Allison
I couldn’t shake off the emotions that washed over me after Jayden left. His words had left me weak and at the same time excited, my mind racing with possibilities. What would happen next? Would he declare our love in front of the whole school, or maybe even the world? How would our parents react?
As I tossed in bed, I suddenly remembered that I had school the next day. I got out of bed and began arranging my things for the next day. After finishing, I checked my phone and saw a message from Nina.
“Girl, don’t forget the party! The club party is this weekend!” Nina’s message read.
I replied, “Of course, I didn’t forget!”
Nina: You coming tomorrow, right?”
Me: Sure, what about you?
Nina: Nah, I’m not coming tomorrow. I’ll meet you at the club. I’m spending the rest of the week with my parents.
I smiled and put my phone aside. A new idea popped into my head – why not get a beautiful friendship necklace from the store? After the necklace case, I’d always felt so bad. Anyway, I decided to head out to the store, eager to find the perfect ones.
After wearing a jacket, I went outside and made my way to the store close by. As I browsed the shelves, I stopped in front of the glass case where they kept the expensive necklaces. My eyes landed on a beautiful piece, but when the sales attendant told me the price, I gasped in shock. “Oh my goodness, that’s very expensive!”
I decided to opt for a lesser-priced but still good-quality necklace. As I smiled to myself, I knew Nina would love it.
When I got home, I saw my mom and Tom were already back. “Mom, you’re back!” I exclaimed.
“Yes, I’m back,” she replied, beaming.
“Where’s your brother?” she asked.
“He should be upstairs,” I replied.
“Can you call him downstairs for me?” she asked, softly, which made me a bit anxious there.
“Uh… Alright, then,” I said, but I couldn’t help feeling more worried. “What’s going on, Mom?”
Mom just replied, “Just go and get him.”
I turned to Tom, who just nodded his head with a small smile, and feeling resigned, I headed upstairs to get Jayden.
Letting out a deep sigh, I knocked on Jayden’s door.
“Come in,” he replied softly.
I pushed open the door to find Jayden lying on his bed, his phone clutched in his hand. As I approached, he set his phone aside and stood up, his eyebrow raised. “What’s up?” he asked.
“Mom and Dad are back,” I replied.
“What? Really?” he asked, his eyes slightly widened. “They came quite early. I thought they’d come tonight.”
Afterward, we headed downstairs together. Just before we left his room, Jayden quickly kissed me on the forehead. I was taken aback. “What was that for?” I asked, still in shock.
He just smiled and rushed downstairs, with me following close behind.
As we entered the living room, I noticed Mom and Tom seated on the sofa, engaged in a hushed conversation. Their serious expressions made my heart skip a beat.
When everyone was seated, Mom’s face broke into a warm smile. “Alright, then. Please, take a seat.”
We settled into the opposite sofa, and I couldn’t help but ask, “Is everything okay? I’m getting a bit anxious. Shouldn’t we wait for Sally to arrive before discussing whatever is on your minds?”
Mom’s expression turned serious. “You don’t have to worry about Sally; let’s just go straight to the point. For the past few weeks, Tom and I have been thinking a lot about our relationship. We’ve come to realize that we can’t continue it any longer.”
Jayden and I exchanged a nervous glance before looking back at our parents. I felt a knot in my stomach, anticipating what was to come.
Mom continued, her voice calm but firm. “We tried our best, but it’s just not working out. We’ve decided to get a divorce.”
Jayden sighed, shaking his head as if he knew this would happen one day.
“Dad, please do me a favor and not get married again?” he muttered. “I’m tired of this already.”
Tom took a deep breath, his eyes filled with regret. “I’m sorry, kids. We just didn’t click anymore. The love is gone.”
I spoke up, my voice trembling. “But what happened? You guys were fine, weren’t you?”
Mom’s eyes drooped, and she whispered, “We realized that the only reason people stay in a relationship is because of love. And we don’t love each other anymore. That’s it.”
The room fell silent, the weight of their words settling in.
Jayden suddenly broke the silence, his voice firm. “Now, what’s next?”
Tom looked at him, puzzled. “What do you mean?”
Jayden repeated, “I mean, after this, what happens? You can’t stay here, right? We have to move… or will you be staying with your ex-wife this time around.”
“Jayden, that’s quite rude,” Mom frowned, but he didn’t even look her way.
“It’s fine,” Tom nodded, his expression somber. “Yes, we’ll be moving elsewhere. I’ve found a place for us to stay, fortunately.”
Jayden’s eyes followed Tom’s, then darted to me before returning to our parents. “I hope we’re not moving too far from here.”
Tom’s gaze shifted to Mom, then back to Jayden. “It’s not that far, but is there a problem?”
He hesitated before speaking softly, “Not really, but I have something to confess.”
“What is it, sweetie?” Mom’s voice was gentle, encouraging, which made me roll my eyes.
Jayden’s hand found mine, and he gave it a gentle squeeze. My eyes widened in shock, and I could see my parents dumbfounded and numb.
His eyes locked onto our parents, and he declared, “I’m in love with Allison.”
The room fell silent once more.
“Wait, what?” Tom’s voice was laced with shock.
Jayden’s response was firm and resolute. “I said, I’m in love with Allison, Dad. I want to win her heart completely, so she can be my girlfriend.”
My gaze shifted to my mom, whose eyes were wide with astonishment. Her mouth hung open, frozen in a silent gasp. She sat motionless, like a statue, her expression a picture of stunned disbelief.