Double Jinx (Wattys2017)

Chapter 19

Luckily, this time I didn't dream of falling into a void nor did I feel an urge to stay in the darkness. No. Indeed this time was different. In fact, I felt an almost urgent sense to get out of the darkness, back to the world I knew.

But the world I knew wasn't quite what I expected. I assumed I'd wake up in the schoolhouse or at Bobby's place, or in the grass perhaps. But no. Instead I found myself in my bed, tucked safely into the blankets. I held no recollection of how I got here or how much time has passed since the party.

Since the ... kiss.

But that thought only made my head hurt worse. Because not only did I feel like a terrible and grotesque human being for kissing a man who was dating someone else, but that same man wasn't here. He kissed me, stormed away, watched me bash my head against a damn merry-go-round. So where was he? I figured, of all people, at least I'd see him.

The only face I saw right now was Jason's, two very angry eyes glaring at me from where he sat at my vanity with a book in his hands, "Morning, pipsqueak. How was the party?"

Oh boy, this wasn't good.

I pushed myself up, feeling a dull ache enter my head as I did so. I reached my fingers up towards my forehead, feeling a large bump protruding from my skin. When I looked to Jason for an explanation, he simply turned back to his book and muttered casually, "Pastor Jim came by to check on you but he had to leave for church. Thankfully, you didn't hit your head hard enough to split it open but you're going to have that egg for a while. Although, I'd say it's what you deserve after what you did."

What I did?

Did he know about the kiss?

A moment later Jason abruptly slapped the book down on the vanity and pointed a stern finger towards me, "You said you were just going to talk to him. There was a party going on but you promised me that you'd be fine. Hell, you don't even drink. So how does something like this happen? This is the third time you've passed out just this weekend, Genevieve. Do you understand that? Three times. You're heart stopped Friday night then you go get yourself bludgeoned on Saturday night? What the hell has gotten into you?"

It was only Sunday? Why did it feel like a million years has passed since I stormed into Bobby's house demanding answers from Ace amidst his argument with Vic and Roman? Probably because like my brother said, I've passed out three times in only three days. That would be almost too much for anyone. Far too much for me to say the least. But I only had myself to blame. I continued to put myself into situations that produce stress which was a bad combination for a girl who already has severe panic attacks.

"I'm sorry." I replied hoarsely.

"No you're not. You're in too deep to see that this thing with Ace is burying you." Jason fired back.

Ouch, that one hurt, "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that maybe spending so much time with Ace is a bad idea." Jason didn't even try to hide his lethal tone. He was angry, I could see that fury swallowing his eyes, but was he really so mad that he'd turn on Ace? "I love the guy. I do. But ever since we found him again it's been one thing after another. You were making so much progress with these panic attacks and now you're having them twice a day? You do the math."

"I wasn't making progress, I was just getting better at hiding it." I admitted before I had time to think. Jason's gaze turned deadly and I knew instantly that I made a mistake in telling him the truth. My thumbs twiddled in my lap as I fought to change the subject, "He's not a bad guy, Jason. He's just had a hard life."