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Jude and I sit alone in the middle of the stage.
The auditorium is still left open despite the school day ending, and it's conveniently empty. I have a sudden thought that Jude may have kicked everyone out, and realise it's not so far-fetched.
He hasn't said anything, and I'm not forcing him to because I know that I should be the one to start, but it seems I'm having a brain fart. No words come to mind even though everything else does. I can only peek at him and turn away as soon as he's about to look at me back.
He sighs, but his eyes light up and he says a quick "hold on" before standing up and disappearing backstage. I stare at him. Did he just leave me?
When he comes back, I can't hold my surprise nor my amusement. I let out a laugh, once, then twice, as I see Jude sporting the donkey head mask he wore for the play.
"So you can be brave enough to say anything you want to say to me."
My heart swells. He's really doing this for me.
He's really looking like a literal ass deliberately for me.
I take a deep breath and face him, crossing my legs together. My knees bump into his and he seems to get the idea as he, too, turns to fully face me, same position.
"Jude."
"Mmm?"
I really can't concentrate on the donkey. "I... I'm — "
"Please don't say I'm sorry."
"But I have to." I pause. "I jeopardised your relationship with your sister. And... and despite what everyone's saying, I didn't fool you, Jude. I swear on it. I did get close to you at first for Trey's sake — you know that — but everything after that was real. You know that, right?"
"I do. I never believed otherwise."
Hearing him say that, with his voice determined... "Yeah?" I whisper.
"Yeah. The whole reason of why I've been keeping my distance from you was never about us. My thoughts on that had been final and solid. It was all about Justine and doing what was right for her and what she needed at the moment — a friend she could trust."
"I still feel guilty that that decision was forced on you."
He pauses. "It was. But understand that, the whole time I was away, I was doing it for her sake. And I hated being cold to you. I never meant anything of it, okay?" He shrugs."Now that you two made up, though... I'm obliged to do the same, really."
