I held my breath as the car rolled to a stop, that familiar feeling creeping back into my heart. I truly couldn’t wait to see him; I needed him so much at the moment. But then, there was also that feeling of dread. I dreaded getting out the car, since I knew my mom was about ready to disown me, she was so mad at me. She was as pissed off as she could be, at the moment, and she wanted me out of her sight. I knew if I stayed, I’d feel even worse than I did, sticking with her and wanting to be somewhere else. But then at the same time, if I left, she’d become even angrier with me. However, I knew in my heart I had to spend some alone time with Jason . . . He’d find a way to take my mind off my mom, for sure. He always seemed to be good at that. But the thing was, I didn’t understand why Mom was acting like I was being so disgraceful at the moment; she knew I wanted to get away. I’m sorry I didn’t want to think or hear about my parents and their failing marriage; I was given an opportunity to take the subject off my mind, and I jumped at the chance. I was thankful very much, that night, for Jason and his family.

I decided I would be as not-awkward as I could, acting as if I didn’t notice my mother burning a hole through my forehead with that death-stare of hers. I gathered my literature binder and murmured a “bye” to my sister in the backseat, shutting the door without any eye contact. As I rounded the edge of the car, I watched as Jason hopped over a bunch of rocks, coming toward the car. My mom, in response, rolled down her window and glued on that fake smile she uses in public.

“Thanks for letting her over, Mrs. Mills,” Jason greeted with a grin, pausing by the door. I turned to face Mom once more, for some reason . . . An instinct, I guess.

“Have fun,” she replied in that sing song-y voice she uses when she wants to seem in a good mood. However, as soon as she said those words, she turned her gaze to me, her smile disappearing as quickly as it appeared, a cold stare taking its place, directed straight to me. I looked away as soon as I could, my heart sinking to the ground.

I reversed my direction and instantly started for the front door of Jason’s place, greeting his father with a slight smile. I didn’t hear Jason anywhere behind me, but I didn’t care very much at the moment – I needed to get some where secluded before I broke down right then and there. I felt like I was going to start sobbing any second, which was something I was determined to do when I was somewhere alone . . . not in front of Jason or his parents.

I hurried through the front door, quickly greeting Jason’s mom in the kitchen as I did so, turning to the right so I could escape into his room. I dropped my books on his bed and went straight to his bathroom, tears starting to form in my eyes, threatening to spill over. I heard the front door shut and Jason’s voice echo in the hallway, nearing his bathroom. And then, against my will, the tears started to flow, streaming down my face.

My nose was running and my cheeks were already sticky from the salty tears that I cried. I watched with blurry vision as Jason slipped into the bathroom with me, closing the door behind him, a worried look on his face. As soon as I saw his expression, my breaths shortened and I started to slightly hyperventilate, not able to calm down. I kept wiping my tears off my face, determined to stop crying, but I just couldn’t . . . I just cried even harder.

Jason took me by the shoulders, bending his knees and glancing up to look me in the eyes, since I was hanging my head. “What’s wrong, baby?” he murmured in one of the sweetest voices I’ve ever heard him use. “What’s wrong?” As I continued to sob, Jason brushed my bangs out my face, trying to make eye contact. “What’s wrong, baby?” he repeated. He actually said those three words about four more times before I could muster up my clever reply of, “ *sniffle* . . . everything.”

I continued to feel pathetic in his presence, wiping my tears away with the back of my hand as quickly as they fell down my cheeks, while Jason kept watching me. “What’s wrong, baby?” he asked me again, but I couldn’t answer . . . I just buried my face in his chest, whimpering, calming down a tiny bit. Jason wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into an embrace, and we just stood there for a moment – me, sobbing all over his shirt in his bathroom. “Hold on,” Jason suddenly murmured, and I watched as he inched back. Almost immediately, he picked me up like someone would pick up a baby, and in response, I wrapped my arms around his neck, my legs around his waist, and rested my head on his shoulder. That almost made me go silent, it was so comforting. But I still wasn’t finished crying.

Jason brought me into his room and shut the bathroom door behind us, setting me down on his bed. He, then, sat next to me, sliding his arm around my shoulder, pulling me toward him. I felt the urge to be as close to him as possible, so I snaked my arms around his waist and rested my head against his chest. Jason kissed my forehead gently, and with that, I silently cried my last tears of the night, one of the most important people of my life gladly by my side to comfort me.