Choose Your Rose Carefully

Chapter Eight

     My eyes slowly fell. I vigorously shook my head and pinched my nose bridge. I wiped my tears and sighed. What was that? What is it that Jeremy is trying to tell me? I stared at the picture of Jeremy and I next to my alarm clock. The sky went from a purple to dark blue. Soon, the sun began to rise. My eyes were glued to it, Jeremy's smile clouding my thoughts.

    I instantly jerked my body when a hand touched my shoulder. The first thing that came to mind was Jeremy. Was he here? B-but, this makes no sense!

"Alexis?"

   My head shot to the voice. There stood Jared, a look of worry and concern on his face.

"I've been saying your name for over a minute now."

   I frowned and looked down, a low sigh escaping my mouth.

"Hey, why do you look so disappointed?" said Jared sitting down beside me.

"I-" I flinched when my voice cracked, "I had a dr... dream."

"A dream? About what?"

"Jer..."

   The tears tried to find their way back, but I bit my bottom lip and looked away, tightly closing my eyes.

"Alexis, don't give into this again. Come on, do you really think he'd want this? What happened to Aaliyah?"

   Just the mention of Aaliyah's name made me inhale sharply.

"Whoa, Alexis. What's going on?"

   Jared doesn't know... I shouldn't say anything... I looked up to him trying my best to masquerade my face as happy.

"Nothing. I only wanted to see what you'd d-"

"Don't give me that crap, Alexis." said Jared narrowing his eyes, "What's going on with Aaliyah? Ethan's acting up too."

"What do you mean?" I said, trying my best to play as innocent.

"I see the way you look at Ethan. If looks could kill, Ethan would've been dead a long time ago. And Aaliyah, she never came to school in about three days now."

"Jared..." I frowned, "I'm going to tell you something, but you must promise to keep it to yourself."

"Is it that serious?"

"Yes."

"Okay, whatever."

   I wiped more tears and nodded.

"Ethan and Aaliyah are... in a-a..."

"In a...?"

"They'reinanarrangedmarriage." I said quickly.

"What?"

"What am I doing... Jared, I seriously can't tell you."

"Alexis, come on. You know I can keep a secret."

"I'm sorry Jared. I-I have to take a shower... But Jeremy..." I said looking over to the picture and smiling, "Will always have a place in my heart."

   Jared's eyes narrowed and he grabbed the picture of Jeremy and I, throwing it across the room. The glass from the frame shattered and the picture went flying down.

"I don't understand who you are anymore!" he yelled angrily.

    Shocked, my mouth slowly opened. I wanted to say something, but nothing came out.

"You cry and cry over some guy who played you! Alexis, get over it! And now you can't even tell me anything anymore, I don't know why I try. I tried so hard to not make my temper control me, but fuck it. People... I, constantly explain to you that it wasn't your fault! He died to protect you! I don't even know how the hell he became a teacher at such a fuckin' young age either! He planned this all, I know it! Y-"

"Not. Another. Word!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

    Tears clouded my vision as I got up out of my bed.

"How dare you, how dare you!" I yelled.

"Get it through your thick skull!" yelled Jared as he took a menacing step towards me, "People are trying to help you but you're only pushing them away! What the hell is your problem?! Huh?!"

    The room fell into a deafening silence. The sound of Jared's forced breathing piercing my ears. My eyes roamed to where he threw the picture. Anger immensely boiled up inside of me. Looking back at Jared, I began to grit my teeth. Out of nowhere, my fist went flying to his jaw. Jared fell back on the bed, looking at me with wide eyes. Tears came pouring out of my eyes.  I jumped on him, throwing more and more punches. As I punched him, I realized he was right. Everyone was trying to help me, but I only pushed them away. After stopping, I realized that my tears were falling on Jared. His jaw was bloodied and his eye was swollen. After sniffing, I landed one more punch square to his jaw. He grunted and then I realized he fainted.

"What the hell is going on here?!"

    I couldn't control the tears, looking back at my dad who had a look of shock on his face.

"Alexis, what the hell are you doing?!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Daddy..." I cried.

   He ran towards us and shoved me off of Jared.

"Jared, Jared!"

   For the first time in my life, my father glared at me.

"Get out!" he yelled angrily.

"But d-"

"Out! I don't want to see you! Get out of my house, now!"

   I couldn't believe it. This cannot be happening. I blinked twice, taking three steps back.

"D-dad..."

   Tightly closing my eyes, I ran out of my room. I went downstairs, opened the front door and slammed it. How did this happen? So many things flooded my mind. I mindlessly walked through the streets. I passed people who gave me funny looks and finally arrived at her house.

   I knocked on the door and was surprised when Ethan answered. My eyes slightly widened and then I shook my head. No, this is wrong. No, this cannot be. No, what the hell is going on?! His eyes flashed something that was unreadable, but he only sighed.

"What." he said blankly.

"Ethan, who's at the door?"

   My eyes widened even more when I saw chocolate arms clasp Ethan. He smiled and looked back.

"Just Alexis."

   Aaliyah's head came into view and I froze. I-I can't believe it.

"Alexis... it's not what it looks like..."

    I fought the tears and smiled.

"It's o-okay."

"Alexis!"

   I turned around and ran, ran to wherever would be fitting. I found myself at the graveyard, and slowly in front of Jeremy's tombstone.

"Why would you do this to me?!" I cried, punching his tombstone, "You're a liar! A cheating liar! I hate you so much! I hope you went to hell!"

   I picked up soil with my hands and threw it on the tombstone.

"You know just how to wreck lives even when you're dead!" I yelled, "Jeremy Hunter, you're dead to me!"

   I then stopped punching his tombstone and blankly stared at it. A smile came upon my face and I slowly shook my head.

"You were always dead to me..." I said, a small laugh coming from my lips.

   Suddenly, I began to laugh. Laugh so loud, I probably woke the dead. My vision was cloudy and I suddenly realized I was crying.

"You don't know how much you value something until you lose it." I cried, shaking my head, "I'm more attracted to you, and you're dead. Doesn't that suck? I have nobody to go to. Everyone hates me..."

   Sniffing, I got up and walked off.

This is the dumbest chapter I ever wrote. I think I should just stop writing for this story :T