They walked together to a quiet place. "Jennifer." Adrian caressed her back. "How could he do that to me?" She cried out. "He's a jerk." Adrian said. "Jennifer!" Winston yelled and tried to catch his breath. He saw Jennifer and was about to walk to her but Adrian stopped him. Winston looked at Adrian like he was a filthy cockroach and then punched him in the face. "How dare you kiss her!" He yelled and got on top of Adrian to hit him again. But Jennifer immediately pushed Winston with all her strength. "Shut up Winston!" She yelled. "Jennifer baby, let me explain." He tried to hold Jennifer's hand but she backed off. "First of all, don't call me baby. Secondly, we've broken up so, it's none of your business whom I kiss." These words sounded bitter on Jennifer's tongue even to herself. "Lastly, never EVER hurt my friend again or you will pay." Jennifer said while she helped Adrian to stand up. Her voice was remarkably steady. Even though she was breaking down inside. "Jennifer please, I love you. I'm sorry." Winston cried. "And I don't." Jennifer said coldly and walked away.
"Adrian let's go!" Jennifer said. Adrian and Jennifer walked to Adrian's car and sat inside. "Are you okay?" Adrian asked. Jennifer cried harder. He hugged her and patted her back. "It's okay… I'm here." He said. "Do you want to go home?" He asked. Jennifer nodded. "He won. Didn't he? Kurt told me he would make me pay and he did. Oh my god! I shouldn't have gone to the party in the first place. I got ready because you called." These words stabbed Adrian deeply. Jennifer wasn't willing to go to the party. She went there because of him and now she is here, suffering alone. As much as Adrian would like to share her sufferings with her, he couldn't. Such was the weirdness of these feelings. The least he could do now was to take care of her. Adrian ordered the driver to take them to Jennifer's home. While driving home, he heard a snore. "She must be tired." He said and took his jacket to cover her. Jennifer snuggled and grabbed his hands.
Adrian flinched at first but then he saw her holding his hands tightly. He smiled and let her hold it. Adrian drove Jennifer home. When they reached at the front gate of Jennifer's mansion, Adrian woke Jennifer up. Jennifer gets up. She is abnormally quiet and still. Adrian leads Jennifer to her room. "Go and change. I'll wait." Adrian said. Jennifer got up from her bed, she had placed herself on and went to change to her comfy PJ'S. The sight of Winston and Abby kissing each other was not leaving her mind. It felt like an ongoing loop of misery, struck in her head as she changed out of her party dress. Jennifer came out and saw Adrian sitting on the chair of her study table.
"How do you feel?" Adrian asked. It was a stupid question but he was in a desperate need to strike a conversation. He couldn't bear the fact that Jennifer should suffer all alone. If she was suffering, he would be with her. Jennifer didn't say anything. "Let me get you something to eat." Adrian said as he got up from the chair and went outside the room. Jennifer laid down on her bed. Without energy, the second her head touched the pillow, she gave up. A rush of emotions filled her chest and there was no escaping now. A tear slipped down one of her eyes and a little sniff. "It's okay… it's okay." She whispered to herself. The speed of her chest bouncing up and down increased, and the same for her tears that had been caged for too long. She turned to one side of the bed and her one hand patted her back. "It's okay Jennifer. I know you were trying your best." She sniffed again. "I know you are working on yourself. You will heal." "It's okay. Don't cry."
Her own words made her cry more and more. Her breath shortened. Her throat dried up. Meanwhile, Adrian was filling a glass of water for Jennifer when the sound of whispers caught his ears. His legs were moving. He found himself standing at the door frame of the source, Jennifer's bedroom. With her back facing him, He felt she was mumbling something but the next second, Jennifer took a deep breath and broke into a puddle of tears. Loud weeps, enough for him to hear Jennifer's hand patting her back. "Jennifer, I know you are a good person. I know, even if no one does." Adrian heard her voice and his heart ached at the sight of her comforting herself, alone. Jennifer could almost hear how hard her heart was hammering against her ribs. She twisted to face the ceiling, not acknowledging the presence near her door. Adrian got a clear view of her face and his heart broke. Tears welled up in his eyes. Jennifer pulled up her favorite soft toy to her chin, as if it was her hiding home. She was in pain and so was Adrian.
He couldn't take it anymore. "Jennifer…" She turned to the voice and there was Adrian, he was walking towards her. Jennifer quickly wiped her tears, even though she knew it wouldn't work. Adrian sat on the bed, thumb crawling up, to rest on her cheekbone. Jennifer's eyes were swollen and red. Before she knew, her forehead was on his shoulder and his hands on her back. "I'll be here for you forever. I'm not leaving." He said, "Cry all you want. I want to be here for you." His words were like honey coated through love and as if those words were the only thing she needed to hear, a horse sob made it's way out of her lips.
"It's okay." Adrian whispered, but immediately regretted. Of course, it wasn't okay, especially for seeing her in pain. There was no room for talking, only the sounds of sobs and sharp intakes of breath Jennifer was struggling to take. Each tear of her's was stabbing him. He pulled her against him, hands roaming around her back, drawing circles, trying to lessen her pain. Jennifer buried herself in the crook of his neck, wrapping her arms around his neck. They didn't know how long it had been.
Minutes?
Hours?
Still not leaving her tiny figure, Adrian leaned on the headboard and her hand in the space between his neck and shoulder. After all the cries, his soaked shirt, his shattered heart, everything felt a little better minutes by minute when he watched her sleep, like a baby. Peacefully. Wiping away the stains on her cheek, he pressed his lips into her forehead and looked at her with a feeling inside him, he'd only seen in movies. The urge to protect her and that was the moment he decided to be hers. Always and forever.