. A vehicle or whatever mode of transportation it was, after that she drifted into another deep sleep till hours later. Or had it been days? Maria wasn't quite sure. She woke up with a splitting headache and tried to recognize the environs she found herself in. She didn't. And in the process of that, her headache got worse. Had she been hit? There was a banging pain at the side of her head, it hurts so much it could kill and she reached for it, except her hands weren't moving. It took all she had to tilt her head and see that it had been tied to the side of the chair in which she sat. Maria couldn't understand what was going on, she tried to recall and in bits and pieces, her memories began to sum up something more reliable. In violent glimpses, she could remember how foolishly she had opened the door for someone who was supposed to be her pizza delivery guy, when she tried to remember what happened after
Harry left a while after bouncing on and off their discussion, they discussed how factual the situation may be and possible ways of finding out the truth. All of which Maria heard. Was pretending she did not hear all this lying? She had to speak to Jackson about it, but somehow she couldn't find the right way to. She appeared in the living room with her happiest smile and liveliest gaze, it was sickening. The shock, the thoughts. It ate at her at an unbelievable pace."Good morning, sunshine," Jackson said at the sight of her, his smile was faltering, and so was his facade. "I was just about to find you an audition for the sleeping beauty two, did you sleep well?"Of course, he was going to hide all of it behind humor. Was she beginning to get mad at him for not telling her the truth immediately? How long does he plan to hide it? Again, at the back of her mind, she felt as though she had no right to react. "I think I'd be a better Cinderella or Moana." She responded and gave him a b
Things were going well, or they should be considering neither of them has brought up the issue with Andrew. It was due to be handled and Jackson had the perfect plan, but that could wait. Their relationship is what needed fixing. They didn't go back to the penthouse yet and everything was going okay, except for the never-ending apologies Maria offered and her 'do you still love me?" at frequent intervals. After what happened, Jackson was sure he could never stop loving her even when he tried, and her feelings were more obvious now after whatever discussion she'd had with his mother.Everything should be fine. They were back on track, and slowly and steadily, they'd be able to put their differences behind them. And of course, he was going to help her with her career, once the storm was over, he'd assist her in any way he could. She deserved to have her dreams fulfilled. It was morning and the coffee makers around him somehow only listened to Maria, so he has to sit and wait for her to
Strange coincidence. It's not like I knew someone else who lived in Spain and bore the name 'Maria.' Strange coincidence, really. Why did it make me feel so uneasy? I watched her as she unburdened, every word left her mouth as though it took a part of her with it. It wasn't the best sight.She continued. "I didn't have any family members or relatives, and it was impossible to get to the USA, I was under scrutiny at the time. They didn't let me go and Alfred didn't have my best interests at heart. After I had Maria, the evidence grew incriminating and I'd rather know where my child was than have them take her away from me. So I tried to escape, or I did, for a brief moment. The only place I could think of was the orphanage and I dropped her there," her voice cracked and she began to tear up again. "I dropped my daughter inside the orphanage and fled because I was too scared, too ashamed to be seen as the irresponsible mother. It was rainy that night...and I stayed, hoping someone s
*HARRY*It hasn't exactly been the best day for me, especially with the conflicting emotions, especially when I saw Maria this morning, I thought I was over her. I thought it would hurt less but every piece of advice I gave Jackson was half-minded. Being selfless was hard. I was doing the exact opposite of what I had threatened to do, it was funny how in between a split second I dropped from wanting their relationship in ruins into wanting them to work. Emotions were the most unstable thing I know.There was so much paperwork to be attended to and Higgins wasn't exactly helpful, not with the stunt that Jackson had pulled, everywhere and everyone was in chaos, it still seemed as though Sean was shrinking, it must be the stress. Maybe I was too, but how could I tell? Managing a personality such as Jackson's was a six-man work, and I had to handle it all alone.Enough of these thoughts, I cautioned in my head. I was driving and half the time, the road seemed blurry and I've had other dri
He beat her. That son of a bitch. That good for nothing laid in his hands her. The anger that Jackson thought had dissipated was beginning to take form — hard and fast. It sounded like the most absurd thing he has heard all year long. The woman he loves experienced the same thing as his mother whom he had been so naive, too small to lend a helping hand. It was beyond anger—what he felt, it was rage, a good amount of it directed at himself. Why hadn't he noticed? When he saw how shaken up she was by his presence, why didn't he think of all this? He had been bummed when she opened up about everything, it was impossible to voice her struggles adequately but she did a good job at it. It made him wonder what he'd have done if he had woken up and found himself in an orphanage with a couple of other kids, all ordinary. Would he have tried to be different like she did? Even when she fought for her dreams, she still suffered for them at the hands of someone like Andrew. He didn't know