From Cradle to the Grave

Chapter 35

Jasmine's POV

It has been a week since I've had a good night's sleep.

A week since I last talked to Chris on call.

A week since I received that gift.

Today was the day Chris was supposed to return home and I was jittery and nervous. I have not talked to him on call, even though we've texted back and forth. I just didn't have the courage to hear his voice. I haven't told him what happened, knowing that he would leave everything and come back. I didn't want that. I didn't want him to think of me as a damsel in distress who can't even stand up to her fears and insecurities. I wanted to deal with this on my own.

Which I did so pretty good by losing a week's sleep by the way.

I know Chris knows something is wrong but he hasn't pushed me, for which I'm grateful. Everytime he would want to call me, I would make up some excuse and dodge the call. I knew I was being a horrible girlfriend but I couldn't help it. If I heard his voice, I would've broken down into tears.

I was sitting in my room and was contemplating what to say to Chris when he arrives. He didn't say at what time he would come back, thus increasing my anxiety as the clock ticks by. A part of me knows he did it on purpose. He wanted to surprise me but what he doesn't know is that surprises aren't fun for me anymore.

I had thrown the chain the moment I got back into my senses. However the fear was still there. Hunter was back. And he has started his sick twisted game of haunting me.

I sighed for the 100th time as I scrolled through my phone. I wasn't doing anything productive. School was out due to some local holiday and Violet was on a date with Jasper. Yes, they finally made up. I was so happy when she called me to give the good news. Apparently Jasper went all Romeo and apologised to her for being an ass by standing below her window. He then asked her out on a date. Of course Violet's mother was pissed off at him for waking up the entire neighbourhood at 12:30 at night, but she accepted him after lots of persuasion.

That's the thing about Violet and her mother. They're bestfriends first, mother-daughter later. She told her mother everything and Mrs.Jones always supported her daughter.

This thought made me miss my mother. It wasn't that we weren't close, but in the last few months I've been lying to her. I couldn't tell her about my relationship with Chris. She always saw him as a big brother for me. If she ever found out we were far from being brother-sister, she might even call the police on Chris for harrassment. She wouldn't understand this.

The doorbell rang and I came out of my daydreams. I looked at the clock on my bedside. It was 15 minutes to 5.

Who could it be?

The thought that it could be Chris sent me flying out of my door and down the stairs. He knows Dad is out of town and Mom has busy schedules at the hospital due to the flu going around. He must have come to spend some quality time with me after being apart for a long time.

God I missed him.

But what I wasn't expecting was a two eyed stranger on my doorsteps.

"Hades?"

Hades grinned at me and gave me an once over. I consciously tugged my shorts a bit to cover my thighs. I didn't change because I thought it was Chris. I wasn't expecting this person at all.

"Hey babydoll."

I cringed. It wasn't just the nickname he used. It was the way he said it. Something was sinister in his voice. Something I couldn't quite point out.