Chapter 13
2161 Words
I was working alone that day. Jenelle had to leave. A family affair came up. And we were slow here in the beauty salon. So here I was alone. I was supposed to meet up with Mark tomorrow. I was going to make pizza with him and his daughter. It would be fun. I begin to sweep up the hair off the floor. I might be able to close the shop early the way it was going right now.
I needed to go home and collect my thoughts. Jess had been on my mind since I saw him the other night. It still hurt to see him. Was my heart ever going to be over him? So, I could give Mark my heart? I felt badly.
I felt torn. Jesse did not want me. I wanted him. I wanted my heart to stop wanting him. I wish I could turn off these feelings for him. Stop caring. Stop worrying. Stop wishing I could win his heart. Tears come to me again.
I brush them aside. I try to ignore what I was forcing to bury deep in my heart. Trying to forget him. Maybe I needed to move away from this town. Get a new start. Get away from all the memories. From the people. Be free of him for good.
♥☆♥
"Can I get my hair trimmed? Would today be a good day?" someone speaks up.
I turn around. I suck in my breath. "Jesse?!" I mutter.
"Hi there Skyler" he greets me.
"You need a haircut? We are slow. That can be arranged" I stammer nervously.
"Can I get a wash and shampoo to please?" he asks.
"Sure, sure" I stammer.
I lead him over to the sink. He looked fantastic. He was wearing a dark navy-blue shirt. A simple tee shirt. And some tight blue jeans. His black bike boots. His cross hung around his neck as always. He looked great. My heart races into overdrive. He sits in the chair after I adjust it. I make sure the water is warm enough. No words are coming from either one of us as I do so.
I refused to look him in the eyes. I could not right yet. I begin to gently rinse his hair with the warm water. My fingers are allowed to run in his fine black hair. Soft black thick hair. I make sure not to drip water in his eyes or ears. I get the shampoo then begin to massage it in his hair. I allow myself to glance down at his handsome face.
His eyes are shut tight. He looks like he is enjoying this. I rinse the shampoo out then get the conditioner next. His hair was a little longer again near the nap of his neckline. Music plays overhead. Some Madonna song was blaring on the radio. Soon I am done rinsing the soap from his hair.
♥☆♥
"All done. Come with me" I softly tell him. I had a smock around his shoulders so the hair would not fall on his shirt. He sits in a chair after I adjust it for him. "It has gotten long again huh?" I say.
He nods. "I like the way you trimmed it before" he adds. "everyone liked it that way"
"Thank you" I answer.
"You are welcome" he answers me.
"Just like before then" I hear myself say out loud.
Nothing was just like before. I was with Mark. And Jesse never wanted me.
My heart sinks at the thought again. I go to work and brush my feelings aside. I begin to cut his hair. I make sure it is even on each side. That they matched up. As I touch each lock of hair and look in the mirror our eyes meet. Why was he really here? What did he really want from me?
"Looks right? What do you think before I style it?" I ask him.
He nods as we look at one another. "Looks fantastic" he agrees. "Perfect"
"Good" I answer.
I grab the blow dryer after adding in some cream for style. Then blow dry his soft feathery black hair. So many memories come back to me. From the first time he walked in here. And meeting him. How much I wanted to be in his life. And how that was never going to happen.
♥☆♥
"All set" I tell him. I hand him a mirror. Our fingers brush together as he takes the handheld purple mirror from me to look at his hair.
"Thanks again for fitting me in" he tells me.
"No problem. Well it is time for me to close shop. Can I get you any products to while you are here?" I ask I head to the cash register.
"Skyler please can we talk?" he asks me.
"That will be forty-three dollars" I tell him.
"Skyler you know why I am here" he demands.
"Why are you here?" I snap back. "I have to go soon" I say. "I have to close up shop. That will be forty-three dollars and fifty cents"
"Skyler I can't help it. The other night after I saw you, I admit you have been on my mind since we ran into one another" he admits.
"Too bad. We live in the same town. It was bound to happen" I point out.
"Skyler your treating me like I am a stranger" he grumbles.
"You are" I snap.
"I am not! You know me. So, well you know me" he argues. He comes around the corner. Then his hand lands on my arm. "Skyler, I want to talk"
"I don't and I am sure Mark would not want us to talk either" I remind him.
"How is good old Mark?" he snaps.
"He is great. We have a date tomorrow" I brag.
"I never meant to hurt you" he says.
"Well you did" I tell him. "And I am done talking about the past"
"Please listen to me" he begs me.
"No" I snap back. Heat burns the tip of my ears. Blush flushes my cheekbones from the heat of the conversation.
He pulls me in his embrace. Our eyes meet. I glare at up at him. He looks down at me with his beautiful brown eyes. Studying me. Forcing his kiss on my lips.
I pull back he pulls me back to him. Before I know it, I am returning his kisses. Hot tears fall to my cheeks. I can feel passion between us that was never in Mark's kiss like there was with Jesse's. The passion I craved in my soul.
♥☆♥
"Stop this!" I breath out as I pull away.
"Skyler, I had to focus on myself. I had to. I nearly killed myself. It was not that I did not have feelings for you. I do! Hell, you know I do! I had feelings for you and for Becky to. You can feel it when we kiss" he adds.
"Good, great for you! You have feelings for us both. Lovely" I snap.
"We need to talk about us" he begs me.
"There is no us there was never an us. I wanted there to be. You made it clear there was no us" I remind him.
"You are so stubborn Skyler" he groans.
"You need to go Jesse" I warn him.
"No" he argues.
He pulls me in his arms again. And kisses me. "I miss you so damn much"
I return his kisses and my arms go around his neck as I hold him close. I was so weak when it came to Jesse. He always had me under his spell. Why could he not break it free. And let me go? Then maybe I could move on.
For good.
"Skyler?"
"Mark?" I gasp.
Mark had come by. He was not with Maggie.
"Maggie is at a friend's. I have to pick her up. I stopped by. But I can see your busy" he states coolly. He takes off.
I hang my head. Jesse ruined my relationship with Mark. And I had no relationship with Jesse. Lovely. How was I ever going to fix this whole messed up relationship!
♥☆♥
"You need to go! Leave me alone! You did not want me. The only reason why you think you want me is because Mark wants me! Now you ruined what I had with Mark. He trusted me. And I broke his trust because of you. Why can't you leave me alone? Let me move on with my life Jesse? Go away" I angrily exclaim. I push away from him.
"You don't really mean that Skyler. Come on let's talk" he begs me.
"I really mean that. I need for you to go. And I need to go fix this with Mark" I snap.
He glares at me. He pays me for the hair cut.
"You don't know what you want. But I do. And I am never going to be enough. I think I learned that. And I need to work past that. You need to leave" I hear myself tell him.
"This is not over" he warns me. Then he heads on his way.
I lean on the counter. Tears come to me. He wanted me and Becky? He could not have his own way. What he really wanted was Becky and to keep me as leverage. That was all he wanted. He could not have it both ways. I brush my tears back.
Someone comes in.
♥☆♥
"Is uncle Jesse still here?" DJ asks me.
"You missed him" I tell her.
"How are you Skyler?" she asks me. "we really have missed you."
"I miss you to" I admit to her.
"Did uncle Jesse tell you?" she asks me.
"Tell me what?" I ask her.
"Becky tried to get back with him. After dumping him but he turned her down. He saw he had feelings for you and he was coming to talk with you. He wanted to apologize and work things out with you" she tells me. "He told us during dinner last night when he was you know thinking out loud. Did you guys work things out?" she asks me.
"Not really" I groan. I messed it all up.
I hurt Mark and I hurt Jesse.
"Well I can go catch up to him. He is my ride" she offers.
I shake my head. I needed time to think this over.
"I need some time. But thank you for telling me DJ" I say.
"You are welcome. I hope you and uncle Jesse get together. He seems so much happier with you" she tells me before she leaves.
I try to call Mark when I get home later that night But he was not answering. I head to Mark's house to talk to him in person. In person was better. When I get there I ring the doorbell.
Jesse was on my mind. Had he really chosen me over Becky? It was to late. He would always be going back to her. I was not his first choice. Never was. Never would be.
♥☆♥
"Hi there Mark we need to talk" I say when he answers the door. "About today"
"Ben wants to watch a Disney movie and so does Maggie. Mark?" asks someone.
"Dina?" I ask.
"Hi again!" she laughs. We shake hands.
"Sorry I invited her over. Assumed we were over" Mark tells me coldly.
I shake my head. "Good for you. Have at it" I snap.
"Skyler" he sighs.
"Mark what is going on?" I hear Dina ask as I leave from there.
I go back home. I sit on my couch. I ruined what I had with Jesse and with Mark. I was a disaster. I could not keep a man in my life. Men did not know what they wanted. Not with me. I was always second choice. Never anyone's first. Someone knocks on the door. I answer.
"Jesse?!" I sigh.
"You are my first choice. Do you get that? Let me make myself clear. I told Becky we were over for good that I did not want to be back with her. I missed you so damn badly" he declares.
He yanks me to his chest. "I missed you" he breaths out. "when I was working on getting better all I could do was see your hurting face as I turned you down time and time again. How I was breaking your heart. I want to mend your heart. I want your heart. I want your love. I want you" he declares. "I want you. I need you" he vows.
My lips tremble. His kiss presses on my lips. My eyes close. I can feel the passion he had for me. He wanted me. He came for me. My heart soars happily. He wanted me.
♥☆♥
"I am yours. If you will have me" he says to me. "Take me back"
I nod. I could not speak I was so filled with hope. Tears come to me.
"Don't cry" he whispers softly. He brushes a tear from my cheek with his hand. "No more tears. I love you"
"I have always loved you" I admit.
"I know sweetheart. I promise to make it up to you. I am so sorry" he softly says.
"Oh Jesse" happiness floods in me.
We kiss. At last he came back. At last.
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