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Chapter 29

“Your pain isn’t just painful prose. It’s a novel. So fight those battles and slay.” [Jacqueline]

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“Jacqueline’s Pov:”

There was no sound of birds chirping, just the sound of man-made vehicles moving, colliding people or vehicles, the chattering voice of my bus mates, and chaos.

My eyes took in the environment around me and then focussed on the phone again. I was doing this for five minutes, just taking everything in that was happening around me.

Remo’s last text was,

“Stop ignoring me Jacqueline Please. I am going to pray for you.”

The feeling of emptiness was getting killed by the feeling of flattering. ‘Someone can pray for me.’

‘A stranger can pray for me.’

‘Someone does worry about me.’

I am not lonely, someone does care about me enough to pray for me.

It was a savoring feeling for me, a one of a kind that spilled somewhere inside my brain and shuffled to everywhere it could reach. Suddenly, my wrist started hurting me and I found myself wincing.

Pain affects you when you are cared for. Glancing at the gauze wrapped around my wrist I felt only pain.

I tried to eradicate the sweet feeling inside me but the warmth his words brought has already buried itself deeply in my mind, body, or soul.

As my eyes read his texts, again and again, I found slowly, very slowly the sadness had started vanishing. My eyes brimmed with tears and I couldn’t comprehend my own emotions. My painful prose.

‘Why am I crying again?’

“It’s Okay. I wasn’t angry, I was just a little sad.”

“And you are right, we are supposed to share each other’s pain. We are supposed to be there for each other, I would do that too because That’s what friends do.”

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“Of course, I am going to ask you, if you feel sad Remo. I will share my pain with you sometimes. I am sorry I behaved like a b**** yesterday. I will tell you another time what was bothering me. And, Thank you for praying for me. It means a lot to me, You almost turned my sadness into nothing. Thank you, Remo. Thank you so much.”

The minute, I pressed the send b***on another text arrives.

“I wasn’t able to sleep last night Jacky, I thought something happened to you. Please don’t leave me hanging next time. I even searched your address on your profile to make sure you were safe. I don’t why Jacky, My gut was telling me to reach you.”

The morning breeze fluttered my black hair lightly. They were so silky that even when I had tied my hair into plates, they come out of it. I smile without even knowing I tuck my hair behind my ear.

Somehow his words were soothing me without even me knowing.

“I am sorry Remo, it won’t happen again. I promise.”

“I hope so Jacky. And I would like to know what happened?”

The bus stopped and I stood up, placing the phone in my bag. As everyone left, and I started walking to the door I felt someone’s eyes on me.

And the next second driver uncle’s voice stopped me dead in my tracks.

“What happened to your wrist beta?”

“Ah. This. Uncle. That. I.”

“Don’t tell me, you. Did you try to kill yourself?”

I averted my eyes from his black ones and Asian face glancing at the metal door wishing to just fly away from the scene.

“Ah. No. No. Uncle. My little cousin’s sister’s gla** shard pierced through my skin when I was trying to take it away from her.”

I was surprised to see that the doors were a little rusty, as well as dusty at the corners almost blueish. The paint had started coming off, overall it looked pretty old.

When I didn’t found his response I looked back at him but found him looking at me intently. He didn’t acknowledge my answer like he already knew I was lying.

After a minute, his voice reached my ears again. I could sense some pity and love in that one sentence.

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“Please take care of yourself, Jacky. Life is a blessing and we all need to cherish it. Always know, I am here and I care about you.”

Despite his warm words, I felt cold all over. If an uncle as old as him can see through my lies, how am I going to deal with my bullies?

Not wanting to delay him further, for his second trip to the student’s home. I nodded and said.

“I know uncle. I know you care. I will share with you if anything like that arises. Have a good day.”

“You too beta. You too.”

Having listened to uncle’s words I dashed out of the bus. Sprinting towards my cla**room. I didn’t want to encounter Rohan again. Who knows what he will do this time?

The security guard glared at me, adjusting the brown cap on his head to the glare he sent to bad students or the students who were in a relationship with some bad boys.

He puffed his flat chest that was covered in light yellow almost khaki color shirt. A stance he did when he wanted to intimidate someone.

‘Bloody b****** Rohan. Now even the Security guard uncle hates me. I hope you find c***roaches in your clothes.’

I cursed Rohan in my head and avoided having eye contact with the guard. Pretending to smoother the creases from my uniform or adjusting the backpack as if it was too happy.

The moment I finally pa**ed through the entrance that was around 10 feet long, four feet wide. I could feel his fury gaze on my back, but when it stopped I exhaled.

“Finally I am out of his eyesight.”

The moment my words ended, another voice interrupted my small victory.

“Jacqueline.”

‘Not you again.’

“Jaan?”

Ever so deliberately, I turned around looking at him. His young cheeks were still bruised, there was obvious proof of their fighting on his face. But he still managed to look handsome.

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‘Handsome yet cruel.’

There were worse places to be stranded with him for sure but it wasn’t that worse.

Seeing he stood motionless I asked. “Yeah. What?”

His eyes filled with fury but he seemed to be suppressing it. As if there was an invisible force compelling him to do so. He faked a smile at me, his smile didn’t seem to reach his eyes. And I shuddered. I would never imagine that he could smile at me, even if the world was ending. It was impossible, so impossible that I might have believed if someone said the sun was rising from the west. But him smiling at me.

‘No. No. No. I must be dreaming. But why would I dream about him smiling at me?’

I mentally prepared myself to run, as I started to walk away from him, but without turning around. Just a few steps back and I could run easily.

“I. You. Wait, Jacqueline. Don’t move.”

My lips thinned while my feet stopped moving, following his command as if he was the ghost who was controlling my body.

“I. He started to say, but then His eyes moved towards a corner I followed his eyes. There was no one in the corner, who is he looking for? Confusion painted my features.

I was surprised when I noticed He had closed his eyes while clenching his hands at either side. ‘What’s wrong with him?’

However, what surprised me more were the next words that left his mouth.

“I am sorry about what happened that day Jacqueline. Please forgive me?”

My eyes turned saucer, while my mouth hung open. Literally.

‘Did he just apologized to me?’

‘No. No. I must be dreaming. It can’t happen!’

I mumbled to myself, shaking my head in disbelief.