Chapter 74

Jesse

Jesse felt a mixture of shock, confusion, and an ever-growing sense of fear as Hal continued to approach her. When her back hit the wall, she realized just how trapped she really was, and one look into Hal’s flashing green eyes revealed that he was filled with very real rage.

Jesse didn’t know what she had said that had sent him into this downward spiral into pure anger or had inspired all these suspicions. She did know, though, that he really believed them, and Jesse was truly worried that she would not be able to convince him otherwise.

She knew she shouldn’t have brought up his career before she had even voiced the question. She could have never guessed, though, that it would have upset him quite so severely as this. Jesse knew, though, that she had to say something to convince him that she had no ill intentions with her question or she would lose everything they had built together right here and now.

Jesse couldn’t deny, though, that she was afraid. He stood within inches of her, and she could practically feel the rage burning off of him in waves.

“Hal …” Jesse spoke meekly and raised her hand to try and touch his chest.

“Don’t touch me,” Hal fairly hissed at her, taking a quick step back.

“Please, you have to listen to me,” Jesse implored him, taking a hesitant step toward him.

“Do I?” Hal growled at her, advancing and causing Jesse to take a quick step back, once again flattening herself against the wall behind her. “I’ve been listening to you, and look where it’s gotten me.”

“Hal, stop,” Jesse said more sharply, gathering all her courage to put some bite into her voice. “I don’t know where all this is coming from, but your accusations are not only false but ridiculous.”

Hal’s jaw dropped and then clenched. She saw Hal’s fists clench at his side. Jesse’s eyes, though, were mostly locked onto his, and she felt a spark of hope as she saw a flash of doubt cross his face.

“Hal, please,” Jesse softly entreated him, taking advantage of the moment. “I am not trying to trick you.”

Hal’s eyes traveled over her, seeming to try and see if she was lying or not. Jesse could only imagine just how she must look, her body pressed back against a wall, her hands up as if she had been caught committing a crime. She could feel her heart pounding but did her best to keep calm and still.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I shouldn’t have asked you about your work.”

Hal’s eyes flashed angrily, and Jesse stiffened as his head snapped up to look her in the face.

“You’re just sorry that I figured everything out,” Hal snapped, and Jesse heard his voice become more and more deranged, and she saw his chest heaving as his breath came faster, and he seemed to be struggling to keep himself composed.

“There’s nothing to figure out,” Jesse insisted, her voice gaining a little frustration and anger of its own. “Everything I have said to you, everything we’ve done together was real. I haven’t lied to you. I’m not trying to deceive you.”

Hal shook his head and scoffed, moving away from her to once again pace around the room, his hand frantically running through his hair and rubbing at his face. Every so often, he would look back at her, growl, and shake his head.

“Hal …” Jesse spoke again, pushing away from the wall to try once more to approach him.

“No!” Hal stopped, pointing directly at her. “Stop! Just stop …”

Hal trailed off, and Jesse watched as his eyes traveled over her once more, his expression transforming from one of anger to one of desperation, and then finally Jesse’s heart nearly broke as his expression plunged to one of sadness.

Jesse waited in silence as Hal’s jaw worked, and he just looked at her. Jesse remained perfectly still, waiting for whatever it was he had to say to her. His face fell even more than she thought possible, and Jesse nearly broke the silence herself.

“I really loved you …” Hal said softly, his voice cracking slightly, and his rigid form slumping down into a posture of defeat.

Jesse couldn’t take it anymore, and she slowly but steadily approached him.

“Stay away from me,” Hal snapped at her, once again overtaken by his anger and adopting an aggressive stance.

“No,” Jesse said, her voice cracking with her own sadness. “None of what you are saying is true.”

“Stop,” Hal held up his hand to try and halt her advance, but Jesse ignored it.

“No,” Jesse repeated. “Hal, I love you. That’s the reason I’m here right now. Because I love you, and I want to be with you.”

“Stop lying,” Hal hissed at her, and his tone was angry, but Jesse could see in his eyes the part of his being that was dying to believe her words. Jesse knew that was the part of him that she had to appeal to.

“I’m not lying,” Jesse insisted softly, shaking her head. Finally, Hal started backing up from her, shaking his head.

“I don’t believe you …” Hal said, his desperation once again creeping into his voice and apprehension entering his eyes.

Jesse advanced still further, and at last it was Hal who found himself cornered and backed into a wall, unable to escape.

“Hal …” Jesse said gently. “Just listen to me … I’m telling you the truth …”

Jesse raised her hand to try and cup his cheek. Suddenly, Hal seized her wrist. His grip was hard, but not crushing, and his eyes were wary as they looked down at her. The combination of all those things only served to give Jesse even more conviction.

In spite of his hold on her wrist, Jesse quickly moved forward, aiming to press her body against his.

“Stop!” Hal commanded loudly, suddenly releasing her and moving to the side, completely dodging her approach, inadvertently backing himself into a corner as he did so.

Jesse frowned, hating that he was refusing to be reasonable with her.

“Hal,” Jesse sighed. “Please …”

“Please!” Hal entreated her. “Just stop! I can’t … I can’t …”

Jesse frowned as Hal seemed to disappear inside of himself, shaking his head silently, his eyes going completely hazy. While her fear and irritation were still present, her concern for Hal was beginning to override them. She knew that she had to do something.

Jesse once again approached him, and Hal looked up at her, seeming to dread her approach.

“Jesse, stop,” he said, trying to throw as much command into his voice as possible. In spite of his attempts, though, she could easily hear the apprehension in his tone.

Jesse merely shook her head at him and continued her approach.

“Hal, I love you,” Jesse said insistently as she moved closer to him.

“No, you don’t,” Hal insisted, shaking his head and screwing his eyes shut.

“Yes, I do,” Jesse said firmly yet softly. “I love you.”

“No, no,” Hal shook his head, and ran his hands through his hair.

Jesse was close to him now and held her breath as she once again raised her hand to touch him. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and his eyes snapped open to look at her.

“Stop,” he said, his voice a raw plea.

“No,” Jesse shook her head and closed up to him, raising her other hand to cup his bicep. “I love you …”

Jesse looked up into his eyes and saw the turmoil brewing there, the betrayal and hurt finally at the forefront instead of his anger.

“Hal, listen to me,” Jesse said. Hal hadn’t made a move to stop her, so she moved closer to him, allowing her front to lightly brush against his side. She could feel the tension in his muscles as he stood stiffly backed into the corner.

“This isn’t you, Hal,” Jesse said softly, looking up into his reluctant eyes as she lightly shifted her hand to rest against his chest. “You know me, Hal. You know I wouldn’t do anything like that.”

Hal eyed her and clenched his teeth, seeming to try and completely ignore her.

“Don’t shut me out,” Jesse insisted, raising her hand instead to cup his face. “You know none of that is true … this isn’t you talking. Please, come back to me … I love you …”

Jesse looked up at him and saw that his eyes were once again open, though he was trying to look anywhere but at her.

“I don’t believe you,” Hal said, though it sounded to Jesse like he was trying to convince himself more than her.

“Hal, please, this isn’t you talking, thinking those things,” Jesse repeated emphatically. “Please … come back to me …”

Jesse moved slowly and cupped his face in both of her hands. Slowly, she moved up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his in a soft kiss.