Chapter 72

072 Trapped Soul Sebastian’s POV Jim took the shotgun. Upon Justin’s words, he exchanges a glance with me in the rear mirror with an unexplainable look. That’s a look mixed with confusion, surprise, and condemnation.

Condemn that the story I told him was obviously biased. I told him what I heard from Justin, and because I trusted Justin, I assumed that was the truth. I forgot how people can make mistakes, even if they meant well. I don’t think Justin lied to me,. but I think he didn’t tell the whole story because...

He didn’t know the whole truth.

Justin looks me right in the eyes, and I see a lost kid who is crying for help with the desperation in the tears twirling in there.

“Justin, tell me what happened,” Using a firm but gentle tone, I grab the back of his neck and knead, like how I did with my little brother, “You can tell me. I’m here for you.”

Η “I don’t know...!” The moment he opens his mouth, he burst into a hysterical rant, I’m so fucking tired! I don’t know what to do!

Everything I do is horrible, is hurting her, is wrong! I’m neglecting her if I work, and I’m too clingy when I spend time with her! I’m only allowed to fucking give her money and I can’t even ask what she’s doing with it! She turned into this mean, cold, manipulative monster! I don’t recognize the girl who took care of me during my eye surgery at all! I-”

What?

“I want a fucking divorce!” He throws himself back into the seat, covering his eyes with his arm. His ears, actually his whole face and neck are red as he tries to swallow his sob.

I wouldn’t know he was such a mess if I didn’t come today.

“If that’s what you want, then-” I only started when he cut me off.

“No, I can’t...” Justin shakes back and forth, turning back to being hysterical, “I can’t...

I promised her...I owe her...”

“Whatever you we her, I’ll pay for that,” I pat him on the back, “Whatever it is that you owe, you don’t have to pay with your life!”

072 Trapped Soul +25 BONUS It’s very hard seeing a talented young man tormented out of his shape. I signed him at his pure love of acting. No matter how small a role, he would put his all in and make it memorable. I don’t see that sunny kid anymore. Just an old man trapped in his physically young body.

“You can’t...” He mumbles, more to himself than to us, “She was so kind a soul...I just wish things could go back to when I was blind...at least we were happy back then...”

“Blind?” I didn’t know he was “blind” once, probably during the recovery period after the surgery he mentioned.

“I hurt my eyes for a role,” Justin pushes his hair sideways to show me, “actually it was my head, and the clot pressed on my optic nerves. I lost my sight and had to have several surgeries. I was blind for a year “And Annie took care of you?” I can somewhat guess the story from here.

“She was my sun during that hard time,” Justin lets out a sigh, but a faint smile on his face when he pulls up that memory, “I didn’t know if I would ever see her again, and she fed me, talked to me and walked me through those abominable surgeries. She was a patient there, too. A broken leg, I think.”

I don’t think a broken leg would hospitalize one for a year. If that was how they met, it wasn’t why she stayed.

I understand why he is unable to let her go now. I feel the same with Ava. It wasn’t even this heavy between me and Ava. But nothing can replace that special day.

Jim obviously doesn’t feel the same.

“Love is not an easy puzzle, kid,” I could tell that Jim didn’t want to join the awkward conversation, but he turns around and pats Justin on the knee with his huge palm like a father, “But the rights you were born with are not puzzles. You want a divorce, then you can get one. It’s not the end of the world, it’s how you get back control of your own life.”

I don’t know if it was Jim making absolute sense, or the fact that a total stranger was giving Justin life advice, but Jim’s words calmed Justin down.

“I’m sorry...” Justin palms his face, “I’m just really, really tired...”

Fights with a loved one can be hard. The more you care, the more it hurts. Seeing him, I see how easy Ava made it for me.

I don’t know if bringing him is the best idea, I think when we arrive there, you should stay in the car.”