in love for the night // nate jacobs \\

37 { revised }

[ third person pov ]

her breathing seemed irregular today. like she knew something was wrong but she couldn't quite put a finger on it. she decided to ignore everyone's call since new years, which was two days ago.

she didn't care if the world was on fire. she honestly didn't give a single fuck about it.

she was heartbroken.

scared.

confused.

so she didn't care. or at least that's what she kept telling herself

her mind went back to new year's eve. that night she left nate. once she got home her father looked at her, for the first time how he looked at her the first day he met her. with worry. he was heartbroken. over, how his little girl who he tried his hardest to protect fell into the arms of a monster, again.

he should have noticed the signs but he wasn't there. her mother wasn't there.

he thought showering lei, with gifts would help but those were just bandaids for her gaping wounds. it ate him up that new year's eve, so he called off work and packed their bags and bought them tickets for their next flight out to chicago because he wanted to be there, for his daughter. he couldn't fail her, not like her birth parents. the ones who didn't deserve that perfect angel of his.

because lei was his little girl.

"lei," he cleared his throat as he sat at the dining room table arms folded across his chest. "lei." he calls out again as he hears her feet carefully go down the steps.

"yeah?" she says calmly as she walks into the kitchen and automatically freezes, stopping in her tracks.

cal jacobs, looks over at lei. never had he seen her like this. bare faced, hair naturally, with it pulled up into a messy bun. she was wearing sweat pants and black body suit. he quickly noticed arms had yellowing marks where bruises once were. "hello, lei." he mutters calmly.

lei looks to her father, wondering if he brought cal here but her father's eyes told her no. he was just as confused. "mr. jacobs." was all lei managed to get out.

"cal we have a flight out of here tonight and we need to finish getting our last minute things, so i appreciate it if you'd make this quick," mr. stone, responds. his eyes narrowed.

cal eyes glanced at my father, "well james, i just want to know where lei was on new years eve."

"she was with me." my father quickly responds. "i picked her up at a party before the clock stuck midnight."

"why? were you in a rush?" he interrogates lei, completely ignoring her father.

her father scoffs, letting out a snort, ready to expose everything to cal.

"papa," lei whispers to her father. she never seen him this angry. "i was in a rush. i had an anxiety attack, because of a situation i was in-"

"was it in regards with my son?" cal responds quickly.

james, snorts once again looking at cal in disgust. "why do you care so much about my daughter's whereabouts? shouldn't you be caring about your son's?" papa stone responds eyes full of fury.

"papa," lei says again.

"i've tried to get in contact with your daughter for the past 2 days. it seems as if she's running away from something. i know where my son is."

james looks at lei then over to cal, "yeah my daughter is running away from that abusive piece of sh-"

"papa!" lei called out once again and walks over gently grabbing his arm, letting him know that fight about this with cal jacobs was useless. "i don't know where your son is mr. jacobs. last time i saw him, my father pulled me away from him. i don't owe you any answers on why i turned off my phone but i don't want to be in contact with your son."

"nate's in the hospital." cal responds looking at lei then at her father furry and pain in his eyes. "someone beat my son senseless on new year's eve and people seen lei and him have an altercation in front of the house and seen you, james, stopping it. i know how it is to be a father. you want to protect your child at all cost, especially when someone has hurt your child even if it was a simple break up."

lei's head fell. she wanted to know why was he in the hospital? was it that bad he had to go to the hospital? who beat him but she hated being accused of something. "he's in the hospital?" she looks at cal truly confused, but she also vouched that he father was home. call her childish but that night she slept right between her parents after she sobbed for hours.

lei's father let's put the most sarcastic laugh, looking at cal. "you think your son just broke up with my daughter. you'd think that i'd risk my career over a stupid break up." cal stays silent as he eyes lei carefully. "you can leave my house." james says as he stands up.

cal looks at lei, "he asks for you."

"and she doesn't care," her father responds instantly. truly not giving a fuck. "hope he recovers well." he waits for cal to stand up and walks him over to the front door and opens it for cal. "oh and before you leave cal."

cal turns to james before he leaves, "yes, james?"

"next time your son lays his hands on my daughter, i'll make sure the same happens again." james spitefully responds before closing the door, leaving a shocked cal on his door step.

"papa?" lei barely makes out as she felt tears in her eyes as he father makes his way back into the dining room.

he quickly made his way over and wrapped his arms around her as he kissed her head. "you're ok, aiko." he shushes her, gently kissing the crown of her head. "he's going to be fine if cal came here."

lei continued to let her tears fall down her cheeks as she held him close to her, sobbing uncontrollably.

—————

[ lei's pov ]

i looked out the panel glass looking out at lake michigan. it was cold and there was ice formed on the lake.

chicago.

it looked it's prettiest in the winter minus the sludge that appeared on the roads. she was breath taking.

"here you go lei." my grandfather handed me the cup of tea. i looked over at him and smiled as i take the tea cup into my hand. "you need this after being out there."

i smile taking the tea cup into my hand bowing to him politely. "thank you ojiisan." 

he grins and pats my back, "did you like the school?" he asked.

"it was nice. it's bigger than my school," i reply honestly as i take a sip of my tea. "their school is known, much more known than the school i'm in and their are better arts high schools here."

my grandfather nods, "are you considering it?"

i nod my head, "papa loves it but we have to discuss it with mom and papa believes that i should do what is best for myself." i looked back out the window knowing that leaving most likely was my best option.

"and you think chicago is what's best?"

i shrugged as i look back to him then back out at the frost lake, "i don't know yet but i think it might be. i just don't want to be a bother ojiisan."

"you could never bother me. my beautiful grand daughter," he grins and gently takes my hand. i look over at him and smile. "it'd be nice to have someone else in chicago."

"i know ojiisan. i'll consider it."

he smiles, "just remember, lei. life isn't supposed to be hard. it's not supposed to be difficult. you can choose to make it easier or you can make it more difficult. don't make it too difficult on yourself."