Chapter 180: New Journey

Chapter 180: New Journey

Doris

It had been a hard week for all of us, Elena had been putting up a brave front but I could tell that losing Veronica hit her hard. I didn't know Veronica as intimately as Elena did but I still felt heartbroken and I could only imagine what her heart must have been feeling.

I had messaged her a few times but she wasn't responding even before the death of Veronica, she had been distant. I knew there was a lot that she had yet to tell me she would open up when she was ready to. All I could do was just be ready with open arms when she was ready to talk.

It was raining hard today, quite fitting for the kind of atmosphere that was currently present in the town. I ran into the bar and shook off the excess water.

"Hey, Kelly." I greeted the bartender as I made my way over. I sat down on the barstool and let out a heavy sigh. Things had been hard the past few days, I hadn't seen much of Jasper since Veronica's funeral.

"What can I get for you, Doris?"

"Just a gin and tonic, please." I smiled. He started working on my order while I sat there watching.

It was crazy to think how much life had changed in the last few months. The Pack got a new Luna, Bernard became happier than ever. I turned my brother in and got him banished from the Pack he had been Beta for six good years. Alisha got married and pregnant, all in the space of just some months. Jasper got promoted to Beta and I fell in love with a guy I had known all my life but never truly saw until one random day. It was crazy.

At the thought of Jasper, my mind went back to that beautiful night we had shared together. I remembered every touch, every kiss, and every gaze we shared. I committed it all to memory, so I will never forget. It had taken me bearing all of myself to him for me to finally realize that we were truly meant to be but the problem was that I had realized all of this a little too late.

I will never forget the look in his eyes when he stared at me, there was always a twinkle in his eyes when she spoke to me. It was sometimes faint but it was always there. But when I looked at him that morning, it was gone. There was no twinkle, all I saw that day was emptiness and brokenness. His words had cut me like a knife. He called us toxic, had I poisoned him? Is that what my hesitancy had done to us? I had allowed my past to seep into my present and it killed any potential and hope for a future.

Kelly placed my drink in front of me and I smiled at him gratefully. I took the first sip and allowed the hot liquor to make its way down my throat. I closed my eyes and let out a shaky breath, I had no one else to blame for this mess apart from myself. Jasper had come to me with his heart in his hands, begging to give us a try and I had shunned him, I had slammed the door in his face. Whatever pain I was feeling now, I deserved it. I only prayed that the pain would eventually subside and I would find a way to move forward.

I felt someone sit down next to me instantly and my eyes snapped open. I knew his scent very well, I looked to my left and there he was. He was staring at me with those gorgeous amber eyes that melted me every time. I stared at him like I was marveling at a masterpiece in so many ways. Jasper was like art, only a few understood him but if you looked at him from all angles, you would see the beauty that lay underneath.

"Hi," his voice came out.

"Hey," I replied in a breathy voice.

We hadn't spoken to each other ever since that day in my house, although we had seen each other but we didn't talk.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in." Kelly walked up to us with a smirk on his face.

"Are you planning to get wasted again today? Or are you going to behave yourself?"

"Hahaha," Jasper gave him a deadpanned look.

"I will take a club soda."

"Good choice," Kelly walked away from us with a gleam in his eyes. So, this was where he had been the night he came to my house.

"Yes," he murmured.

"What?"

"You said this was where I was the night I came to your house and I just confirmed it."

Damn it, I hadn't realized that I had said that out loud. I cleared my throat and I allowed my hair to form a curtain around me so I could shield my flaming cheeks. Kelly came back some minutes later and placed Jasper's drink down in front of him. I never thought that this moment would ever happen, Jasper and I sitting side by side enjoying a drink. He raised his glass and looked at me.

"To stay partially sober tonight."

"To stay partially sober," I clicked my glass with his and took a sip.

"How are you holding up?" His eyes were piercing into mine and I damn well near forgot how to breathe.

"I am fine," I swallowed.

"Better than Elena, I am sure but she seems to be holding up pretty okay all things considered. How are you?"

"I am fine. I am still in shock to be honest, for some reason, Veronica just seemed invincible to me then I now think of her past tense as just weird."

"Yes," I agreed, taking another sip of my drink.

The night passed on pretty well, the conversation was easy and light and I was enjoying my time with him. I just only had one gin and tonic, and Jasper only had his club soda which meant that we were both sober. As it got darker, we decided that it was time to go back home. I didn't drive so he offered to take me back home.

My parents had gone away for another surprise trip that my father had planned. I thought that was just their excuse so they could go out searching for Nicholas. I didn't question it though. They could do what they wanted, I had no dog in that fight. I knew where I was standing and I would not be caught on the wrong side of Bernard.

When we came to a stop in front of my house, I hesitated to get out of the car. I didn't want the night to end, this was the first time in a long time that Jasper and I weren't screaming at each other or giving each other the cold shoulder. We were cordial and I might even say they were flirting a little. The spark that had been there once before was still there now. I had tried to snuff it out but it was still there and I could feel it, I was sure that he could too.

When I turned to look at him, he was already staring at me with this intensity that grabbed me by the neck and had me frozen. I wanted to say so many things at the moment but all I managed was a heavy breath. I didn't know who leaned in first but the next thing I knew, our faces were mere inches from each other. Our breaths mingled together, combining and my eyes moved from his lips to his eyes and then back to his lips.

I wanted to close the distance between us but I needed him to do it, the last time was he who ran not me. I needed to know that he wanted this just as much as I wanted it.

"Doris." He whispered my name and then connected our lips into one heated kiss.

The next thing I knew, we found ourselves in my room, on my bed with our clothes on the floor. We spend the night relearning every inch of one another once more. It felt so natural to be with him like that again. I wanted nothing more than for us to stay in the blissful little bubble but I knew that when morning came, I would have to face the harsh reality of what we had done. I knew what I wanted, I wanted a life with Jasper, I only hoped that he wanted the same.

The morning came, and the dread set into my heart, I had my head resting on his naked chest and his hand was running up and down my bare back gently. I didn't want to open my eyes because I just wanted to remain the way we were now. I didn't want the burdens of reality to see into my life.

"I know you are awake."

I opened my eyes slowly and braved a look at him, I was preparing for anything at that moment, I was preparing for an empty look in his eyes, I was preparing for regret, I was preparing for hostility but that wasn't what I got. All I saw in those beautiful amber eyes staring back at me were affection, love, and acceptance.

He didn't need to say a word because his eyes had already spoken for me. The fears that had built up in my chest melted and peace washed over me. I had been so terrified that I was going to lose him again but this is different.

We were embarking on a new journey together and it was a journey that I am excited about.