Jane And Austin

Chapter 6 - Out

Should I text back? I was so perplexed. I wasn't in the habit of ignoring the messages I get. Even though I might sound uninterested in talking, but I reply. This was one of those cases where I didn't want to reply. Afterall, I didn't want to give him my number in the first place.

"You there?" He texted again. I opened the message and pressed the back button. I felt a little bit of guilt which started to kick in, but sometimes, sometimes you have to take stern measures to protect. To protect before it is too late. To protect him from the damage I always cause. "Precaution is better than cure," I had always told myself.

"Listen for a moment," He texted again,"I like your friend."

Wait. What? I couldn't believe it. Was it a dream? My heart was throbbing. I felt as if my heart was kept next to my ears. AUSTIN SMITH LIKES SUSAN DEXTER. I didn't reply for a minute and in that one minute, I had innumerable feelings and one of those feelings included feeling sad. I felt sad for two reasons. Firstly, Austin used me as a bait to get to Susan and secondly, I didn't know. Out of all the feelings, which included surprise, excitement and happiness for Susan, sadness dominated all of the other. Even though most of us have infinite reasons to be happy, but we always feel sad for that one thing we could not get. Likely, even though I had all the reasons to be happy about, but still two reasons dominated how I felt.

"Wow. I am so happy to hear that. I will make sure both of you meet soon," I texted back. Finally.

"And if I say this was a joke?" I read the text from Austin and as soon as I read it, I realised that I wasn't being used as a bait, but my 'friend' was.

"Can you do things normally for once?" I texted back. I couldn't help but feel embarrassed and pissed off at myself. Why didn't I think it over before becoming the fish?

"That's me. Being normal. Why are you still waking up? Waiting for my text? Oh, Sorry for being late." He sent successive texts, one after another.

"It's okay." I realised the mistake I had made only after the text was sent. It wasn't really my fault, after all. My mind was preoccupied with thoughts, it was late at night and it is a basic instinct to say 'It's okay' to a 'sorry.' Well, it didn't matter now. The arrow had left the bow.

"OMG!!!!! So you were really waiting for my text..." As soon as I read that text from him I didn't know what to say. Even if I say - 'That was by mistake' I knew he wouldn't believe.

"My mom texted that. I didn't." Well, I only realised that it was stupid thing to say only after sending it.

"Bad try, Jane. Your mom is at my house tonight. Didn't she tell you?" Damn. I hadn't seen her since the dinner and that was before 9.

"Mom," I shouted loud enough for my dad to get worried.

I heard the footsteps, they were fast. Also, I heard notifications popping up on my screen, but I didn't look at it. In the midst, I realised I was getting dad worried for no reason. My mom had a life to live. I was being the handcuff to her hands who was prisoned for loving her daughter.

Dad came into the room along with MOM. Fuck. Care and horror on their face was so evident. I couldn't help but feel the remorse inside me. "What happened?" They said in unison. What was I supposed to say now?

Sitting on my bed, I opened my arms and called them to hug me. Three of us hugged and I don't know why, but I started crying. This hug was due from a long time. I couldn't remember when we had a moment like this. Seeing me sobbing a little, mom caressed my hair, assuring me from her love and wiped the tears from my face. While dad sat beside me, holding my hands, continuously asking me what had happened. It had been some time since I felt love and it felt so heavenly. So good. I felt so lucky.