Fatal Red Lips

Chapter 3

Jake's POV

It's been so long since everything happened, I don]t want to have to explain the whole mess to Cara. I can't. Meredith has so much control over everything. And she will ruin anyone who speaks out or even tries to go against her. Even her daughter, Chloe learned that the hard way.

As I sit beside Cara's hospital bed, my feelings are going weary. I love her and I always have, but the pain of her not even slightly being aware of who I am is killing me. At any moment, she might decide she doesn't want me anymore and that heartbreak will be excruciating after making so many memories together.

It pains me to my core to have to delay telling her what happened and simply lie to her about the reason she's been in a coma for a year due to Meredith. 

"Cara you were in a car accident. You were driving home school, it was raining and your breaks and steering weren't working properly. You had forgotten your contacts that day so your vision was off and couldn't see properly in the storm. All these issues put together made you go into a panic attack and while you were panicking, you called me saying you needed help and then blacked out as your car went off the highway into a ditch and hit a tree. You knocked out cold instantly and its a miracle you're alive." I explain. Not the fully true story but hopefully she will find it believable. I want to tell her the truth but Meredith would kill me.

"How did I not die?" She looks at me like it's the most wondered question in the world. If only I could tell you, Cara.

"It's truly a miracle that psychists should study, you must be magical or something," I reply, my lips tug into a slight smile.  If only she knew.

"Thank you, Jake." She looks at me genuinely. 

"Thank you for being you." 

"Seriously though, thank you for telling me what happened when my mother and nobody else would." She grabs my hand and holds it as her words sink in. 

"You deserve to know Cara, it shouldn't be kept from you."

"Jake?" 

"Yes?" Her eyes hold the pain. My stomach sinks at the sight. I already know she's going to tell me something I don't want to hear. 

"Thank you for considering my feelings for the past year but I want you to move on now. I don't know who I am, all I know is my name. I'm not aware of my feelings or reality at the moment and I don't know how long it will be until I am but you deserve to be happy and loved and I can't give that to you." Her eyes hold certainty to support her words. My heart crumbles at her statement, although I know it's true. I don't want to give up on her whatsoever but she just got out of a coma and need to find herself and I need to come to terms with the fact that nothing lasts forever and once she finds herself she might be a completely different person. And once she finds out the truth about what really happened, everything is going to be a whirlwind. 

"I understand. I'll always be here for you and I'll always love you, but right now I'm going to go. Get better soon Cara." I grab my jacket off the chair and exist the room without looking back. It's too painful. My love for her is overwhelming but I have to let her go so she can find herself. We both need to move on. 

As I'm walking down the dimly lit hallway, Meredith comes around the corner. 

"Did you talk to her Jake?" I attempt to give her the cold shoulder but she's having none of it. 

"Did you hear me, young man?" She snarls. her lipstick-stained teeth make her even more retractable. She grabs my shirt forcefully as I resist the urge to tell her to leave me alone. I detest her with a passion. 

"Yes I talked to her Meredith,".

"Good. And you told her the story I told you to tell her?" Her eyes hold authority. 

"Yes, I told her the story."

"Great. You know very well we don't need her finding out the truth. It's only a matter of time before we can finish her off. Play your part and don't mess up and you will get rewarded like promised. And don't forget what's on the line young man." Her long red nails reach out and pinch my ear warningly as she makes sure to get her point across. 

"Yes Merdith," I croak out. 

"Glad that's crystal clear to you. Now hurry along, we don't need her getting suspicious." Meredith's orders defiantly and does a shooing motion with her hand. She releases my shirt and walks away. I turn to walk away and make it to the elevator. 

As the doors close, I let out a frustrated sigh. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm single, heartbroken and being manipulated. 

I take my hat off and run my fingers through my hair before putting my cap back on. 

As the elevator reaches the main floor, it beeps and the doors open to the main floor of the hospital. I exit the elevator and head out the front door to my truck. It's pouring down rain and the cold, harsh wind hit me making my heart ache more. As I reach my truck, I unlock it and getting it slamming the door shut and locking it. 

My anger takes ahold of me as my fists make contact with the steering wheel a few times and I tear up. 

This is what it feels like to hit rock bottom.