I'm soo sorry I haven't updated in like over a month. Been super, super busy & honestly, I'm iffy about this chapter. I might go back later on and either change a few parts in it or just change it completely.
enjoy
Another week went by, and that week was spent with Jazmine working at the same place as Huey as a replacement model for one who was sick and couldn't make it. So it was Jazmine who stood in, having to wear the clothes that model would've worn, and having to pose ridiculously every day.
But she had to admit; it was fun. And she made some good money doing it, too.
One day, Jazmine had just come home to find a crying Cindy hugging Riley, who looked less than happy.
"What's going on? "Jazmine asked, setting down her things.
"R-Ri-Riley's leaving! "Cindy sobbed. Riley sighed, "Cin, c'mon now stop crying, "
"What do you mean you're leaving? "Jazmine asked. Riley sighed, "I mean that I'm leaving for college. Tomorrow, "
"Tomorrow? I thought it was in a few months? "Jazmine's eyes went wide, confused as to why he was leaving so early.
"No, they changed it. I got the letter yesterday…but I didn't know how to break the news, "Riley scratched his head as Cindy began to punch him.
"Ow! What the fucking hell Cindy?! "Riley screamed.
Jazmine couldn't help but laugh as Cindy's ghetto side was dominating her, "You dumbass motherfucking bitch! "She screamed, wailing at him with all her might, "How dare you wait until the last fucking minute to tell me that you're leaving?! "
"Cindy, Cindy calm down! "Riley wanted to smack her, but knew better than to hit Cindy, who would probably have his head on a silver platter. And with Jazmine standing right there, the odds were against him.
"Riley, "Cindy was sobbing now as she collapsed on top of him. She pulled him into her arms and started crying into his chest. Jazmine sighed, "Y'all should have a romantic date or something, "Jazmine said, "Get out of the house for a little bit to have one last day together, "
At that, Cindy began sobbing louder, squeezing Riley so hard his face turned purple.
"C-call Huey, "He tried to say.
Jazmine nodded and headed into the other room, trying to ignore Cindy's crying getting louder. She quickly dialed his number. He answered on the first ring.
"Hello? "His voice was deep and gruff. It made Jazmine shiver.
"Yeah, Riley needs you to come over. Now, "She tried to sound nonchalant, but she heard her voice rise a little.
"Oh really, why? "Huey asked.
"Because Cindy's pitching a fit since Riley told her he's leaving tomorrow, "
"Leaving? "This caught Huey's attention, "For college? "
"Well duh, what else? "Jazmine clicked her tongue. She heard Huey sighed, annoyed.
"Fine, I'll be over there in five minutes. "
So five minutes of Cindy crying passed, and there was a knock at the door. Jazmine went to open it, and Huey stood there, wearing a muscle shirt and blue jeans with a pair of Converses. He looked tired, "I was relaxing, "He said matter-of-factly when he caught Jazmine trying not to giggle. She had never seen him not look professional.
He let himself in, and Jazmine closed the door behind him.
He found his brother and Cindy in the living room. Cindy was still bawling like a baby, and Riley looked like he regretted telling her anything.
"I think they should have a night together, "Jazmine concluded. Riley arched an eyebrow, "And where will you be? Holed up in your room? "
"No, I'll rent a hotel for the night, "She said, "I'll stay away all night so that y'all can…be alone, "
Riley looked like he would've kissed her, but he didn't, "Alright then, "He said. Cindy grinned, but tears were still falling from her eyes.
"She can stay with me, "Huey offered softly.
Jazmine whirled her head around to stare at him, "What? "
"Yeah, c'mon Jazzy, "Cindy said, "You don't wanna waste your money on a stupid hotel room! "Cindy flashed a big, innocent grin.
Jazmine arched her eyebrow at Cindy and gave her a look. She sighed, "Alright, let me get my things, "And she stomped upstairs to her room.
After thirty minutes, Jazmine toted down a backpack with a few things that she'd need. She gave it to Huey, who headed to his car to put it away. Riley thanked Jazmine, and Cindy attacked her with a hug, "Thank you, "She whispered into her ear.
Jazmine waved goodbye to the couple and headed outside to join Huey in his car. Huey turned the radio on, but Jazmine didn't sing along this time. Eventually, he shut it off, and the ride was silent.
Once they got to his apartment, he showed her where to put her things and sat down on the couch, "I'll sleep here tonight; you can take my bed, "He said gruffly. Jazmine nodded, and headed down the hallways towards his room.
His room was neater than his living room; everything was put in a perfect place. She set her bag down on the made-up bed and glanced at the nightstand. It was the picture sitting there that made her freeze.
It was a picture of her, Huey…and Bella. Bella was just born, judging by the fact that Jazmine was laying down on a hospital bed wearing a hospital dress. She picked the picture frame up to inspect the picture more closely.
She remembered that day. She was at the Freeman's house when she went into labor, and they rushed her to the hospital. She remembered crying, and she remembered Huey comforting her, telling her everything was going to be alright.
She remembered when she first held Bella that day. In this picture, Huey was holding her, and Jazmine looked tired and defeated, but she was still smiling. Huey was smiling.
Jazmine touched Bella's face in the picture and tears began to form.
Jazmine couldn't remember how Bella caught the disease, the only thing she knew was that Bella got sicker and sicker as the days went on. Jazmine remembered watching Bella interact with other children, and it never looked right. Bella lost a lot of weight and refused to eat anything she was given. Instead of walking, she took to crawling, and even then she barely moved. When they took her to the hospital the day she died, the doctors said that there was something just wrong with her, that she had a bad immune system.
That was the day Jazmine lost the only thing that ever kept her sane.
And now, she couldn't believe that after all these years, Huey had kept this single picture of Bella being born, when Jazmine had thrown everything away and tried to run away from all the memories.
She didn't hear Huey open the bedroom door and tip toe in.
"I kept it, ""He whispered.
Jasmine shot her head up nervously and set the picture back down.
"Oh, I'm sorry for snooping, "She wiped her eyes, "I just saw it and I-, "
"It's okay, I know, "Huey sighed. He sat down next to her on the bed, "I couldn't believe it when we lost Bella. I thought for sure I was dreaming everything, "Huey said, "But when you left, everything was just too real for me to handle. "
Jazmine began to listen to Huey as he told her how depressed he became after losing Bella, and how he spiraled into more depression after Jazmine left, "I visited her grave every once in a while, even when no one else did. I never told anyone, but we never brought her up anyways. Eventually, I just stopped. I hired someone to keep it looking nice and respectful...I just couldn't handle it. Granddad went to visit her as often as he could up until his death. "He gave Jazmine an apologetic look. "I know I didn't have a right to be depressed after you left, "Huey said, "Because you weren't mine. But I just…I didn't want you to go, "
"Why? "Jazmine then asked sharply. She stood up, "Why not? I had every right to go, Huey, you broke my heart! "
"I know, "He began.
"NO. You DON'T know, "Jazmine shot back angrily. "Do you know how long I cried after you left me? Do you know how long it took for me to be able to look at you without breaking down into tears again? "He didn't answer, "Exactly, you don't fucking know so why the hell are you saying anything? "
There was a long moment of silence, "Why did I ever give you up? "Huey said suddenly, so suddenly that it startled Jazmine.
"I don't know, you tell me, "Jazmine replied sternly.
"I thought you had changed too much, "Huey said, "But after you had Bella, I realized that maybe you hadn't. But I never reacted, I never tried to reach out to you again... and after all these years, I still try to run from my feelings, "Jazmine was silent in response, not having a clue as how to answer.
"I loved you when we were younger, "Huey said, "I loved you more than I loved anyone else, "
"But you stopped, "Jazmine's voice cracked. Huey looked up at her. She was now crying. Seeing her cry sent a dagger in Huey's heart, "You stopped loving me, and you never loved me again. Not even now. Why are you even telling me this? "She asked.
"Because I want to open my feelings, "Huey said. His voice was tortured and pained, "I've wanted to do that for years... but I never could, "
Jazmine felt her world spin around, but she stood up straight, "Why do you think you can't? "
"Because I can't let go of the past, "Huey muttered, "I just…I don't know. All I know is that I've wanted you for years, Jazmine, "He stood up so that he towered over her, "I wanted you to come back after you left, but you never did, and I had only myself to blame. So I did, I blamed myself for all those years, "
He reached out to touch her face, but Jazmine moved back. "But you didn't reach out to me, "Jazmine said softly. Huey stopped as she walked away from him, "You didn't try to even find me. You just walked away from me, like that night, that night when you took Bella, "
Huey nodded, "I remember, "
"You just walked away from me, and I had just let all of my emotions go in front of you, and you still walked away from me, "Jazmine was crying now. She wrapped her arms around herself and squeezed slightly. She shook her head sadly and picked up her bag, "You don't want me, Huey, "She said.
Huey reached out to grab her, "But I do. "He said sincerely. He could feel the tears come on, and one managed to slip down his face, "I want to fall in love with you all over again. Seeing you here, being here, it's made everything come back. Everything. Everything I felt. "
"If you really wanted to, you would've already, "Jazmine said coldly, pulling away from him, "But you don't love me, do you? "
Huey was silent, unable to respond. If he did tell her that he loved her, would she believe him?
"You loved the idea of me, "Jazmine felt her heart starting to break again, "After all these years, after all this pain, "She wiped her tears away, "I still loved you, no matter what. "
And with that, Jazmine raced out the bedroom door, out of the apartment, and out of the complex. It had started to rain, and the rain was covering Jazmine's tears. She ran as far as she could go, as far away from Huey.
She ran as far as she could until she stopped under a tree. This tree was on a hill that overlooked Woodcrest. And Jazmine knew where she was. It was The Hill, where she and Huey spent their childhood together. Jazmine remembered all those times they had together under this tree, on this hill.
"He doesn't love me, "She whispered as she cried. What was Huey saying? Why couldn't he tell her? Why didn't he reach out to her?
She didn't know how long she sat there, but soon the rain had stopped and the clouds cleared. The moon, big and bright, shone in the sky. Jazmine wiped mascara from her eyes and looked down at her hands. She never waned to see Huey again. Leaning against the tree, she sighed. 'You can't not see him' she thought to herself. She pulled her legs close to her and snuggled against the tree, falling asleep, opening up her mind to the memories that she had hidden away.
Meanwhile, Huey was left in his room, thinking about what she had said.
"I still loved you, "
"I want you, Jazmine, "He said painfully, "I want what we had, "He sat there for a long while, thinking about his actions, "Why didn't I reach out to you? "He asked himself. He looked at the picture of Bella and Jazmine and himself. They weren't even together at the time of Bella's birth, but that day, Huey admired Jazmine's strength. He admired how strong she had been to endure the pain of baring a child, his child. Even though Bella was now dead, it was that pain that had sparked his interest in Jazmine again, yet he never reached out to her.
"I was a coward, "Huey sighed, "I was a coward who didn't try. "
Meanwhile, a tired couple was just about to go to sleep. Riley kissed his girlfriend goodnight, "Riley, "She said.
"Yeah Cin? "He asked, wrapping an arm around her naked body, which was covered by the blanket they were under, "Do you think Huey and Jaz still have a chance? "
Riley sighed, "You know Cindy, I don't know, "
"Yes you do, "Cindy turned to face him, "What do you think? "Riley thought about what he should say, or, how he should say it.
"I think Huey does care about Jazmine, "Riley said slowly, "But…he doesn't love her like how he did back then, "He watched Cindy's face fall. He knew how much Cindy had hated Huey after finding out about what he had done, but after all these years, Cindy just wanted them happy. Cindy had such high hopes that the two could make amends, that she forgot that Jazmine was hurt, so hurt that she could never be healed.
Cindy sighed, "We made a mistake of sending her with him, "Cindy said, "I just wanted Jazmine to be happy. She still loves him, y'know, "
"Yeah, I know, "Riley sighed, "It's a damn shame, "
"What is Riley? "Cindy asked, pushing her blonde hair out of her face. Riley touched her hair caringly, gazing into her blue eyes and sighed.
"She fell in love, Cindy. But she fell in love with the wrong nigga, "
Huey is so complicated right? More complicated than a girl. I add in a few bits about Cindy and Riley to every other chapter or so because they're apart of this too, even if this is a Juey story.
R&R
xoxo, queen
