After being home a few days I got a call from my lawyer
letting me know when the trial would be. I had three weeks until I
had to face Jacob and that moment couldn't come soon enough. I
wanted to show him I was stronger than he was and that he didn't
scare me. I had to prove to myself that I could overcome everything
he had put me through.
Gage was at my house every day. He always brought me my
favorite cupcake from the bakery in town and every few days he
would bring flowers. He would sit and listen to me cry, scream,
rant, and break down. He was there sometimes to just hold me and
reassure me that everything would be ok.
The
trial date came. My parents and Gage at my side. Jacob had been
found guilty on all charges. We would have to come back for another
hearing for sentencing. I had prepared a speech for that. My lawyer
had advised I write a letter to the jury and when I got up to read
it I looked over to where Jacob was sitting. He winked at me! I
wanted to smack him.
"Ok, Ms. Reylan go ahead when you’re ready." The judge was
looking down at me.
"Hi, my name is Jenna Penelope Reylan. I am sixteen years old.
I have experienced something no one should have to go through. I
was raped and beaten by Jacob Vincen, to the point I had to fight
for my own life and lost my baby. He was my boyfriend, the guy I
thought I love and he loved me. The father of my unborn baby. He
not only ruined my life, but he killed his own child. I have gone
through many emotions from anger to depressed to hurt. This man, if
that’s what you want to call him, does not deserve any leniency
that you may be considering. He lost his right when he touched me,
and when he killed my baby. I do not hate him, I do not like him, I
do not love him. As for me, Jacob Vincen will never exist from this
day forward. When I walk out of this courtroom he will no longer be
a part of my life or my thoughts. I will always remember what he
put me through but I refuse to allow him control over my
life."
I
turned from facing the jury to looking directly at Jacob. His face
was ashen, his eyes stoney cold. "Jacob, no matter what happens
today I want you to know that I am not scared of you. You can never
hurt me again, ever. I am removing you from my life and thoughts.
You are a sick coward who needs help. I hope you get cornered in
jail and welcomed by a huge man towering over you so maybe for just
a few moments you feel what I felt." I folded up my paper and
stepped down walking across the courtroom and back to my seat.
Jacob's eyes followed my all the way, I couldn't help but glance at
him. It sent a shiver down my spine. I sat down next to Gage and he
grabbed my hand giving it a slight squeeze.
Jacob was sentenced to life in jail, no chance of
parole.
CHAPTER 21
I let out an
empty laugh before turning my eyes to look at Larkin. "I had this
vision of Jacob, our baby, and me becoming a happy family and
living happily ever after. I always had a dream growing up that I
would fall in love, get married, and have three kids. That day was
the day the girl I used to be died. I promised myself I would never
put myself in that position again and I would never love again. I
can't risk it. So there you go the reason why I'm such a cold
hearted, fucked up bitch."
Larkin was
staring at me his mouth open. Finally, not being able to take the
silence I said, "You can leave now Larkin. Really I'm fine and just
want to be alone."
"Jenna I am
not walking away. I just need a minute to absorb everything you
just told me. There is so much going on in my head right now, I
just...I just need a damn minute."
I let out a
sigh and curled myself into an even smaller ball, laying my head on
the arm of the couch watching Larkin. He was now staring straight
ahead, his jaw ticking like I had seen so many times after a game
when his adrenaline was still pumping. This couldn’t be
good.
Finally he
turned to look back at me and spoke, "Jenna, I wish you would have
fucking told me about your past before, I wouldn't have pressured
you into anything. I have never done the girlfriend thing so I'm
not sure what to do but I know for damn sure what I'm not going to
do. I am not giving up on us. I love you and you love me, even if
you don't want to admit it."
"Larkin! I.
Do. Not. Love. You. I don't love, it’s not for me. So please just
leave. If you want me happy just do that for me."
"Fine, I will
give you time Jenna, but that’s all you get is time. I will be
back. We are not over. You are worth the fight." I couldn't look at
him. I kept my head down and eyes trained on the rug in front of
me. I wasn't sure if he was leaving until I heard the front door
slam shut.
I sunk into
the couch as the tears ran down my face. There was a soft knock on
the front door before I heard Gage's voice as he opened the door,
"Hey, babe."
"What Gage?" I
didn't want to sound pissy but I knew I did.
"Just wanted
to check on you, make sure you're ok."
"Never
better."
Gage sunk down
into the couch and leaned back so he was lying next to me, propping
his head up on one elbow. "Liar. I saw Larkin slamming the door and
stomping away. What went wrong? You love him Jenna, you told me
that yourself. Not to mention how obvious it is to everyone else
around. I never thought I would have to worry about you hurting
Larkin, but apparently I do."
"He is too
much like Jacob, Gage. With him I am just asking to be hurt. Before
that could happen I stopped it, now I have nothing to worry about."
I shrugged.
Gage shook his
head. "Except now you’re hurting and it’s your own fault. I know
what you went through with Jacob. I was there by your side through
it all. Larkin is nothing like he was. Jacob was a monster
incapable of love. Jenna, you have to fight through the bad days to
get to some of the best days of your life."
I snuggled
into Gage's side. Barely above a whisper I said, "You’re the only
guy I can trust completely, and I know that you will never hurt me.
This thing with Larkin wasn't supposed to be serious. I let my
stupid heart get involved and it ruined everything."
Gage grabbed
my face so I was looking him in the eye as he said, "Jenna Penelope
Reylan just for once forget about everything that could go wrong
and the reasons it won't work and focus on how happy he makes you.
I love you more than anyone in this world could ever love you, but
I think it's time I let you go."
I rolled onto
my back, staring at the ceiling. "You can't leave me, Gage. I need
you. I know you’re right but I'm not ready. I guess maybe it’s time
to trust my instincts, close my eyes, leap, and hopefully Larkin
will catch me."
"He will, he
already has. And that’s what hurts me the most." Gage pulled me
into a hug and kissed the top of my head.
**********
I wasn't ready
to face Larkin yet. I spent the rest of the weekend in bed. I
stepped out of my room Monday morning, and the smell that smacked
me in the face had me running into my bathroom. Gage had made
pancakes and sausage, my favorite…well usually.
Gage and
Dollie followed me into the bathroom. "Whoa, babe. You
alright?"
I was reaching
for a washcloth when the urge to get sick hit me again. After
emptying my stomach I wiped my mouth before grabbing my toothbrush.
"I think I have a virus. Maybe I will try lying down for a while,
and see if that helps. Do me a favor and spray some febreeze or
something. I can't take that sausage smell."
"Ok. Want me
to get you some soup or anything? Maybe crackers?" Gage was rubbing
my back.
"Ugh! No food.
Go to practice so you’re not late. I will be fine."
"Let me help
you clean up first then I will go. I'm the star, not like they can
do much without me."
I grunted as I
leaned over the toilet again. I'm not sure what was coming up since
I hadn't eaten but it wouldn't stop. After twenty minutes of
vomiting I was in bed with my iPad, iPod, and iPhone. Gage made
sure I was comfortable before I finally forced him to
leave.
I woke up to
my phone chiming, alerting me of a text. Glancing at the screen I
saw Libby sent me a text.
Libby: what the hell is this?
Her text was
followed by a picture of Larkin and some blonde at Jinx and Trent’s
apartment. The blonde was on his lap and his face was buried in her
neck. What the fuck? Just a few nights ago he was telling me he
loved me and now he was snuggled up to some slut.
I didn't reply
to Libby, instead I sent Larkin a text.
Me:
Fuck you. I will give your shit you left at my apartment to Jinx.
You are EXACTLY like my ex but worse, at least he wasn't a
cheater.
Not a minute
later Larkin was calling me. I ignored call after call until he
finally text me.
Larkin: What the fuck? What are you talking about?
I sent back
the picture of him and blonde slut, nothing else. He didn't
reply.
I was curled
up in bed when Libby walked into my room. "Hey honey, just wanted
to check on you. I saw Gage earlier and he said you were
sick."
Shrugging my
shoulders I mumbled, "Feeling a little better I guess."
Libby stood
beside my bed and curled her lips. "I was really asking about the
picture."
I knew she was
but I was trying to avoid that topic. "Fuck him."
"I'm so sorry
Jenna, I don't know what I was thinking the other night when I
blurted out that you love him. I was just trying to get Trent to
shut up. I should have thought before opening my mouth."
"Seriously,
its fine. Better that we ended now than a year from now. At least I
know he's a cheater and I didn't get in too far."
"You’re in
further than you want to admit to yourself. You still got hurt,"
Libby deadpanned.
I rolled my
eyes and mumbled, "I'm used to it. It just sucks knowing that he
lied and I'm not worth the truth to him."
Libby wrapped
her arm around my shoulders. "You are worth it. Honestly I don't
know what to say to make it better or to stop your heart from
hurting. But, I do have perfect arms for hugs and my ears are
awesome listeners. I just want you to be happy and
smile."
"Thanks,
chick." I hugged Libby back.
"Anytime. I am
going home this weekend. You’re welcome to join."
"No. My family
will be here tomorrow night and Gage's family will too. You will be
back for the game though, right."
"Hell yeah! I
wouldn't miss that game for anything."
"Good, because
I might need some support from my girls. Seeing Larkin on the field
will be hard."
Libby squeezed
my hand and said, "Always got your back."
Libby smiled
as she walked out the door. I heard her and Gage talking for a
minute before Gage was storming into my room.
"What the hell
is going on? Libby just told me Larkin is not allowed around you
and to watch you, make sure you don't go psycho."
I rolled onto
my belly and folded my arms under my pillow as Dollie curled into a
ball beside me. "Larkin's a cheater. Libby sent me a picture from
the other night of Larkin and some blonde. Before you freak out,
I'm fine. Really, I'm not surprised. I mean it sucks, and it hurts
but life goes on."
Gage was
crawling into my bed and pulling me to him and said, “J, honestly I
never thought he would do that. And before I say this I don’t want
you thinking I’m on his side but didn’t you tell him to
leave?”
Scoffing I
pulled away and bit out, “Yes, but if he loved me like he claimed
why the hell would he be hooking up with some whore
already?”
Gage raised an
eyebrow and said, “From first-hand experience I would say to block
the pain. I don’t see him doing that though. Maybe you should talk
to him?”
Shutting my
eyes I chewed on my bottom lip before saying. “I knew it was going
to happen and I prepared myself, but this hurts.”
Gage wrapped
his arms around me kissing my temple. “I know. And I’m here, I will
always be here.”
**********
It was
Thanksgiving morning and I was still feeling like hell. My family
and Gage's would be over from their hotel soon and I was still
lying in bed, unshowered. Gathering all my energy I tossed my legs
over the edge of my bed and forced myself to stand. I fumbled into
the kitchen and found Gage at the sink with the turkey, attempting
to stuff it and put it in the roaster pot. He looked adorable, like
a manly Martha Stewart.
"Need any
help?" I yawned.
Gage turned
his face to look at me and stated, "You look like hell, go back to
bed. I got this under control."
"Wow thanks
prince charming."
Before Gage
got the chance to say anything else I was running to the bathroom.
My Thanksgiving was spent in bed or in the bathroom. It was lovely,
really, just fantastic.
My mom sat
down on my bed and said, "Sweetie I think you should go see a
doctor. If you haven't got any better since Monday you may have
something other than a virus."