Forever haunted

Chapter 8

JACKSON’S POV

After our reading session In the library , luckily for me she didn’t drive , with a bit of desperate pleading she let me drop her home .

The ride home was a quiet one ,

I took a couple of wrong turns ,

A thirty minute trip turned to an hour trip .

“I see you’re not ready to go home yet “ she points out the obvious and I let out a dry chuckle

“I’m not ready to let you go yet “ I say focusing on the road .

“But I’m not yours to keep or let go , I’m a woman of my own making and that’s what I want to be “ she says looking at the road ahead .

“I know that , but I can’t understand why there’s something about you that I want to protect, I want to love , I want to deeply care for . It doesn’t even make sense because I don’t know you . Love at first sight I guess “ it all comes out and I feel relieved ,

My chest tightens and my breath gets shallow ,

I tighten my hands around the steering wheel to give my self something to focus on .

I don’t take my eyes off the road ,

She doesn’t say a word ,

The elephant in the back seat , making it self more present that it has ever been .

They say often that,

when you ignore the elephant in the room ,

You’re bound to carry the weight of its presence .

I see her from my peripheral view , take a deep breath in .

“I have never been with anyone before and I don’t want to rush into anything , for all I know you can be an abusive toxic bruised man “ she says filling up the silence .

“I’m not any of those things” I quickly say .

Why is my heart pacing like I’ve been caught ?

Why would she think that ?

What has she heard ?

Who told her what ?

Was it Elizabeth ?

I take a deep breath in to relax my mind ,

That’s not who I am anymore , I’m a changed man now .

She can’t judge me by my past , she shouldn’t.

As I take the turn that leads to her house ,

My breathing returns to the regular pace .

I drive to the front of her door and turn off the ignition,

“What’s going to happen now ? “ I ask her