Heartbreak Anniversary x Jeremiah Fisher (2)

Chapter Nineteen

May

Jeremiah stood in the kitchen doorway talking to yet another adult he didn't know. He adjusted his tie to loosen it up and unbuttoned the first button on his long sleeve feeling a bit of relief as if he wasn't being suffocated anymore. He hadn't removed his suit jacket yet and he was starting to feel the warmth around him from all these random people in his home.

The memory of Angelina shouting for everyone to get the fuck out almost a year ago at her dad's house after his burial now made sense to him. He wanted nothing to do with anyone here at the moment. His mom was literally just buried and people were chatting and eating as if it's just another get together.

If Jeremiah could have it his way, only his dad, the Conklin's and few others would be allowed in his home.

Jeremiah felt his stomach rumble and he quickly wrapped his arms around himself trying to shield the noise from others around him hearing. He can't even remember the last time he ate. Has it been hours or days? Everyone here has been pestering him by offering food or snacks but Jeremiah has refused everyone. He didn't want food, he wanted his mom. 

Jeremiah heard the front door close for the millionth time this afternoon and for some reason his body instinctively motioned towards it unlike the previous times. Standing in the hallway near the front door was Angelina. His breath hitched as he saw her nervously look around trying to see which way to head. After all this time, she still took his breath away.

Angelina stood nervously in the entrance way of the Fisher's house looking left and right. There was so much noise around her but the haunting silence was what was unbearably familiar to her was much louder. It brought back memories from that awful day. Mindless thank you after thank you was said to people she's never even met telling her 'sorry for your loss'. The whole function after the burial was so pointless to her. She sighed and tried shaking off those negative thoughts. Now wasn't time for her negativity.

Angelina wrapped her arms tightly around her body as she looked towards the dining room hoping to catch a glimpse of Conrad. After watching him get choked up during the song he performed for Susannah at the church, she needed to make sure he was okay. She also wanted to speak to Jeremiah but she didn't really know how to approach him. He hasn't talked to her and the way he was crying at the church, Angelina wanted nothing more then to console him but she didn't know if he would want that from her.

Jeremiah watched her. Her eyes roaming back and forth anxiously not knowing where to go. He itched forward slightly to go to her but then he immediately stopped. He hasn't spoken to her in months. Would she even want to talk to him? He wouldn't be surprised if Angelina was mad at him. Suddenly she turned to look down the hallway and their eyes met. Jeremiah froze. He couldn't move, all he could do is stare at her from the kitchen doorway.

Before he could react, there she stood. Right in front of Jeremiah. It's been months. With everything going on, Jeremiah only got a glimpse of her at the hospital the day of. This morning was such a blur for him that he didn't even remember seeing her at the church. "If you want to head up stairs to your room, I'll take food up to you," she said, softly as if any wrong words would cause him to break.

"No, it's okay," Jeremiah said, avoiding her gaze.

"Jere," his breath hitched as she spoke again, not catching what she said after his name. She's never called him Jere. Not even when they were kids. It felt impersonal to him. She nicknamed everyone but he was the only one that Angelina called by their full first name. Nicknames were for friends of hers, not for him. He was different to her. He meant more than a silly nickname.