Chapter 21

Jerome POV

I was happy not seeing Gen during supper. I couldn't help but feel angry around her now. It's been three days since her "date" with Theo, but let's be honest, they're going to break up in the next week. They just don't work out together.

Now, I sat at the cleared dining table, working on homework even though it's the FUCKING WEEKEND!

Alfie walked in beside me, cradling a comic book in his hands.

"You know you have an English assignment, right?" I wondered.

"I'll do it tomorrow," Alfie excused, flipping to the first page.

"Sure you will," I comment. I sigh and begin reading through my English homework. Why do I have to go to school?

"I will. Tenner says I'll do it," Alfie bet.

"Do you really want to say that?"

"No," Alfie admitted.

I chuckled.

Suddenly, Gen came striding into the living room. She catches my glance and quickly frowns.

"Don't worry. I'm just getting supper," Gen said, taking her wavy hair into one hand and tying it up with the other.

"Where were you? Out with Rebound?" I snarked.

I could see Alfie giving me nervous glances, but I didn't care. I couldn't help but flare up when I thought of Gen and that boy.

"Are you seriously calling him that?" Gen sighed. "And no. I was at work again, being responsible." Gen, you think you're so cute, don't you. Honestly, I think so too. But I also kinda hate you.

I scoffed, "Oh, you're funny."

"Thanks, bud," Gen says flatly.

"Will you just get out of here?" I urged.

"Glad t-" It happened so fast. Gen collapsed to the floor of the kitchen.

"Gen!" Alfie exclaimed, running to help Gen.

I was so startled I barely moved.

"Get Trudy!" Alfie shouted at me.

I rushed into Trudy's room without even knocking. What was going on? Was Gen okay? Was the baby okay? Oh, God, what if neither of them are okay?

"Jerome!" Trudy exclaimed, pulling her robe tighter. "What on Earth is going on?"

"G...Gen fainted," I stuttered, running my fingers through my hair.

"What?" Trudy questioned, standing quickly and rushing to the kitchen after me.

I gasped when I saw Gen unconscious on the kitchen floor, her eyes closed like she was sleeping.

It was almost a complete blur. I only started absorbing my surroundings once I was in the hospital waiting room, my leg bouncing nervously, Alfie looking down at his phone, an uneasy expression on both of our faces. A few tears slid down my face out of sheer nerves. Nerves for Gen and her baby. Nerves for coming back to Anubis House and having to explain everything that was happening. I mean, it must've been pretty strange to see an ambulance outside their windows.

Alfie looked over to me hesitantly. "She's gonna be okay. She was probably just tired or something."

I gave Alfie a look of disbelief. Tired? I wish. But she probably has some kind of incurable disease that has already killed the baby. That's just one theory.

I was relieved to see Trudy walking into the waiting room with a small grin spread across her face.

"Genevieve's gonna be fine," Trudy reveals, my heart floating back into its place.

"What happened?" I wondered, standing up, eager to see Gen back to her normal awake self.

"She has a mild case of anemia. Nothing to be too startled about. She just needs to take these iron pills," Trudy informed me.

"And what about the-" I stopped dead in my tracks. Trudy might not know about the baby.

"It's fine," Trudy assured me. Maybe she does know.

"What about the baby?" Alfie asks, clearly not understanding subtext. At least, Trudy knows. Alfie is such an idiot.

"Fine," Trudy repeats. "The heartbeat was perfect."

"You heard the heartbeat?" I wondered.

"Oh, yeah. It was a relief. I would be lying if I didn't say I had a little bit of a panic on the ride over. It's really quite scary, isn't it?" Trudy confessed.

"I'm assuming Gen's awake," I commented, disregarding Trudy's statement.

"Yes, but she's exhausted," Trudy remarked.

"Could I still see her?"

"Well, dear, Genevieve said that she wasn't really in the mood to see anybody else for right now. It's been a little wacky as I'm sure you can understand," Trudy empathised, rubbing my shoulder.

Does Gen seriously not want to see me? After everything I've been through- wait, hold on, that's not, that's. Shut up, Jerome.

Alfie and I went home soon after that in a taxi. Trudy stayed with Gen to get her pills and everything else sorted out. I wished I could've stayed with Gen. I know she didn't want me there, but I felt so uncomfortable staring at my ceiling unable to fall asleep, crying out the nerves from earlier.

I was so relieved to find out that both Gen and the baby were okay, but I still felt worried and guilty and angry and whatever. Could I have prevented this from happening? I guess I've been avoiding Gen a lot recently. I haven't been checking up on her about remembering her prenatal vitamins or staying hydrated. I mean, she's having to work almost every night to pay for her baby and I'm doing nothing. I said I wanted to be there for her and the baby even the tiniest bit, but how can I be there if all I'm doing is moping around about Gen's new "boyfriend" or whatever? I'm still bitter about all of that, but I was being unfair.

"You awake?" I whispered to Alfie, trying to get these thoughts out of my head.

Alfie just groaned in response. I suppose it wasn't worth bothering Alfie just to ease my mind. I need to stop doing that.