Forbidden Love
Chapter 23
I watched Mark leave the family room and I turned away smiling to myself. He was a good guy and we were better off as friends, and not in a relationship. Hearing footsteps behind me, I turned around and saw JC standing in the doorway. My smile slowly slipped away and I turned away again.
JC walked up and sat down beside me on the couch. We sat there in silence for a few minutes before he finally spoke up, “How have you been?”
I turned to him. “You’re kidding, right?”
He chuckled uneasily. “Sorry.” He looked away.
Another Moment silence settled between us. I looked down towards the floor. “So are we going to get this over with or what?” I looked up at JC. He turned to me. “I know why you’re in here. I know why you want to talk to me. Just give your best I’m better off without you speech and be on your merry way.”
“Adrienne, you ARE better off without me. You’re just 17 years old you have your whole life ahead you. You have prom, graduation, college. We can be friends, but that’s how far it will go.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to be friends with you. You saw the tape, you know what I want.”
“I can’t give you that. I’m sorry.”
“But not more than a week ago we were together.”
“I know, but your Dad doesn’t approve of us being together and I have to respect that. When you get older you’ll-”
“Don’t you dare, don’t you dare start talking to me like a kid.” I looked at JC. “If you are going to start doing that you might as well leave right now.”
“I’m sorry.” He paused for a Moment and said, “Adrienne, I would really like it if we could be friends.”
“No,” I said. “I don’t want to be friends with you. I don’t think I could handle it. I think it would be better if we never saw each other again and we never spoke.”
“But I live next door. I’m working with your Dad. We’re going to see each other everyday.”
My eyes welled up with tears as I stood up and my voice cracked as I said, “Well then just ignore me because I’m going to ignore you. Goodbye, JC.” I walked out of the family room. JC stayed seated for a Moment before he stood up and walked out of the family room and then out of the house. I watched him leave from where I stood on the balcony of the stairs with tears rolling down my cheeks and then I turned and went to my bedroom.