Chapter 98: Chapter 98

KRISTEN

This is not the plan I had. I never meant for any of this to happen.

Why the fuck would she want a job?! I can provide for us both!

I don't know for how long that will be, but I can hold us financially to a reasonable extent. I don't want her working!

"Can I change your mind?" I asked, my heart getting heavier as time went by. I caressed her cheeks. "Can I do anything to revoke your decision?"

"No... nothing," June smiled softly, looking down, staring directly into my eyes. "I have already made up my mind... I will do it."

I held her gaze.

Who knew that love would cost so much? I don't regret admitting and displaying my love for her, I would never. But I feel like if I had kept my dick in my pants, maybe tried to be the adult, maybe her life wouldn't have been this bad.

I never meant to hurt her. I will never hurt her.

"I can see the wheels turning in your head."

"I can't stop thinking..." I looked at her with all the sadness making my heart heavy. "I am the cause of all these. If I had—"

"Shh," She moved forward and cupped my hands around her cheeks. "You are not the cause of anything. We are going to scale this together. As long as we have each other, it will be okay."

I instantly believed her, I swear I did.

I was on my feet in an instant, snuggling beside her, hugging her tightly to myself.

"We are going to be okay," she said. I believed her down to the last letter.

I pulled back to look into her eyes. "Has Mark gotten back to you about the job stuff?"

I asked, trying to act like I've finally agreed when I'm super pissed with her decision. I'm only asking, so I can know how to thwart those plans.

I didn't miss the look of happiness in her eyes when she thought I was finally coming to terms with her decision.

Maybe she understood the question wrong. I just wanted to know if I could still work something out to prevent her from leaving.

"No, he hasn't. But I know he will get me one, even if it means going to the depth of the earth."

Finding a friend like Mark is so difficult. It would be a lie if I said the uniqueness of the relationship doesn't make me jealous. I don't have any friend who treats me like a sibling.

Hell, I don't have a friend at all.

I would be so mad at myself if June found that job. I don't even know how safe she would be out there.

Talking about safety...

"I was trying to talk to the police..." I blurted out, my sentence blunt because I didn't take time to think it through. I felt her tense in my hold. "I wanted them to look into your attack in the restroom."

"What did they say?" she asked softly.

"They said it would be difficult trying to point out the culprit from the hundreds of people attacking us daily on the internet and physically."

"What the fuck?"

"That was also my initial reaction," I gathered her closer. "I may need to speak to the store close to that location and see what their surveillance footage could pull out."

"Kristen, you are no detective. Let it be," she shook her head and sighed. "It's clear the police are trying to tell us that it serves us right. They are not even doing anything. Just let it be."

The thought of it made my blood boil. Realizing that my hands were beginning to shake, I took deep breaths.

"I think it's time for us to go to bed."

"And the job?" She blinked.

I groaned but didn't reply, already formulating my plans.

*. *. *. *.*

I waited until June was asleep before I slipped out of bed.

I had a mission.

And that mission was to stop her from getting a job. Only the universe knows what's out there waiting for her.

I walked outside and stopped by the sidewalk before dialling Mark.

The view of Seattle at night is so serene, that sometimes you get nostalgic.

Mark picked on the fifth ring, his "Hello" holding a hint of confusion and alarm.

"Hey, Mark."

"Where is June?"

I smiled to myself. "Asleep. Don't worry, she is fine." A loud exhale of relief made me scoff, "You're not going to ask if I'm fine."

"I'm speaking with you. Of course, you're fine." I could almost see him rolling his eyes. "Anyway, how are you?"

Was Mark always this sassy?

"I'm not fine, Mark. June told me... that you're helping her find a job."

"Yes. I even found one. I didn't want to call because it was kind of late. I will tell her in the morning."

"Please, don't."

It followed a long pause on the other end.

"Why?" Mark asked suspiciously. "What's going on?"

"Have you forgotten what happened to June? What if something like that happens again?"

"Oh, it won't." I could sense a smile from his voice. "I made sure the environment was safe. My father even told the librarian about uh... June's problem. Of course, she knows her. And she has agreed."

This isn't going well.

"I want to beg you..." I looked back at the house to see if June had miraculously morphed on the front porch to eavesdrop. "Please, tell her you didn't find any. Give her any excuse you want. I just want her safe."

"That is not happening. I gave June my word."

I was fighting a lost cause, I knew it. June would get to know of her lovely job as soon as the sun rose, and I would be left with anxiety throughout the day until she got off her shift.

Fuck!!!

"Mark, if you truly love June, you will do as I—"

"Oh, please. Don't use that crazy line on me," he scoffed. "I love her, and she knows it. I don't care what you think. By the way, I'm answerable to June, not you. Have a lovely night, Kristen."

The call disconnected with a beep.

*. *. *. *.*

The following morning, I was the first to get out of bed (I hardly slept a wink).

In a haze, I put a call to Edith and crawled into the kitchen.

She sounded sleepy.

"Kristen? Is everything okay?"

Now, everybody thinks something is wrong whenever I put a call to them. Great!

"Everything is fine," I said into the phone. Maybe I should have just waited until we saw each other in the office. But I would die before then. "I called you because of June."

If she noticed that my voice was low, she said nothing about it.

A little pause, then, "Is she okay?"

"Yeah. She's kind of working me up. She told me yesterday..." I looked back and lowered my voice.

"What the hell did she tell you?!" She yelled so loudly that I had to remove my phone from my ear, wincing from the pain it caused my eardrums.

"Chill, Edith. She just said she wants to get a job. Can you imagine?"

"What?" I could see the frown on Edith's face. "Wait, a job where? Here in Seattle or another state?"

"Another state? Don't be ridiculous. Of course, here in Seattle!"

"What the fuck?" she murmured.

Finally, someone with the exact reaction I had at the time of the announcement.

"Let's talk more in the office."