Realizations
Part Two
When Sonny walked through the door of his living room, he spotted Carly there, with her head lowered. Josslyn laid across the sofa as well, head rested on her mother's lap. He furrowed his brow as he spotted the tissues on the coffee table, the mug of tea, and the box of pizza. "What happened?" he mouthed to Carly when she looked up at him.
Carly ran her hand through her daughter's hair. "Kim came by earlier today. She wanted to see Josslyn. God, Sonny, Oscar is dead. Kim said he'd been sick for years and she kept it secret until recently. Apparently that's why Oscar ended things with Joss."
Sonny's eyes widened in shock. "I saw Jason today. He didn't say anything."
His wife sniffled and swiped at her eyes. "He may not know. I get the feeling it was sudden and Kim just came as soon as she felt able."
"Damn it." He swore before he moved to take a seat in the chair across from his wife and stepdaughter. "Has she talked at all?"
Carly shook her head negatively. "Only a little right after Kim gave her the news. She told me how badly it hurt and asked if she was allowed to be angry at Oscar. I told her that she was allowed to feel that way. After that, she went upstairs. She only came down because I made her so she could eat. God, Sonny. I've never seen her like this."
Sonny sighed and reached out to squeeze his wife's hand. "We'll help get her through this, Carly. We'll do whatever we have to."
The next morning, Josslyn woke up early. She'd had a fitful night's rest and knew she probably looked exhausted. But she couldn't bare to stay in her bedroom any longer. She had to get out of the house and forget about Oscar if only for a few hours. She hurried into her bathroom to shower and get ready and then came downstairs with her backpack on her shoulder an hour later. "Mom? I'm gonna head to school."
Carly cupped her mug of coffee in her hands and gave her daughter a startled look. "Josslyn, you don't need to go to school. No one expects you to and I'm sure your teachers would understand."
"Yeah, well, I have a lot to do today. I have a Spanish test and a quiz in history. Plus, volleyball practice." Josslyn answered, head lowered as she stared at the ground, blonde locks surrounding her face like a curtain.
Her mother started over to her, "Well then at least let me drive you to school."
"Damn it, mom, I'm not an invalid!" The teen practically snarled, pretty face turned up to a sneer. Her expression became soft moments later as she realized what she'd said. "God, I'm sorry, mom." She answered as she tugged at the sleeves of Morgan's old, flannel shirt. "That was really bitchy of me. It would actually be really great if you could drive me." She gave her mother a broken smile which was quickly returned with a watery one.
As soon as Josslyn walked into the school, she was catapulted backwards by Gina who quickly wrapped her arms around her. Josslyn embraced her friend back and practically buried her face into the other girl's sweet smelling, dark hair.
Gina pulled back a little, though she still held Josslyn's arms. "I heard about Oscar. I'm so sorry, Josslyn. I can't believe he was sick."
Josslyn's brows furrowed and she gazed into her friend's dark eyes. "How did you know he was sick?" She wondered suspiciously.
The other girl flipped back her dark hair and answered, "There are grief counselors in the school. A morning announcement was made that we should go talk to them if we felt like we needed to, why?"
She shook her head in relief, "No reason. I'm just...shocked that they're letting out information of how he died. I mean, I didn't even know he was sick."
Gina wrapped an arm around the blonde's shoulders as they walked toward Spanish class. "I don't think anyone did. I mean, he dropped out of school, didn't he? That's why we suddenly didn't see him anymore. And everytime I tried to confront him about breaking up with you, he'd run off."
Josslyn laughed, but it was a sad one. "You're a good friend, Gina. You and Cam have both been...amazing while having to deal with my bullshit about Oscar."
Gina gave a sparkling white smile. "Well, that's what friends are for, Joss. Besides, Cam clearly adores you. Have...have you talked to him at all since finding out about Oscar?"
Her friend shook her head. "No. I just...I couldn't, you know? After finding out about Oscar, I was so hurt, so angry, and I felt guilty. I mean, I still feel all of those things. I didn't have romantic feelings for Oscar anymore, but I still cared about him. He was still my first love and I was such a bitch to him the last time that I saw him. And I know that I didn't know he was sick, and I had a right to be angry, but I still feel bad."
Before Gina could reply, Cam suddenly came up to them, eyes filled with guilt and mouth set in a line.
Without saying a word, Cam embraced Josslyn fiercely and asked, "How are you?" in a whisper.
Josslyn hugged him back tightly. "Trying to get through the day." She replied. "I was hoping that coming to school would take my mind off of Oscar for awhile." She let him go and hugged herself protectively as she sniffled.
Cam's eyes flashed guiltily, an expression Josslyn didn't take notice of in that moment though Gina did. Cam valiantly ignored Gina's questioning eyes. "Hey, um...Joss? I need to talk to you." He said as he reached down to take her hand. "Alone. It's...really important."
The girl in question gave a confused look, dread filling her. "What do you need to talk to me about?" She answered with trepidation after Cam had dragged her into an abandoned classroom. She watched as he paced the room, going back and forth from the door to the windows. His hands gripped his hair in tight fists and he was muttering to himself something that she didn't catch. "Cameron" She said sharply, impatiently. "Tell me what the hell is going on."
Her voice was demanding and it caused him to swallow hard.
"I'm so sorry, Josslyn." He uttered with a shake of his head. "I...I knew Oscar was sick. I found out from overhearing Franco talking about it on the phone and from my mother or Franco not closing out he computer." When Josslyn didn't respond, he rushed on with his confession, needing to get it all out before he lost his nerve. "Oscar confronted his mom and found out that he really was sick and that was why he broke up with you. He told me that he'd rather you hated him than have to watch him die. He wanted to be remembered as your first love and not the boy you watched die. Anyway, he got me to help him try to turn you away. The picture of he and that girl was photoshopped. He was just...trying to get you to move on. I didn't...agree with what he was doing to you, but I still listened to him anyway and did what he asked."
"You knew?" She answered sharply, voice so icy cold, it made Cam feel as if his blood was frozen in his veins. "You knew...but helped a boy that you didn't like pull this stunt? You knew and fake dated me, even knowing that nothing would come of it?"
He winced at her tone. "I did. But Josslyn, I didn't want to hurt you. I tried to convince Oscar to just let you decide for himself whether or not you wanted to be by his side, but it wasn't my decision."
Josslyn laughed and threw up her arms. "But you did it, anyway! God, Cam, the last memory of Oscar I even have was me telling him that he wasn't a part of my life anymore! And to think, I was beginning to have feelings for you. Damn it, I was so stupid." She spit out the word, "feelings" as if it was a curse and then turned fiery blue eyes on her friend. "Fuck you, Cam."
It was just a viciously whispered sentence that seared Cam's heart as Josslyn rushed past him, shoulder bumping into his.
As soon as Josslyn was out of the room, she collapsed into an awaiting Gina's arms and began to sob while on the other side, Cam slid down to the ground, back against the door and did the same.
Next Chapter: Josslyn talks to her mother who implores her to give Cam a chance to explain, Josslyn begins to investigate who else could've known about Oscar's illness. Kim makes funeral arrangements.
