Un-Ordinary Girl: New Start

Chapter 12

          I screamed and woke up breathing hard. I didn't feel a panic attack coming on which was good but I still didn't feel at ease. I jumped out of my bed and ran out of my apartment. I unlocked Jackson's apartment door, closed and locked it, and put the key on the table. I couldn't even remember if I had locked my door. I just didn't feel safe enough by myself. I needed to be wrapped in Jackson's arms. In his loving embrace. I burst into his room. He jumped and fell out of bed when his bedroom door slammed open. I could feel the tears streaming down my face. I hadn't realized that I had been crying.

          He looked up and then open his arms for me. I crumpled into his arms. I was scared. Terrified even. I wasn't sure what frightened me the most. I knew I was worried about the twins. That was never something to question or doubt. But I had promised them that I would survive whatever was thrown my way. That I would live for them. I wasn't a liar and wasn't going to be made in to one. But at this time, I needed to know that someone was in my corner.

          When I had finally stopped crying, we got off the floor and climbed into his bed. He didn't ask me any questions. And I was eternally grateful that I did not have to explain that massive breakdown that I just had.  I soon drifted off due to exhaustion. When I woke up, Jackson wasn't in bed. I felt my heart rate increase. I knew it was irrational to panic about his absence from the bed. He could have gone to the bathroom. But that didn't calm my mind. So you can imagine my extreme relief when he walked back into his room.

          Before I could ask him where he had been, he held up a pill bottle. I felt my stomach drop at the sight of it. I knew what it was. It was my Paxil. And I knew from the look on his face, he just found out why I have been having more panic attacks.

          "Why Katelyn?" I looked down. I knew he would be upset. "Why haven't you been taking your med's. And don't say that you have been forgetting. There are to many pills in here to claim forgetfulness." I sighed.

          "To prove to everyone that I don't need any medicine! I know what the system looks for when choosing suitable guardians for foster kids! I've heard it from you, Kendra and Kiara, Ms. Mapp, and from researching it online! I didn't want to be a statistic." He sighed and put the pill bottle on his dresser and crouched down beside me.

          "Then you talk to your doctors and your lawyer. You don't take it upon yourself to do that." I blushed at the thought of talking to Ms. Mapp.

          "I don't think she is even going to help me anymore. I shouted at her the last time I talked to her and I wasn't very nice. I was feeling very depressed." I kept staring at his comforter.

          "Actually, she said she is still going to help you." I looked up at him confused. How could he know she said that? When did she say that? When did he have a chance to talk to her? "You had a visitor this morning. She came by your apartment to try to talk to you but when she found it abandoned and open, she got worried and was banging on my door.

          "She was about to call the police to report you missing but I told her you had come to my place last night crying and that I had let you stay. She scolded me for not calling her but was just glad that you were alright." I felt bad for worrying her. "But she had some good news." I looked up at him. "The twins are indeed bilogically related to you." I started grinning like a crazy person. I was excited. "Anyway, we need to go ahead and get ready. We are moving furniture in today right?" I brightened up more at that and nodded my head enthusiastically.

          I went back over to my place with the bottle of pills in hand. Jackson had forced me to take one in front of him. It made me feel really awkward but he was just trying to help me. After the delivery truck guys finished helping us bring everything upstairs, we got down to business. We had everything set up by dinner time. We went over to the Wong's for the dinner Ms. Wong demanded we attend. We had peaking duck. Jackson really liked duck. I personally preferred beef but who was I to judge.

          Then it was time to give him our presents. I ran out to go get mine out of my closet. I had almost made it out the door when the house phone rang. I really needed to get a cell phone. I put the gigantic box down and answered it. "Hello?"

          "Hi Katelyn. It's Kiara. Um. Mrs. Chesterfield wanted me, I mean us to extend an invitation to you to join us for dinner tomorrow. Will you come?" She sounded off but then again, she was shy.

          "Sure. What time is dinner?"

          "Seven. Goodnight." And she hung up. I stared at the phone thinking how weird that had been but soon dismissed it. I really needed to get this present to the man of the hour. I walked in with my back facing him. Lulu was barking excitedly around my feet. It seemed like she knew that this was the gift he really wanted. I smiled at the little dog.

          "Sorry I took so long everyone. Kiara had called and invited me to dinner with their case manager. Anyway, here you go Jackson. Happy birthday." He took the box from me and looked at it. I saw how he subtly sniffed at the box. I had taken special care to drown everything in my scent. He won't be able to smell this gift coming. I smirked at him when he looked my way with humorous irritation on his face.

          "Well go on Jackson." Mrs. Wong urged him. "You should never keep a lady waiting." His shoulders slumped in defeat and he unwrapped the box and opened it. He gasped.

          "How did you get this?" I grinned. I didn't have long before he put the box down and came and kissed me. I saw the flash of a camera light up my eye lids when I closed them. I knew Mrs. Wong must have snapped a picture of us again. He pulled back after a while. We were both breathless. "Best gift ever." I smiled at him and he grinned right back.