Not Breaking

Chapter # 7

As usual, George came, and was fully focused on explaining to her, when Jenna was staring at his face only, quietly. "Are you only just looking or actually getting anything?" He asked after noticing, when finally Jenna's mind started working. "What? Yes. I'm getting it.. Understood it all." She replied faintly. "Oh really? Then tell me." Jenna’s mouth opened to reply, but realized what would she tell him? She didn't say anything. She didn't have anything to say because she obviously hadn't listened. "See-"

"Alright I didn't. So what? My mind was somewhere else." She said, looking around her. "Somewhere else?" He asked, confusingly. "Yes." She said plainly, after stopping her eyes at him. "Oh so you do have something in your life where your thoughts could be?" He asked amusingly, thinking at where her mind would wander where seemingly there's not enough things he could think of, but also didn't know much either. "What do you think, there's nothing?" She asked, "It seems like it." He shrugged. "Oh, come on now." She rolled her eyes at him and got up. "Where are you going? It's not finished yet."

"I'm going to drink some water, and to think of that too if I really have something in my life or not."

"Fine. Bring it for me too." He said, returning a little of his smile. "Huh?" She made a weird face. George then made a displeasing face and said, "Okay, fine, go and do whatever you want, then come back." he completed with a tired expression. Jenna was the same, "Yeah.. okay." She shrugged a bit then went.

After a while, George suddenly said, between being quiet with her- because that's what he thought was suitable for him. "Jenna.. Can I ask you something?" She glanced at him, "What?" and asked. "On that day at the park.. you were crying, right?" He asked, not expecting that she would answer. She didn't meet his eyes and said, "No. You could have got it wrong." She lied bitterly. "Absolutely not. But I was just asking because I wanted to see if you would lie or say what is true." He said, casually, even after hearing that she lied. "I'm telling what is true. And yeah you really have misunderstood." She said, pissed. "No, I did not-"

"What did you tell me about this question?" She suddenly asked him by moving the book forward. George shook his head and thought about not arguing with her, because he knew what she was doing.

After that, when he was leaving, he noticed Jenna was looking at him emptily, then he said bye to her like usual but she was. "Why do you smile all the time?" She asked plainly. "I am like this." He said a bit casually, and shrugged. "But, still, who is like that?" She asked. "Jenna! I am. Okay?" He told her, confused at what she was asking. Jenna immediately looked around, and sighed, like she was just pulled back into reality. "What? Yeah, of course, yeah.. Um, you go." She said calmly and innocently. "And you don't have to tell me every time. I have to leave, and I am leaving." he said with a frown. "Yeah… Um, I will not say it again, go.." and after saying this, she turned to leave for her room. George constantly thought around that time, what is wrong with this girl?

Next day at school, when George arrived, he saw Jenna was not present in the classroom. George was annoyed not seeing her there. Exams are now near and she.. She is not so special that I will teach her even when she doesn't come to school. He thought, scoffing, and began his class.

But the fact is, whatever he's going to think, he was on his way to Jenna's home after school, when he got a call from Fred. "Hello?" George said. "Hey, bro! Listen, Max is here." Fred told him a bit cheerfully, "When did he come?" George asked. "He called just a few minutes ago and he came this evening. Also, the other friends from college, you remember? Are calling us to a party. Me and Max are going, you too come. Don't go today." He shrugged. "Hmm. I think I can come for a while, I will just inform them and come, okay?" George said. "Yeah, that would be right. But come alright? Max had come after a long time." Fred said. "Yeah, yeah don't worry, I will come.'' George reassured him. "Okay, fine."

After cutting the call, when George went to Jenna’s home, he heard the voices of yelling coming from inside. George was concerned about what could possibly happen there, and slowly made his steps forward, knocking. When no answer came, he knocked again and the door opened. Jenna's Mom was there. "Oh.. Sir?" She said, making a somewhat surprised face. "Yeah… is everything alright-"

"Yes. Everything is fine. I just didn't want to bother you by coming all the way here- actually I didn't have your number, so.." She trailed off. "What do you mean.. I don't understand." George said, unclear. "Ah. To inform you that Jenna will take a day off, and you don't need to come." She said, sweetly. "But, I have just gotten here."

"Oh, I'm really sorry.. I have told you, right? That your number-"

"That's alright, really, but can I ask what happened to Jenna? She didn't attend school today either, so.."

"She has a fever, that's why-"

"Why are you not telling him now!? Huh?! Now lie too!" Jennas said loudly while crying from behind. Their eyes fell upon her, her Mom gritting her teeth, and George saw that Jenna was a crying mess, messy hair, red marks on her cheek and blood near her lips. George was excessively shocked to see her like this, too much to take in, in just a second. Her Mom glared at her, but not showing it to George, "You…" motioning her by the eyes to go away, "What are you doing here… go and rest.."

"Rest! Hah, Why!? So that no one's gonna know about your deeds!? Yeah!" Jenna shouted in a croaking tone. "Jenna! Go from here! I'm not giving permission to you to misbehave with me!" Jenna came closer in front of her, speaking with rage in her eyes and tears falling on her cheeks. "Who even wants that!" This brought more anger in her Mom and she raised her hand to slap her, but George grabbed her hand immediately. "How did these marks come to Jenna's face? She was absolutely fine yesterday." George asked her sternly, and she pulled her hand back furiously. "You don't need to worry." She said seriously. "Okay. I will ask Jenna myself." He said, trying so hard to be calm. "What would you possibly do after knowing?" She said, "It's enough just to know." He said, almost glaring at her. "Hmph." Scowling, she walked away to her room.

"Jenna-" George tried to call her then, but she ran back to her room, "Jenna! Jenna, listen to me!-" Then George heard a thud sound of the door closing. He went to the door and knocked, "Jenna opened the door.. What happened to you? Look, tell me the truth.." He asked, concernedly, and stood outside the door. "What will you do after that? Please go from here.." She said from inside, her voice dejected. "I can't leave like this.. Open the door.." He said, trying his best so that he could talk to her and get to know exactly why she is like that.

"I have just told you to leave!" She said, "Fine, you don't want to open the door, don't open it. I'm also not going." Jenna then suddenly opened the door, and they both were in front of each other. "You are literally so stubborn! When I won't open the door, then what are you going to do here?" She asked. He slowly moved his hand closer and put it on her cheek, she winced a little. "You must be hurting, right?" He said, softly. Jenna looked at him with her teary eyes, and made a crying face.

"What happened?" He said worryingly. She lowered her head and began to cry. George removed his hand from her cheek and held her hand, "You are crying.. It feels weird to me. Please don't cry.." He said, and after a second he took her inside and made her sit on the bed, holding both her hands softly, and sat down on his knees.

"Stop crying, and tell me what happened. You can tell me.." He told her calmly yet reassuringly. "What would I tell you.." She took a pause and sniffed, "There is nothing to tell." She said, voice lower than ever. "See, I know there is. You have to share with someone at least.." He said, calmingly. "There is. Yes it is, but no one present who'll listen to me.." She said, sadly. "That is too, here, just if you want to look around yourself.. If you want.. To share with someone.." He said while looking at her with a little smile.

Jenna looked at him and a tear fell down on her cheek, she sniffed. "You?" She asked, feebly, looking at him. A short chuckle escaped George's lips, "Me too.. But there are other people too, you just need to know.. To see." He told her with a low tone. "But-"

"Me. I'm here.. Tell me." He cut her off, speaking assuringly. "Look- Ah.." She tried to speak but stopped because of the pain, "What happened- Is there a first aid box?" He asked, "In that drawer.." She said in a low tone. "Okay, hold on." He took the first aid box and sat beside her, putting ointment near her lips. And between this, Jenna stopped her eyes, staring at him, with an expression she herself didn't realize. After applying it, he also looked at her and their eyes locked for a moment, making Jenna’s heart skip a beat. Then George put the ointment back and got up.

He was about to leave when Jenna held his little finger, "Sit here for a little while.." She said slowly, looking down. "Yeah I'm right here only, I was just going to bring water for you." He said with a little smile, and she hummed. Jenna thought about why she wanted him to stay, because after her mom no one came whom she could place her trust upon. It was like she wanted him to sit there with her peacefully so she could tell her all about what was in her heart.

He brought a glass of water and gave it to her, sitting back. After drinking, Jenna began to stare at the glass. "Sometimes.. It feels like I'm this glass.." She said, sadly. "What does it mean?" He asked. "At a time as hard as this.. And in other moments, scattered like cannot be fixed.."