Until I Met You

Forgiveness (29) Grace

I woke up at the sound of something pushed around. I vaguely felt the cluttering sound made by moving dishes. I stood up as alarm bells started going in my head. Someone was in my house. Clutching my hand around a pillow, I looked around frantically to find something that I could use as a weapon.

Like my shitty luck, I found nothing. I didn't have any other option but to unplug the wire cord of my lamp and took it with me as a weapon. I took out my phone and dialed 911.

"It's 911. What's your emergency?" The dispatcher asked me from the other side of the line. I tip-toed to my door and opened it.

"I think someone had broken into my house." I whispered to the dispatcher. I walked down the stairs quietly and looked around in the kitchen. No one was there. I entered the kitchen looking for anything that must be missing. "Alright. I want you to go to a safe room with a lock and lock yourself in. Also take something with you that you can use as a weapon -" Dispatcher continued as a hand landed on my shoulder.

"Grace." I shrieked back like a kid. When two hands shook me to get my attention.

"Grace. Grace? Grace!" I recognized that voice. I opened my eyes to find two familiar brown eyes staring back at me.

"Jake?" I asked, my voice rasped. My chest rose up and down with short breaths that I was taking in.

"What happened? Hello? You're still there? Please answer if you can hear me." I snapped back into reality and leaped down to pick my phone up.

"I'm sorry about that. Nobody broke into my house, it was just my boyfriend pranking me. I'm really sorry for the inconvenience." I said in the speaker and gave Jake a look. He returned the exact look back to me. Unapologetic of his actions. "That's alright, Ma'am. Please make sure next time if you actually have a break in your house." The dispatcher told me, understandably upset that I wasted his time.

"I'm sorry." I said and cut the call.

"You seriously called 911? Who do you think was at your house? A thief? A murderer?" He asked. He looked like he was amused at my actions.

"Yes. That's exactly what I thought you were. How did you get inside? How did you get my house keys?" I questioned him. My voice was stern. He waved it off with his one hand.

"You gave me a pair of keys for an emergency. Are you hungry? I've made breakfast for us. Sit down." He told me. I reluctantly agreed and sat down. I was hungry. Now, that I know my life was not in danger and my heart wasn't beating like a drum, I remembered how he talked to me in front of his father. The way he insulted me. Anger rushed into my veins and my voice became cold.

"If you don't want me to interfere in your life then don't interfere in mine. I'm sure you remembered yesterday, right? Or have you forgotten? The way you're behaving, I'm pretty sure you have forgotten." I said. Cutting him with my words. Pouring out all the anger I've felt yesterday and even now.

"I haven't forgotten anything. I remember everything I said to you yesterday." He stopped speaking and looked at me. He brought two bowls of cereals and put one in front of us. Then he sat down. He looked at me with a deep look. "And I'm sorry. I knew that I was being an ass to you, but I was angry and I didn't want anyone to enter a conversation between me and my parents." He said and then sighed.

"Not even you. I—I just don't like to involve anyone outside my family in our personal matters. So, yeah, I am sorry. For the way I spoke to you and not for the things I said to you." He said. I don't know how to feel about his apology. It was calming and provoking at the same time. Not sorry for the things he said? He was talking to me like, instead of apologizing he was demanding my forgiveness.

"Don't say that you're sorry if you're not sorry. It's absurd to ask someone's forgiveness when you are not actually feeling guilty of the things you have done." I told him, without even looking at him. I picked up my spoon and started shoving a mouthful of cereal. A closed on my hand that was about to pick up another bite. I stared at him.

"I'm sorry." He said. Squeezing my hand a little he continued.

"I'm really sorry if I hurt you in any sort of way. And I am genuinely sorry for what I did." His yearning face made me go a little softer on him. I nodded my head and I forgave him. Just for once.

We finished our breakfast together in silence. After finishing our meal, I stood up and put the dishes in the sink.

"Let's go jogging. Change into sweatpants and we'll go." He said.

"You will go in that... outfit?" I asked. Gesturing to his jeans.

"Don't worry about it." He said. I shrugged.

"Suit yourself." I said and walked upstairs to change my clothes. I came back and saw him wearing track pants. I was about to comment on it but stopped myself. Whatever.

We both got out and jogged side by side. We didn't talk and fell in a steady rhythm. Enjoying the weather, I felt quite refreshed. We came on the main road and continued our jog. After jogging five minutes or so, I saw a figure running towards

us.

Ethan.

He was running towards us from the other side. I nudged Jake on his side. He jerked his head to me. I pointed my head to Ethan, that was coming closer. He spotted us too. We all came to a halt when we met each other halfway. To my surprise, for the first time Ethan didn't have his usual amused expression on. Instead, he was grinning. He was sweating profusely and his t-shirt was soaked on the parts of his chest. His brow was wet too. He huffed out short breaths. "What are you doing here?" I asked him.

He shook his head like a dog, spraying his sweat drops everywhere. Some landed on me too. He did his man hug with Jake. Jake also ruffled his own hair, sending drops of sweat everywhere. I was the only one left to do the same. "What you are doing here." He simply said. His eyes darted from my face to Jake and then back at me. He raised a brow at me. His message was clear, by the looks of us he knew we made truce. I gave him a nonexistent shrug. Jake blew out a breath.

"Today is our practice, right? Our schedule is tight." Jake asked him.

"I won't be able to make it today. I've got some... work to do. I've scheduled it for the day after tomorrow. If it didn't work then we'll reschedule. We covered a lot in our last session." He explained to Jake.

"Some work, huh? Like getting laid?" Jake asked. At that they both chuckled and I rolled my eyes.

"Cool. See you soon." Jake said.

"Alright. See you soon." He said to Jake. Then he turned to me.

"See you later too, clumsy - blumpsy." He said as he ruffled my hairs and ran away laughing like an idiot. When I looked back at Jake, he was smiling.

"Clumsy - blumpsy, eh?" Jake ruffled my hair and I swatted his hand away too, when he started running away saying, "That name suits you." His teasing voice was lost in laughter when I ran after him, angry and smiling.

Later that day, I volunteered in a pet shop to help the owner in cleaning and feeding the dogs. When I entered the pet shop the owner greeted me like an old friend.

"So Mrs. Smith, am I the only one who is volunteering?" I asked. Smiling at her all the while.

"Actually no. We have another person." She said. She pointed her finger behind me. I spun around.

"What's up?" That familiar voice spoke up.