The Ocean (lesbian jardougall story)

Chapter 8

A/N - sorry again... I'm going to try and update more regularly, but this school year has been crazy busy. Get ready for a double feature now though!

TAY'S POV***
Alex and I arrived at the party at around 9:00pm, so it was in full swing, and there were already a few people passed out on the floor, so we had to carefully climb over them to get to the kitchen. I was still hurting and feeling depressed from Jenna leaving me, so I wanted to get smashed tonight and forget about everything. Alex knew this and set to work on making us both something strong, whilst I went and chatted with some friends of ours: Tony and Jaime.  They gave me a drunken and sweaty hug before jumping right into conversation.

"So, Tay, we heard about the other day and what Jenna did. Pretty rough, huh?" Said Jaime. I sighed and was momentarily annoyed with Jaime for  bringing such a personal topic up, before remembering that he was drunk and he really had no idea what he was saying.
"Yeah, I took it pretty badly," I mumbled, trying to keep my cool. "Especially because I introduced her to Lynn, and she's not even staying here for much longer - she only came to judge some surfing competitions!"

Tony and Jaime exchanged a worried glance, before looking at me again. "Tay, haven't you heard? Jenna has decided to stay here for another six months, because of Lynn." Tony muttered, nervously.

I felt my heart sink as I wondered what was going on with Jenna. We'd had that conversation before, and she said she just couldn't leave her life back in Australia. I guess Lynn was pretty persuasive, or Jenna just really liked her. I sighed, and thanked the guys for telling me. I felt a nudge on my back as Alex passed me my drink. He began chatting with Tony and Jaime, and I downed my drink, feeling a warm burn as I swallowed the fluid. Moments later, I could feel a buzz, and began to forget about Jenna. I felt numb.

Three shots later, Alex and I were on the dance floor, beer in hand, and jumping to the music.  I couldn't feel a thing, and my thoughts were not of Jenna, but instead of how much I needed to pee.
"Mm gonna go pee, Lex," I shouted over the music to Alex. He nodded and I wondered off, trying to maintain my balance.

Because the party was in a club, the bathroom had multiple cubicles. I burst  in to the bathroom, the white light blinding me momentarily, and sauntered over to a stall. But before I could lock the door, I realised that there were two people in the stall next to mine. I quietened my breathing and listened to what they were saying.

"Jenna, why the fuck are you wearing such a low cut top? I told you, people will look at you, and I don't want them to. Also, those trousers make you look ugly. Sort yourself out, Jenna." I recognised Lynn's voice, and immediately sobered up. What on Earth?
"Lynn, I'm...I'm sorry. This was the only thing I could find because we were in such a rush. I -"
"Don't give me those bullshit excuses! In future, you will wear what I tell you. Understand?"
I could hear a struggle and someone being pushed against the wall of the cubicle. Through the cracks in the door, I could see Lynn storm out of the bathroom, and heard a small sob from next to me. Shit. Tay, what do you do? I thought. Think, Tay. Don't fuck this up like you usually do.

Breathing deeply, I opened up my cubicle door and peered into Jenna's. She had sunk to her knees, and her head was in her hands. Slow sobs racked her shoulders and I could make out small, purplish marks on her wrist.
"Jenna?" I said, in a small voice.  She jumped, but sighed in relief when she saw that it was me. But then she jumped up as she realised that she was crying, on the floor, before hastily wiping her eyes with the backs of her sleeves, which she had pulled down so that I could no longer see the bruises.
"Hi, Tay. Don't mind Lynn, she has a hot-head, and can't help getting angry. I know she loves me really." Jenna gave a brave smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. Come to think of it, their usual brightness was dimmed almost completely, and they had large bags underneath. Her face was a sort of ashen colour, as if all fun and laughter had vanished in her life. I wondered what had happened to her in the short space of a few days.
Then I fucked up big time.

I stepped closer to Jenna, and spoke softly. It felt like the wrong word or tone could snap her fragile existence in two.
"Jen..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say. Suddenly I became very angry. How dare Lynn do this to Jenna! She had no fucking right.
"What the fuck has Lynn done to you, Jenna? Why has she made you like this?! Why do you look so sad and why.. Why are there bruises all over your wrists? And is that... is that a hickey? On your ear? What the fuck?!" I shouted the last sentence, and Jenna backed away from me, her eyes wide with fear.  That only made me more angry, but I reached out to hold her. I wasn't going to hurt her!

Jenna yelped and cowered in the corner of the cubicle, before whispering "Don't hurt me, please don't hurt me!" And all I could do was back away in shock. I stumbled out of the bathroom, head pounding, thoughts swarming my brain, and turned to leave.  But then, in my drunken stupor, it hit me how much I'd messed up back there.  I couldn't leave Jenna in the toilet, for Lynn to return and take her home!

Quickly, I ran, or rather tried to, back to Jenna and gingerly held out my hand.
"Jen... I am not going to hurt you. But you need to come home with me, and stay the night, because Lynn....has already gone home - she wasn't feeling very well." I lied quickly, knowing that she'd just deny the truth and get angry with me for suggesting Lynn to be abusive. Besides, I still couldn't prove anything without her confirmation. Jenna looked up at my hand, before nodding slowly and grasping it. I pulled her up so that her eyes were level with mine, and so badly wanted to kiss and hold her. But, even drunk, I knew that Jenna didn't need me to confuse her emotions, and besides, making decisions while drunk was never a good idea anyway.  We left through the back so that Lynn wouldn't spot us - I told Jenna that it was because it was too busy at the front - and walked back to my apartment. At home, I grabbed some blankets and pillows and started making a bed on the sofa. Jenna, assuming that it was for her, waited patiently by my side, and thanked me when I was done. Of course, I was going to insist that she slept in my bed and I sleep on the couch - she needed a good night's sleep by the looks of it.

As I turned around to tell her this, I thought back to when Jenna spent most days here, and remembered her confidence towards life and her very sexy cockiness, which had now been ruined by whatever Lynn had done. Now, I found myself looking at a damaged and frightened girl, who I really wanted to comfort and hold forever.

I pushed those feelings down and grabbed her some pyjamas of mine, before showing her to the bedroom. I watched her climb into bed and give me a tired smile that turned into an adorable yawn. I chuckled at her and flicked the lights off as I left the room.
"Goodnight, Jenna." I whispered. When getting no reply, I realised that she must have already fallen asleep. I crept back over to her bedside and planted a sweet kiss on her forehead.

Somedays it feels like the ocean lies inside of me.