The Beast

S I X T E E N : F A K E I T T I L L Y O U M A K E I T

Theo had long stopped the car. They were both silent. Neither knew what to say. The atmosphere was a completely different one. Just minutes before, it was light and relaxing and familiar. But it had taken a 180 turn.

"Theo, I... I'm really sorry Theo. I put you in this mess", Jessie said tentatively, not bearing to look at Theo. She felt so guilty.

Theo took both her hands and lifted her chin up.

"Jessie. Stop blaming yourself. You had no idea the person you wanted to spend your life with was like this. And when I put myself in a position where we got into a relationship, I chose to be with you no matter the circumstances."

Jessie looked up at him finally and Theo saw that there were tears glistening in her eyes. He did not say anything else. Just placed a kiss on her forehead, then buckled in and started the car.

The ride back home was a relatively silent one, with Theo's free and comforting right hand placed possessively on Jessie's lap.

Soon enough, they reached the garage, where Theo parked the car. But when it was time for them to get into the house, neither made a move to open their car door. They both knew they were going to have to face reality when they got out of the car.

"No matter what", Theo started, "my feelings for you won't change"

"Mine won't either" Jessie reassured, then to herself, she thought, they'll only get stronger.

Theo got out of the car, then opened Jessie's car door and helped her get out of the car. He placed his hand on the small of her back and led her in.

As soon as they got to the living room, they saw an agitated Gracie pacing about. Theo did not look shocked as he knew she had a spare key, and Jessie managed to hide her jealousy and annoyance well. In spite of Theo's reassuring words, she still felt some type of way because of Gracie.

"Theo!" She exclaimed, shooting a mean look at Jessie.

"Gracie, what are you doing here?", Theo asked, pulling her into a hug. Jessie stood next to them, awkwardly rubbing her left elbow.

"You expected me not to be here after I heard the news?" She asked incredulously. "Are you serious?"

"I didn't expect you so soon. I thought you'd have learnt about it tomorrow or something," Theo explained, rubbing her arm.

"Okay Theo. But I don't understand. What's she doing here?" She asked motioning at a silent Jessie. "I thought you'd have kicked her out after that lunatic made such hilarious claims?"

"Gracie, please. Jessie is my... girlfriend. So stop with the animosity" Theo said, but Jessie didn't miss the hesitation before the word girlfriend.

"Girlfriend? Theo, there's a man claiming you kidnapped his fiancee. And here you're claiming the cheating bitch is your girlfriend? Come on" Gracie scoffed.

Just as Theo was about to talk, Jessie intervened quietly.

"You have no idea what I went through before I came here, you have no idea what I suffered in that man's hands. So you have no right to call me anything out of my name"

"Well, what do you expect me to believe. There's some man out there, desperate and crying for you to come back. And you're here, parading around with the last person on Earth who needs anymore shit in his life. Forgive me if I'm skeptical", Gracie replied sarcastically.

"I know how it looks like, but I also know how manipulative Patrick can be" Jessie tried again, this time more earnestly than the first.

"Who's to know you're not a big lying slut? You got tired of your loving fiance and decided to live life on the wild side right? With the Beast, right?" Gracie egged Jessie on.