Broken by Vic Johnson (accelerated reader books txt) 📕

‘Ok I know I’m acting out of the ordinary but I’m not stopping till she is mine’

‘Ok I’ll see you later then’ he got up and walked out. He was right I shouldn’t go. I got up put on my jacket and went to my car.

I sat in my car on the street in front of her house for half an hour. Jessica’s car was not there so I knew it was safe to knock but I didn’t know what to say.

I got out the car and walked up the driveway. Half way up I turned around and walked back. Then changed my mind again and turned back round. I knocked on the door and waited. Jessica’s husband answered. I don’t know his name.

He stood looking at me.

‘Hi’ I said ‘is Beth home?’

‘No she’s not’

‘Oh ok’ damn it ‘Do you know when she will be back’

‘Sorry no’

‘Do you mind if I wait out here’

‘You’re going to wait even though she could be gone hours?’

‘Yeah’ I said very matter of fact.

‘Feel free’ he said pointing to the porch swing.

‘Thanks’

After two hours I was very bored and very hungry. I had debated giving up a thousand times in my head but I had stayed. I just needed to know why she left.

Suddenly the front door opened and the same guy from earlier came out.

‘Here’ he said handing me a sandwich and a can of pop. ‘Don’t tell Jessica I gave you that’

I smiled ‘Thanks err….’

‘It’s Max’

‘Right, thank you Max’

He sat down next to me while I ate the sandwich which was good.

‘Why are you here?’ he asked

I swallowed what was in my mouth then answered ‘I think I did something wrong but I don’t know what’

‘So you’re here because?’

I couldn’t tell him the truth. I couldn’t say I had sex with the girl living in your house and I think I’m in love with her but she won’t speak to me and I’m dying inside. That last bit was a bit over the top. ‘I just want to know why she won’t speak to me’

‘You have no idea what you did?’

‘No. Do you?’

‘She is a teenage girl. I’m the last person she will speak to’

‘We had a great night. I thought we were getting to know each other and then today, nothing’

‘You really shouldn’t try and understand the female mind Jackson. You will just go mad’ he got up and went to the door. He turned back to me before he went inside and said ‘Beth is a good girl. She got dealt a shitty hand and it’s been really tough for her. Do you like her?’

‘Yeah I do. More than I probably should’

He smiled ‘don’t give up on her. Even if she tells you to get lost’

‘I have no intention of giving up’

He smiled again, nodded once then went in the house.

I had been writing some emails to my friends and grandma (who I set up with an email before I left) when Max came in. It was a bit chilly today so I was wearing jeans and my comfy jumper. I loved it because the arms were really long.

‘He is still out there’ Max said sitting on the bed.

‘Still?’ I put my head in my hands ‘How long has it been?’

‘Nearly 6 hours’ I looked up at him ‘I went out to see him. Took him a sandwich’

‘Why?’

‘Because he had been there ages and I felt sorry for him’

‘Did he tell you what happened?’

‘Just that last night you had a great time together and now you wouldn’t speak to him’ phew ‘what did he do?’

‘Nothing really’ I sighed ‘I don’t want to like him as much as I do. I….. ‘ I paused. I didn’t really know Max

‘Look. I know we don’t know each other and I’m not trying to be your dad but I will tell you now, because I do care about you, that boy out there is so in love with you. I instantly liked him. I’m not going to tell Jessica that right away but….’

‘How do you know he loves me?’

‘You could see it in his eyes. Now go talk to the boy. Invite him for dinner if you like. Your mums not back till the morning’

‘Fine. I guess I can’t leave him out there all night’. I got up and went downstairs.

I paused at the door for a second then went out. He looked shocked when I he saw me.

‘I thought you were out?’

‘Yeah I’m not’ I looked at the floor ‘Sorry’

He stood up and before I could say anything his arms were round me. I embraced the hug. It felt nice to be in his arms again.

‘Can we sit?’ I asked.

He moved us to the swing. He held my hand the whole time.

‘I didn’t mean to just run off. I’m sorry for that’ he smiled a shy kind of smile. That smile that I love. ‘Last night was amazing, like seriously amazing. I have never felt this way about anybody. When I was with you last night I forgot everything that is bad in my life’

‘So what happened?’

‘I found your acceptance letter to that football camp’ I already knew about the camp but I had forgotten about it until I saw the letter.

He sat back ‘oh’

‘Yeah. I wasn’t snooping I just wanted to look at your things. To know you better and I saw it.’ I took a deep breath ‘Jackson I have serious abandonment issues. My mum left me when I was three and since then everyone I have ever loved has left me. I saw the letter and I freaked.’

‘You love me?’ he asked smirking

I smiled ‘no I don’t love you but like I said last night was amazing’ I let go of his hand and stood up. ‘When do you go?’

‘Wednesday. I wish I could get out of it but it’s a once in a lifetime chance’

‘I don’t want you to get out of it. But I’m not starting anything with you before you go’

‘So you just took off?’

‘Yeah’ I said sheepishly

‘That’s fucked up Beth’ I was leaning against the railing of the porch. He stood up and put his hands on the railing, one on each side of me. Are faces were so close I could smell his hair.

‘I’m sorry’ I was losing all capability of speaking while he was this close. Flashbacks from last night were rushing through my head. Him kissing my neck, holding my arms above my head, me scratching my nails up his back.

‘Look I have two days before I leave and it’s you I want to spend it with’ he kissed me gently on the lips. When he deepened the kiss I made a moaning sound. ‘That reminds me of last night’ he said smiling against my mouth.

I put my hand on his chest and pushed him away. ‘Calm down’ I said smiling. ‘Do you want to stay for dinner?’

He pulled a face and I knew he was thinking of Jessica.

‘She’s not back till the morning’

He smiled ‘ok then’

He held my hand and I led him inside.

Dinner was fun. Max was really funny and not in an embarrassing way. He and Jackson got on really well. I didn’t know if that made me happy or not. While they talked I thought about some things. If I was going to date Jackson having Max onside would help with Jessica. I think if me and Jackson gave it ago and actually committed to each other I think I could really love him which scared me considering I never loved Preston. My feelings for Jackson were already stronger than anything I had felt before. I really needed to speak to Miranda or Brooke.

He was leaving for 4 weeks. He would be back just before school. Also I knew from what Brooke said that the girls at school liked him and threw themselves at him. Could I trust him? Would he stay faithful or would he break my heart. I don’t know if my heart could take it.

Whatever my answers were to all these questions I knew unequivocally that I wanted to spend the next 2 days with him.

After dinner Max went to work and left me and Jackson to watch Paige. She was ecstatic that Jackson was here. She made him play games and go to a tea party and watch her dance routine she had just learned in her dance class. None of it seemed to bother him. It made me like him more. After begging us to watch Frozen with her Jackson gave in and she ran upstairs to get it. I got up from the sofa to go make popcorn. As I got to the kitchen Jackson spun me around, pushed me against the wall and kissed me. Every time he kissed me there was so much passion in it. Like he really wanted me.

‘How can I feel like this after less than a week of knowing you’ he said breathlessly

‘Like what? I said smiling.

‘Like you’re the only person in my whole world’ he kissed me again. Deeper this time. He didn’t stop till we heard Paige coming down the stairs. He pulled away and went back to the living room and I went to make popcorn whilst trying to catch my breath.

Paige fell asleep 20 minutes into the movie but Jackson and I carried on watching. He had his arm round my shoulder and I had my head on his chest. Paige had her head on his leg and the rest of her body lay out on the sofa. When the film finished Jackson carried Paige to bed. I took off her slippers and tucked her in.

I turned to walk back downstairs when Jackson grabbed me and pulled me into my room. He kissed me so hard my knees buckled.

He laid me on the bed and lay on top of me. He ran his hand up my leg then up my jumper.

‘Stop’ I said pushing his hand back down.

‘What? Why?’ he said leaning on his elbow.

‘Paige is in the other room’

‘So she’s asleep’

I pushed him off me and laid on my side looking at him. ‘Sorry but we can’t’

‘Ok’ he sighed lying on his back. ‘I just can’t help myself when I am around you’

‘I’m flattered’ I said laughing. ‘It’s not that I don’t want to. Trust me I do but not while Paige is here.’

‘It’s cool I get it’ he sits up. ‘I should go’

I panic. I don’t want him to go. ‘No please stay’ I say grabbing his arm. ‘We can talk’

‘Ok’ he says lying back down and pulling me into his arms. ‘Let’s talk’