A Thousand Words | ✓

Chapter Thirty Eight: A Thousand Words That Needed to Be Said

happy march, everyone! there's three more chapters in the book and this chapter's a big one. let me know what you think :) the song to the side by fun is beyond perfect for r&j's relationship and this chapter. ignore weird mistakes and typos, enjoy the chapter xx

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I've made mistakes in the past,
I've broken down, I've felt your wrath.
But you're the sunshine through the dark,
You're the healing to my broken heart.
You're the warm sun melting through my cold snow,
So, baby, please love me, please don't go.
What do you do when your past is coming back to life?
When you're reliving your biggest fright.
I've got this huge monster under my bed,
Or maybe it's a monster inside my head.
But you're sweet, and loving and always kind,
And because of all of this, I don't really mind.

- peace_love 328, who this chapter is dedicated to for the absolutely lovely and very fitting poem that she wrote. thank you xx

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Chapter Thirty Eight: A Thousand Words That Needed to Be Said

 

"We need to talk."

 

"Well, those are never good words to hear."

 

It's been a week since Jessica was in the hospital and the rift between us formed, and I now stood before her, panting in all my sweaty, topless glory.

 

Teetering from toe to heel, she shoved her hands into the pockets of her hoodie, taking a moment to allow her eyes to travel lower past my face. "Did I come at a bad time?" she asked, quickly meeting my gaze after her onceover.

 

I shook my head and took a step back, allowing her room to step inside. "No," I told her, "I just finished working out, so you're just in time. Come in."

 

With the anger that's been coiling me up lately, I've turned to long, vigorous exercise sessions in my room to help exert all that. It helped, sure, but it would help a hell lot more if Jessica and I finally sat down and talked. We once again spent some more time apart after the night of the thunderstorm, and I was so sick of all this damn space.

 

It was true impulse to wake up and make calling Jessica to ask if she could come over tonight be the first thing on my agenda.  It was the perfect time to talk, too, since Mark and Rebecca were out of the city visiting that crazy sister of her's and Chris was off at a sleepover, most likely having video game marathons. So if there were to be any yelling tonight, which I hope to God is not the case because I was so fucking tired of fighting and shouting with Jessica, at least the closest person to hear us will be those next door.

 

A breath left my lungs as Jessica stepped inside the apartment with a small smile, and I caught the circles under her eyes. "You look tired," I commented.

 

"Yeah." She nodded, rubbing at her eyes. "I've been catching up on all the homework I've missed in the days I was absent. I swear, you're gone for two days and it's like you've been gone for a week – it's insane!" Jessica rambled on with wild hand gestures, easing up the tension in my body.

 

Now this is what we needed. I'm all for casual talk, no throwing insults and comments that potentially hurt either of us in the future. This was a steady process.