Checkmate (Sequel to Game On)

Chapter 22: Alternatives

"My name isn't Celiné, it's Alexandra Terres and I got kidnapped last year and... Nick, or Shane as he goes by now, is my... my kidnapper."

"I'm sorry for keeping it a secret, I only did it because I was afraid someone would get hurt", I whisper, cautiously glancing up at Jamie while biting my bottom lip. I can't believe it. I've just told him. I just told someone the truth, the whole truth. For the last uncountable minutes, I've practically been telling Jamie everything there is to know about the time that reaches back to two months ago.

The feeling inside of me is indescribable and a mix of emotions. Relief, happiness, fear, sadness, by many others. Finally, I don't have to lie anymore but instead, the seconds that are now ticking away feels agonizing. During those minutes I've been... confessing everything, Jamie hasn't said a single word, not since I started from the beginning and told him about the raid in my last school, in America.

I keep my gaze on Jamie, watching him intensely, searching for any signs of what he may be thinking right now. Does he even believe me? Maybe he thinks I'm crazy, maybe he thinks is it all a li-

"I can't believe it..." he breathes out all of a sudden, cutting off my own thoughts.

It feels as if my heart drop down to my stomach as if someone throws a bucket of ice cold water all over me, and I freeze. He doesn't believe me, I think, the fear grabbing me in an iron grip, somehow almost choking me. Or that is until he continues and the panic that comes creeping up my spine slowly crawls back down.

"I can't believe you've been put through that. What kind of sick, twisted... mentally disordered asshole would do that?!" he shouts, although he keeps his voice relatively low. His eyes meet mine and all I can see in his blue ones are confusion, anger, and sadness.

The sight of Jamie, when knowing that he believes me, overwhelms me and once again, I caught myself with tears falling down my cheeks.

"Y-you believe me", I breath out with a shaky voice while the number of tears that fall down increases. Jamie looks at me with a soft, yet hard, face and open up his arm for me.

"Yes, I believe you", he confirms and I rush into his embrace and wrap my arms around him, just like I did before I told him my story, crying uncontrollably into his shoulder. I cry my heart out, something I've wanted to do for so long, and I cry until there are no more tears left. Unlike all the other times I've been crying, I'm now doing it because I want to and not because I'm not able to suffer in silence any longer.

Jamie's embrace is soothing and his arms wrapped around me makes me feel safe and I stay in them a long time even after my cries have died down. Eventually, Jamie move his hands upwards to my shoulders and gently pull me back and I reluctantly let go of his jacket I've taken a hold onto.

"You have to tell Nathaniel", Jamie says as we pulled apart and my whole stiffen and I, immediately, start shaking my head back and forth.

"No, I can't", I say and continue with a desperate voice, "no one can know about this, okay?" He doesn't answer, which only makes me even more worried, and I take a hold onto his shoulders, shaking them, to catch his full attention.

"Jamie, I'm serious! Promise me you won't tell anyone!"

"I can't", he admits with a pained expression, "Nathaniel deserves to know. I understand why you don't want everyone else to, but at least tell him."

"No!" I cry out in protest and try to force as much emotion as possible into the stare I give him.

"He deserves to know and after you've told him, everything with you guys can go back to normal. You can be together again so what I don't understand is what the problem is", Jamie says slightly frustrated.

"The problem", I say, "is that it won't go back to normal. Telling Nathaniel won't make things better because I still can't get back with him. Nick wouldn't allow it and trust me, his threats aren't just empty words. He'll go through with them if he feels the need to."

Jamie sighs and holds my stare.

"Still", he says, "Nathaniel deserves to know and what I don't understand is why you don't do anything about Nick. Sure, he got a lot of contacts but are you sure there's no way you can get him caught and put in prison?"

"Of course I'm not sure", I say, "but my mind has been blank when it comes to ways to get him caught since... forever. Whenever I think I've figured out a way, there's something I've forgotten that ruin it all. Don't think I haven't thought about it, Jamie, because I have. No one wants him gone more than I."

"Okay", Jamie gives in, "let's put the thoughts about Nick aside for now and focus on how you are going to tell Nathaniel instead."

I put my head in my hands and groan before looking back up.

"I'm not going to tell him", I say slowly as if to give the words time to sink in.

"Celiné..." he starts, still using my fake name, "I didn't wanna say this but you give me no choice. Either you tell Nathaniel or I will."

I stare at him in disbelief as I figuratively speaking drop my jaw.