Incomplete

Chapter 5: Let Me Explain

a/n: Let me start off by saying I'm so sorry for not updating sooner! I kind of lost focus on this story, and thanks to the amazing new Nickelback song, Far Away, I started thinking about it again. Ergo, I am inspired to write the newest chapter of Incomplete. We're halfway to the end, or something around there…I hope you enjoy it!

….

He shifted, his arms moving slowly around her waist as he did. The mere movement gave her skin goosebumps, his warm arms sliding against the bit of skin that her shirt had slid down to reveal. He'd been asleep for what seemed like hours now. But she…she had been awake the entire time. Pippa's mind couldn't stop running, no matter how hard she tried to calm down and think about something else. Wentzel Ruml was her friend, a good friend at that. He was a brother to her, and she thought she had felt something more…yet she had just stood him up. Pippa remained still in Jay's embrace, toying with a piece of her long blonde hair. Wentz had seemed so nervous when he'd asked her. That had probably been the first time he'd really asked a girl out instead of hooking up at a party.

You're ruining the moment Pippa. You know why you stayed. She knew she had stayed because of boy lying behind her. They were back on her living room couch while the sun set outside and the wind blew in through the open window. His arms held her middle tight, and he was breathing in the scent of her neck. If at any other time Jay Adams had done this to Pippa, she would have swooned. She would have run to tell Peggy about it and they'd both gush and giggle and glance at Jay when he wasn't looking at the pier or at a party. He had had to choose now to barge into her life and make her stop. Just when she was getting ready for a date with the guy she thought she liked. Of course he had to get jealous…then go and save my life…and make me think about who I really want to be with! It's never been so hard before. She knew she needed to talk to Wentzel and explain everything. If she didn't, her mind would be weighed down with guilt for the rest of her life.

"I'll be back soon," She whispered, unwrapping his arms from around her waist. Quietly, Pippa's feet landed on the cool floor of her apartment. She sat upright and pushed herself off of the couch. She knew he would be upset later but he had to understand that this was what she needed…clarification. Tiptoeing to her room, Pippa tried to remain as quiet as she could while getting dressed. A pair of jean shorts that ended halfway down her thigh, a loose tank top, and a sweater to cover her bandages. She ran a comb through her hair and applied some makeup onto her washed out face. So much had happened in the past twenty-four hours, she could barely keep her mind focused. Pippa grabbed a ten-dollar bill from the jar on her dresser and stuck it in her pocket, just in case she needed it. It was always a reassurance to have some money, and a reassurance that her friends would back her up if she needed it. But right now, she needed to do this on her own. She looked herself in the mirror one last time before leaving her room. She was ready to say what needed to be said. She was sure of it.

Jay was still sleeping when she re-entered the living room. For a moment, a dreadful thought filled her mind that when he woke up still nursing a hang over he would forget about everything that had happened last night…everything that they had shared. Her bare feet weren't as cold as she silently crept over to the couch. Bending down to kiss him again, she looked him over once more before leaning in. He was a man wrapped up in the case of a child. He'd seen too much to not be innocent, and she was pretty sure he'd done too much to be considered it.

"Please don't worry about me when you wake up Jay," Pippa whispered, kissing his forehead lightly. "I have to do this…for both of our sakes." And with that, she ran a hand through his hair before getting up and locking the door behind her.

……

His eyes opened the second he had heard the lock click. She had been too tense all night to have been sleeping. That pressure had kept him awake as well. He'd kept her in his arms, taking in her scent, and everything else about her. Her golden hair, her beautiful features…everything. He'd slowed his breathing and closed his eyes to pretend to be asleep. It had worked on Pippa, but it had been so hard for Jay to do. He lay there, breathing steadily still, his eyes dead on the window in front of him. He didn't have to be psychic to know where she was going. Pippa had never faired well with guilt, and even if that meant going to Wentz and back stabbing the relationship he'd worked so hard to build, she would do it for clarification.

"Yet I love her more than anything and anyone," He mumbled to himself, closing his eyes as he did. Maybe it was about time he tried to get some sleep? Jay pushed himself deeper into the couch, opening his eyes again as he reached for a pillow to hold in place of Pippa. "I love her more than anything."

……

"I thought I might find you here," Pippa had chosen to ride her bike to the first place she'd think Wentz would be. The Zephyr Surf Shop was a regular place for any one of the Z-boys or a friend of Skip's to crash at any given moment. She was just glad Wentzel had chosen the first place she would think of to crash. He looked up at her from his spot on the ground, his hand clasped together and his arms resting on his knees. Pippa bit her lip when she saw the colour drain from his face and his eyes light up expectantly.

"Hey Pippa," Wentzel said quietly. A smile was lost in his voice, but she could see a trace of it on his face. A few cars whizzed by, the breeze played gently with her hair, and Pippa smiled tiredly. It was almost noon, but she hadn't gotten any sleep last night. Especially when she figured out on the way to find Wentz that her mom hadn't come home last night. Pippa gripped the handles of her bicycle, still biting her lip.

"Could we go talk somewhere?" She asked. She was expecting him to laugh and flip her off, or shake his head and walk away. Yet Wentz just jumped onto his feet and stuck his hands in his pockets, nodding towards the pier.

"Sure thing," He grinned vaguely. They began to walk, bike still saddled under Pippa, and for a fleeting moment in the back of her mind she thought that Wentzel might think she was coming back to him. "About last night…"

"Yeah," She mumbled when he trailed off. They were well down the street now and heading into the nearly empty street. This part of town wasn't regularly passed by since claimed by skaters and surf rats, and any rich folk who dared drive here were usually only Sid's parents giving him a ride. Wentz turned to smile at her, his clear eyes shining and his tanned face brimming with confusion.

"Where were you?" Pippa let out a sigh, turning her green eyes from him to stare back at the horizon breaking through the palm trees and debris near the pier. The truth hurt in almost all occasions, but so did lying. She could say she was sick, but they'd both already know where she really was. "With Jay?"

"Yyyeeaaahhh," Pippa nodded after he asked her. She could almost see the disappointment in the way his shoulders sagged when she turned to look at him. "Wentz, I'm so sorry. I know it was horrible of me to lead you on…but to be honest, I really do like you."

"But Jay's just better?" Wentzel mumbled, waving her off when she opened her mouth to explain. "I understand Pippa. I mean you've known Jay forever! Of course he'd be the better choice. I mean, the dude has style…your style, apparently."

"Wentz, don't," She moaned, stopping her tracks and sitting down on her bicycle seat. The fact that it was in the middle of the street never even phased her mind. "Were you not listening to a thing I just said?" He turned to stare at her, and it was at that moment Pippa realized that she'd done far more than blow him off. She'd broken his heart at the same time. "I like you…I really, really like you. But…I love Jay. I'm in love with him. And yes, while he may be an ass hole, and while I may have to pick up the pieces more than just once in a while…I'm used to it with him by now. And I know that he is the guy I have to be with right now."

She'd never been looked at before with so much concentration before and it made her shiver. Wentz walked up to where she'd parked herself in the middle of the street. He shook his head, stretching his arms back and locking his fingers behind his head. He looked very grown up in the light of the sun with his sun-dried bleach blond hair and dark, tanned face. If things never worked out with Jay, she knew she would always have at least a friend in him to turn to.

"So I guess I'll have to get over you then?" Wentzel asked, and she nodded simply, smiling at him. He scoffed a laughed, reaching forward and grabbing onto the handlebars of her bike. "That's going to be so damn hard, Vardon."

"But you have to do it," She grinned. He leaned in close and she tensed, but he just planted a simple kiss on her lips. The blush still reached her cheeks, and it already had hit his. He let out a sigh. His breath smelt like peppermint and smoke.

"Sorry…I couldn't help myself."

…….

Jay heard a loud thud reach his ears. When Pippa hadn't come back an hour later, he had decided to go next door to see what was for breakfast. And lunch. And last night's dinner. When all he had found was left over spaghetti, an all-bran muffin, and a half-eaten piece of pizza, he had chosen the muffin. As bad as it tasted, Jay didn't really mind the cardboard taste. Anything flavorful would make him throw up last night's beer. The thud sounded again, but this time he knew where it was coming from.

"Bipa?" He coughed through a mouth full of muffin. Was she finally home? The fact she'd gone to see Wentz for that long made him nervous. There was a lot you could do in an hour, he knew that very well. But if she were home, why would she be making such a racket? Finally swallowing the wad of chewed all-bran muffin, Jay swallowed the bit of juice he'd found in the refrigerator that wasn't sour or molding. Why his mom would have health food in their home was a mystery to him, and Jay had a sneaking suspicion that Amy Vardon might have raided their fridge at some point in time. "Pip, is that you?" The walls in their apartment were paper thin, and he could hear everything that was going on. Things were crashing, and a bit of moaning could be heard from the other side. At first, Jay panicked. What if she was hurt? What if she needed his help? But when the name Harley was shouted, that worry turned to disgust. Amy's new boyfriend…

He ran to the sink just in case he needed to hurl. Pippa's mom had dragged her newest boyfriend back home for some extra sugar? Pippa had complained her mom would be coming home last night…yet from the sounds of it, she hadn't been planning on coming home any time soon.

"Shit…shit…shit…" He mumbled to himself, trying to ignore the sounds coming from next door. What would happen when Pippa got home? What would happen when she walked in on her mother doing it with some guy she barely knew? Jay froze for a few moments before throwing down half of the muffin and bolting for the door. He couldn't let his new girlfriend and lover and best friend walk in on the worst situation possible. He was used to it because of his mom and Donny…but he somehow doubted the fact that Pippa would ever get used to the idea of her mom with another guy.