J stood and looked at Dom. Here was a guy she'd known since she was 14. She took three months off and suddenly...he was different.
"What chu want?" J said; trying her best to ignore the cute, apologetic look he had sprawled across his face. She tried to keep her hard bitchy exterior up while Dom's face fell. She tried to keep the emotions inside while Dom struggled with the right words to say. 'Inside my heart is breaking, my make up may be flaking.' A song from Moulin Rouge rolled through her head. Why do things have to be so hard? Why does she have to have feelings for Dom, of all people? Why Dom?
"Look, I'm sorry about yesterday. It was just with things going on and then you showed up all of a sudden...it was weird." Dom said, looking at his feet. J glanced at him, confused. This wasn't like Dom. Dom doesn't apologize.
"What's really up? I think I've heard you apologize like a whole three times in your life. You want to explain to me what's going on?" Dom looked up at her. Half angry, half not surprised. She always could tell when something was wrong.
"Look, I don't really know how to say this." Dom rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the ground. He seemed to be suddenly so interested with the grass.
"If you're not going to say it, don't waste my time." J turned and walked into the house, slamming the door. Dom stood there, confused and surprised. J really was a different person now. She seemed to take the world head on now; she didn't seem to have any cares or any worries.
"Dammit, I should have said it." Dom turned, angry as hell, not with her, but with himself.
But inside the house, J was sitting on the cold, hard floor. Her back against the door, her face buried in her arms and knees. Crying her eyes out. She had been so wrong to him. Treated him like nothing, when in reality he was the world to her.
Rome watched from the top of the stairs as the only girl he really ever loved sat crying on the floor. Rome didn't know what to do or say. He stood up and walked down the stairs, J either ignored him, or was oblivious to the fact he was there. He kneeled next to her and wrapped his arms around her. She turned her head and cried in his chest, wrapping her arms around him.
So many things were running through her head. First Leon...oh god how she loved Leon. Leon was the first guy she loved like that. The first guy she was willing to give her heart, her love, and her soul to. But she ruined it. No, Jeff ruined it. He came back and he haunted her. He tortured her slowly and silently. He ripped her heart out without actually doing anything but extending his hand. He made her turn from Leon. He made her turn from the only family she'd ever really known. The only people that actually cared.
Then there was Rome. Here Rome was, in her arms, she in his. He knew exactly what to do. He had been her love for that month or two months. He had been her rock when Dom and Leon were nowhere around. Because you left, she reminded herself. But nonetheless they were non-existent. Rome knew how to hold her and where to kiss her. Even though they broke up, he wasn't afraid of showing his feelings for her.
But Dom...oh Dom. How much worry he caused. How many sleepless nights J spent, worrying if what she did was right. Wondering if she should have turned her back on him. She spent last night curled up in a ball, sleeping in the same bed with her friends. They surrounded her with comfort, when the truth was; she was the ass. She left Dom and the team. Dom didn't leave her, she left him and with no apparent reason. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time, she thought. She mentally shook her head. But yet it was the stupidest thing to do. She never needed to leave; she just needed a day. She didn't need 3 or 4 months.
Rome pulled away from J gently and lifted her chin to look at him.
"What happened?" His voice soothing the hurt she felt. Well, some of it anyways. "I dismissed him before he could tell me what was really wrong. Why am I pushing him away? I am such a bitch sometimes." She frowned and Rome chuckled lightly.
"Oh come on J, you aren't that bad. It's just going to take you a while. You have all the time in the world." He smiled, waiting for her to smile. She didn't.
"I feel so bad for pushing him away all the time. Why can't I just tell him?"
"Maybe he's not worth it." Suki said, leaning against the kitchen doorframe. J and Rome looked up at her. "Maybe something's telling you that if you get involved, it's not going to work out. I've known the guy what, a day? Like I said, he screams asshole. But I dunno. You're the one who's known him for so long." Suki shrugged and walked into the kitchen. Rome and J looked at each other.
"Follow your heart J. You'll know what to do." Rome kissed her forehead and stood up, leaving J on the floor.
Mia watched Leon and Silvia sit at the table, talking. They talk a lot, Mia noticed. Always talking about something or the other. It's like Leon doesn't care that the 'women he loved' is back in town, Mia thought bitterly. Mia looked down at the piece of paper in her hand. It was the home phone number for Brian and J's new house scrawled on it. She looked over at Leon again and picked up the phone. Quickly dialing the phone number. After a few rings someone picked up.
"Hello?" The deep voice said.
"Hi. This is Mia, is J there?" Mia said, a little loud so Leon and Silvia could hear her. Silvia looked at her, a confused look on her face. Mia smiled sweetly. The truth was that Mia wanted J to help her at the store again. Being with Silvia was fun and everything, but she missed J.
"Oh yeah, hold on." The voice said. Mia waited a few minutes before J picked up the phone.
"Hey Mi, what's up?" J's familiar voice seemed to soothe the anger in Mia's heart. Mia smiled widely, causing Silvia and Leon to look at her in a weird way.
"Hey J! I am so sorry about yesterday. But that's not why I called." Mia said quickly, she didn't want J to get any wrong ideas.
"Hey, it's all cool. No need to worry." Mia could practically hear the smile in J's voice.
"Great. Listen, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to help me at the store again? It's just me an' Silvia, but things get kinda boring around there." Mia chewed her bottom lip nervously. It was a bad habit she picked up. She thought maybe J hung up on her, since there was no noise on the other end. But she finally heard J shout something, away from the phone.
"Hey Monica! Tell Brian to get off his lazy ass and move his car. I need to go out." Mia thought she heard Monica shout something back, but wasn't sure. "Hey Mi?" J said into the phone again.
"Yeah J? What's up?" She asked. J sounded like a scared little child. This wasn't the Jezzie that she knew.
"I'll help you out at the store. But I was wondering if you wanted to go to the mall?" J asked, her voice small and light. Mia felt her heart crumble.
"Of course!" Mia said, her voice sunny and cheerful.
"Awesome! I'll be there in like 20 minutes, ok?" J asked.
"Alright. See you then." Mia hung up the phone, a huge smile on her face. She looked over at Leon and Silvia. "What?" She asked, frowning slightly. She would have sworn Leon's cheeks were twitching, his hands rolling into fists and unrolling.
"Nothing." Leon spat, turning around. Mia sunk back in her chair. What did I do?