Just Me ✔

Chapter 11

Jayden's POV:

I groan as I slowly open my eyes. My head is pounding and I feel numb everywhere. I roll to the side of my bed and grab my phone to check the time.

11:48.

Wow, I slept for a while. I slowly stand to my feet before instantly regretting it. I feel the urge to vomit, so I quickly run to the bathroom, and hunch over the toilet, letting anything in my stomach out. I flush the toilet and rest my head on the cool bathroom wall behind me.

"Jayden?" Beth calls into my room. I make a groggy noise, to signal her into my bathroom. She notices me before saying, "Oh, honey. Too much partying?" She asks with a chuckle.

I turn red before quickly correcting her, "no actually. I only had water there."

"Don't worry, dear. I know," she smiled and tied my hair back into a ponytail. She feels my forehead and cheek, before frowning. "You're burning up, I'll be right back." Beth scurries out of my room for a second, coming back with a washcloth, and medicine. "Take this," she hands me a pill. I swallow it as she runs the cloth under water.

She hands me the wet cloth as we go back into my bedroom. I go back into my bed as she tucks me in. "Rest up. John and I have to go to work, and we're going to drop Kate off at daycare. Ethan is here, so if you need anything, text him. I'll let him know, too." She sends me a smile, and slightly squeezes my arm.

"Thank you so much, Beth." I smile, as I drape the wet cloth over my forehead, instantly cooling me down.

"Of course," Beth says as she exits my room.

I quickly fall back asleep, hoping to get rid of this headache.

~*~*~

I wake to soft knocking on my door.

"Yeah?" I softly ask.

"Can I come in?" I hear Ethan ask.

As much as I would love to say no, my conscience tells me to say yes. "Sure," I answer.

He gently opens the door, and comes in with a tray. I sit up in my bed, as he comes and stands next to me.

"Hey," he says, his eyes softening.

"Hi," I comment.

"How are you feeling?" Ethan asks.

That's kind of a broad statement. Is he asking about last night or my sickness? Probably the sickness. "Better."

"Good. I brought you some things." He gestured to the tray. "Hot chocolate with whipped cream, edible cookie dough, and soup. I made it all myself." He pushed it towards me.

I narrow my eyes at him. "Oh, so now you let me eat food from your house?" I know it's rude to say, but I'm done playing nice with him. I don't want to put in the energy to make someone like me, when they clearly don't.

"Jayden," Ethan warned.

"You didn't poison it, did you?" I say, stirring the soup.

"Of course not," Ethan quickly defended.

"That's surprising," I muttered.

"Look Jayden. I'm really trying here. I fucked up. Not only last night, but the whole time you were here. I have been a complete dick, and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Jayden. I'm trying my best to become better to you. I had no right to treat you like the way I did. I was jealous. I thought my parents would love you more than they love me. I know it's no excuse. You lost your parents and I treated you like garbage when you needed someone the most." Ethan said, his voice cracking. I could tell he was being sincere.

"Thank you, Ethan. I accept your apology," I say with a small smile.

"Oh, good." Ethan says with a grin.

"Wanna watch a movie with me?" I ask.

"Of course," Ethan smiles as he joins me on the bed.

A movie later, Ethan decided to go back to his room, while I wanted to go downstairs to get another glass of water.

As I was walking down the stairs, the doorbell rang. Pefect timing, right? I skip down the last three stairs, and I walk the few steps to the front door. I open it to be met with a tall man, probably in his early 40s. He had a dark heavy coat and a baseball hat on. He looked pretty sketchy.

"Hi, can I help you?" I ask, politly.

"Yes, are you Jayden Riley?" He asks in a low tone.

"Yeah, that would be me. Why?" I ask, feeling slightly creeped out.

"I'm sorry about your parents." He said simply.

"Thank you," I mumble.

"So, do you know if you-" he starts, but Ethan cut in.

"Excuse me, is there a problem here?" Ethan said, glaring at the man.

"No, sorry man," the guy says, and hurries back the way he came.

"That was weird as hell," I comment, shutting the door.

"I'll say, did you know him?" He asks, crossing his arms.

"No, I don't believe so. He was probably just some reporter," I say, not thinking into it.

"I hope," Ethan says as he peeks out the window, "The fuck is his deal?" Ethan spits.

"What?" I ask as I peer out the window as well. And sure enough, the man is at the edge of the sidewalk, looking at the house.

"That's it," Ethan says. He opens the door, and marches out there, "Go home!" Ethan yells at the guy.

"Oh, sorry." The dude says casually, and strolls in another direction.

"So weird," Ethan says as he comes back in the house.

"I know, right?" I say. We both eventually shrug it off, and continue on with our day.