Episode 13
993 Words
Jane's Pov
Jared surprised visit
I watched from my window As Christian’s car disappeared down the road, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. For the first time since this mess began, I was alone, and it felt good.
Why were they all suddenly so concerned about me? Christian claiming he cared about my safety? That was laughable. Where was this concern during our five years together? He’d spent those years emotionally draining me, blaming me for every little thing that went wrong in his life—things that were never my fault.
He always made me feel like I had stolen something from him, like I’d tricked him into marrying me for his money. But I was never that kind of person.
I sighed, leaning against the wall, trying to shake off the heavy thoughts when I heard a knock at the door.
I frowned, my heart sinking. Was Christian back? Or maybe it was my parents, here to play the same tired game of fake concern.
The knock came again, louder this time.
“Alright, I’m coming!” I yelled, stomping down the stairs. Whoever it was, I wasn’t in the mood for another round of guilt trips and fake apologies.
When I yanked the door open, I froze. “Jared?”
He stood there, holding a bouquet of flowers, his warm smile breaking through my irritation like the sun through dark clouds.
“Jane,” he said, a little sheepishly, “I hope I’m not interrupting. I just wanted to check on you. You weren’t at school today, and I was… worried.”
For a moment, I was too stunned to respond. Jared, standing at my door, holding flowers, genuinely checking on me—it was almost too sweet to believe.
“Jane?” Jared waved his hand in front of my face, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I blinked and shook my head. “Oh, right. Um… thank you. That’s really thoughtful of you. Please, come in.”
I stepped aside, letting him into the apartment. As he handed me the flowers, a small smile tugged at my lips. No one had given me flowers in years, and I couldn’t stop the blush creeping up my cheeks.
“This is… really sweet,” I said softly, gesturing for him to take a seat.
He glanced around the living room as he sat down, his eyes scanning the modest furniture and neatly arranged bookshelves. “Nice place,” he said.
“Thanks,” I replied, setting the flowers in a vase. “Do you want something to drink? I’ve got lemonade. Or maybe some pancakes? I—”
“Jane,” he interrupted, chuckling. “I’m fine. Really.”
For a moment, we just sat there, silence stretching between us. I found myself stealing glances at him, only to look away whenever he caught me. His easy smile and the way his eyes softened when he looked at me—it was disarming.
Finally, he broke the silence. “So… you teach biology, huh?”
I laughed softly. “I told you that the night we met, remember?”
“Right,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry. Guess I forgot.” He hesitated, then added, “Why weren’t you at school today? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“It’s fine,” I said, sighing. “I had a rough morning. My dad was shot.”
His face shifted immediately, his smile replaced with concern. “What? Your dad? Is he okay?”
“He’ll live,” I said, my voice flat. “But it’s been… a lot to process.”
Jared leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “I’m really sorry, Jane. If there’s anything I can do—”
“Thank you,” I said quickly, cutting him off before he could offer more kindness than I knew how to handle. Me and My dad didn't have the best relationship that I can allow anyone I care to waste their pity on me.
The conversation drifted to lighter topics, and before I knew it, Jared was helping me with chores. He offered to wash the dishes while I cooked dinner, and we laughed as he clumsily tried to chop vegetables.
“You’re terrible at this,” I teased, taking the knife from his hand.
“Hey, I’m a businessman, not a chef,” he said, grinning.
The laughter came easily, and for the first time in a long time, I felt… happy. It was strange, having someone willingly share the small, mundane moments of my life. Christian had never done that. He was always too busy or too distant, too focused on Amanda or his work to even notice me.
Jared, on the other hand, seemed to care about the little things. He asked questions about my day, my interests, and my teaching, genuinely interested in what I had to say.
When we finished cleaning up, I leaned against the counter, watching him shrug on his coat.
“I don’t know how to thank you for today,” I said sincerely.
He turned to me, his smile soft and genuine. “You can thank me with a date.”
I blinked, caught off guard. “A date?”
He nodded, but then quickly laughed. “I’m kidding. It’s fine, Jane. Really. Just… have a good night.”
As he walked out the door, I stood there, my mind racing. Had he been serious? Or was it really just a joke?
I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts aside. There was no point in overthinking it. I had work to do.
I sat down at my desk, opening my laptop to prepare an assignment for my students. But even as I typed, my mind kept drifting back to Jared’s smile, the way he’d looked at me, and the way he’d made me feel like I mattered.
- Writer
