I Hope It Rains Marshmallows ❤

Chapter Twenty-One - The Truth?

~Alyssa~

“Wait—“Mrs. Jones snapped out from her daze and chased after the long gone Cole, lifting her skirt up to her knee so that it would be easier to run.

“Alyssa! Alyssa! What’s wrong with Cole? Huh?” Isabella patted my thigh hurriedly, her face full of concern and confusion.

“I-I don’t know!” I breathed in exasperation, my forehead creasing in worry. Why? Why did Cole run once he saw Mrs. Jones? Was that hurt I saw on his face? Did he know Mrs. Jones before? Questions flashed across my head before I could even process what exactly had happened.

“Oh no…” Jeremy gasped, his eyes widening in shock and horror. “W-we got to hurry! Quick find Cole! He can’t….he can’t meet my mother!” He stood up, kicked his chair away and darted off.

“What? Why? Someone tell me what’s happening, please!” Isabella’s voice was charged with frustration.

“I don’t know either, but it seems serious! No time, let’s follow Jeremy!” I grabbed Isabella’s hand and pulled her away from the auditorium, ignoring the weird stares and the whispers we were receiving from the crowd.

We quickly caught up with Jeremy, but Cole and Mrs. Jones was still nowhere to be found. 

“I’m so stupid! How could I forget! Ugh, my father should have come instead!” Jeremy panted as he raced blindly ahead, hitting his own head in vexation.

“Stop Jeremy please! At least tell me what’s happening! What did you forget? Why shouldn’t your mother meet Cole? How are they related?” I tugged at Jeremy’s hand, making him stop abruptly in his tracks, stumbling backward.

We all caught our breaths, wiping the sweat that formed on our head.

“So?” Isabella glanced up at Jeremy, pressing her lips into a thin line.

“Alyssa, please, not now—“Jeremy pleaded, sighing as he tousled his hair in frustration.

“No!” I grabbed tightly onto Jeremy, forcing him to face me. I stared at him with unblinking eyes, and hissed in a low voice. “Now.”

Jeremy rolled his eyes in defeat and sighed weakly. “Fine, but don’t be too shocked okay?”

Why? What was going to make me shocked? What did Jeremy know that I didn’t?

I nodded my head slightly, and fixed my stare on his face.

“Have…have I ever told you that Cecilia was my step-mom?”  Jeremy’s eyes smoldered into mine, his eyes full of distress.

I blinked my eyes continuously at him, tripping over my own feet. “H-huh?”

“Yeah.”

“What…what do you mean?”

“My real mom is dead okay! My real mom died when I was four! She’s just my step-mom! Now you know the reason why I dislike her so much? And why I hated my father so much? He didn’t give a shit when my mother died, and Cecilia….that….t-that…slut.” He gulped down his own words, a little surprised that he had called Mrs. Jones a slut. “She seduced my father for his money.”

Tears glistened in his eyes as he looked up immediately, inhaling deep breaths of air.

“Ex-excuse me?” I interjected in disbelief. I shook my head, unable to believe what I had just heard. Mrs. Jones was the nicest person I’ve ever seen! Even though she was always busy, she always took time to play with Jeremy and me when I came over. She’ll always cuddle me to sleep, and I could never forget the hurt in her eyes whenever Jeremy slapped her hand away and shunned him.