I love you, Annie

The sun was shining brighter today. Maybe it was because of the female leaning against her red Volvo, or something else.

"Do I have to stay with her of all people?" I complained to Jack who was walking me out of our house and towards Jasmine's car.

He glanced back, so did I. And the prying pair of Beatrice's eyes was terrifying. She was standing on Jack's balcony...watching us.

"You can't stay here, neither can I. The only family you have is her!" He said with a taste of disgust. "I promise you, this will go away before you realize it."

I halted and faced him.

"Promise?"

It would be torture not seeing his gorgeous face for at least two days. And even more torture living with the one person I didn't like the most in the world.

"I promise Little kitty!"

The way he called my pet name made me want to jump on him for a fire embrace. But, no physical contact till this investigation was over.

Somewhere deep in me, it felt as if there was more to the story than them ransacking the house just for evidence on our alleged relationship.

But I had to trust Jack as always. He would find a way to get rid of those nosy creatures in our house.

"Take care of her!" Jack instructed in a no-nonsense tone.

Jasmine feigned a grin that was almost convincing. "Of course I will. Wouldn't want to get on the bad side of Jackson Raynatt."

Her tone had diverged when she uttered his name, raising certain doubts within me. I mean, her timing had been perfect. Her arriving in California three days before this bizarre incidence. And now I was been handed in her care.

Jack's figure grew smaller and smaller to the distance increasing between us as the car drove further away from the house.

***. ***. ***.

The Airbnb jasmine had rented was quite posh. Had this large ass pool that stretched wide and glimmered like a thousand diamonds under the sunlight.

If circumstances were different, I'd have dived in the crystal water to cool off the day's fatigue.

Jasmine unlocked a door and pushed it in. "You can use this room." She then walked down the bright lit hallway that had an entire glass wall that oversaw the pool and the whole west side.

I shut the door with the heel of my foot and walked in lazily.

"Not bad Jasmine. This must have cost you a lot!" I murmured dumping the bag on the bed that was neatly spread. White covers, sheets, pillows...and a little pink teddy lying at the middle that looked so out of place.

The tall windows allowed sufficient sunlight in the room, giving it a glow up.

It was nice if honesty had a place in me at that particular moment. But I couldn't let the serenity of the place distract me.

I had to find a way to contact Jack.

He was the only person I wanted to talk to in such a stressing phase of my life.

If anything was found that could implicate him, they'd not spare him jail time. And I could not, be the reason he would be thrown in jail.

***. ***. ***.

Jasmine's yells awoke me before the alarm could.

I had tossed and turned all night long, only to finally fall asleep at around five. It was more of a nap than satisfying sleep.

I checked clock on the bedside table. It read ten minutes past six. Why would she wake me up this early?

"Wake up! We need to pay someone a visit before I drop you off to school!" She yelled from outside.

I groaned pulling the covers over my head before kicking them to the side and rolling on the bed. I rolled a bit too much, which saw me thud hard on the floor like a sack.

"Bloody hell!" I wheezed rubbing my butt.

***. ***. ***.

Luna Clinic.

The large sign read as jasmine drove through the gates. Without as much as breathing a word at me, she continued driving till we were in the parking lot.

"Why are we he-"

"I'll explain everything when we're inside!"

She answered vaguely and snapped open her seatbelt.

Mind filled with endless doubts, I eyed her, then later followed her inside.

The walls were the usual calming cream white color, and the air was abit cleaner than I expected...no trace of medicine or soap fragrances. It just smelled good.

"Wait over there!" Jasmine instructed pointing at the empty chairs that were in a secluded section, which I assumed was the waiting area.

"O-kay!" I mumbled and watched her rush at the receptionist's counter that was built in a crescent shape.

For two entire minutes, I sat there counting the flowers on the ceiling. It felt like forever to a teenager who was addicted to her phone.

"Annie?" Jasmine called.

My eyes floated towards her voice and saw her approaching me. She grasped my wrist and pulled me off of the chair in such a hurry.

"What is it?"

"Don't worry, it won't be anything terrifying, trust me!"

Trust you? I didn't trust her existence to begin with.

Defenseless, I let the female drag me down the hallway, then on another till we stood in front of a door with the label, 'Examination'.

I felt an iceberg suddenly drop in the pit of my stomach. She had really brought me to a gynecologist.

"Come on!" Jasmine hissed literally dragging me inside.

"No! I don't want to!" I cried resisting her hauling. But she was stronger than me, way stronger than she even appeared.

"Don't be stubborn Annie! This is the only way you can prove your innocence!"

"No!" I yelled.

Tears were begining to form in the back of my eyes, preparing to spill at any moment.

As Jasmine continued dragging me in the exam room, a male doctor showed up from the left side of the fully equipped room. He pulled down the white mask and smiled.

"Annie, right?"

"I didn't volunteer for this!" I squealed.

"You must have this! Don't be stubborn!" Jasmine shouted.

"It won't hurt if that's what you're afraid of," the doctor tried to ease the tension.

He motioned Jasmine to take me on the slim bed to the right side of the room.

"Do you want to help Jack?" She asked.

I ceased the struggle for a few seconds to think it through. Would me going through with this humiliating check up really help Jack?

If it could, then it would be a sin wasting such an opportunity.

I laid there in nothing but a sheer blue hospital gown, tears rolling down my temples.

"While the results may not determine whether you've had sex or not, they can at least clear your mom's doubts." The doctor spoke in attempts of making me less emotional.

"She's not my mom!"

"Oh! Well, it won't take long, I promise!"

I looked away as he pulled on the gloves, ready to sit between my spread legs.

You can do this Annie. He said it'll be quick and most importantly, it'll help Jack.

But the thought of the doctor being the first male to see and touch my sex would haunt me forever.

If you don't want him to see, you still have the chance to call it quits right now before he comes closer.

My dark side advised.

What about Jack? He'll be in trouble if I don't save him.

My sensible voice argued.

So I ended up listening to the latter.

"Talk to me about some-"

Boom!

The door exploded open, banging on the wall to release the ear-splitting noise.

I gasped as a reaction mechanism that came about unconsciously.

"Get the fuck away from her!"

"Jack!" I whispered in the most emotional state I've ever felt in my life. There had never been a better sight than him storming in the room. A few hair strands were loose, moving side to side on his face to his motion.

"This is necessary!" Jasmine begged running in after him. But she was quickly apprehended by a female who was in all black, then dragged out of the room.

Karma is a bitch dear Jasmine!

"Who are you to interfere with-"

"I'm the person that will dislocate your perfect jaw and then break your hands so you may never be able to even hold your little penis as you pee!" Jack unleashed the most cold threat I had ever heard right before halting in front of the doctor.

"Now get the fuck out of here!"

There was fear in the doctor's eyes before he fled...leaving only Jack and I behind.

As the male turned to face me, the door was shut in a soft bang by someone.

"Jack!" I smiled feeling all sorts of emotions.

He clenched his jaw while unstrapping my legs from their bounds as he stood to my left. Once I was free, the male helped me sit and finally slide off that cursed bed.

"Why?" He asked as his blue eyes softened.

I sobbed happily. "Because I had a chance to help you."

He took a deep inhale, one meant to disperse the rage that had been there.

I continued smiling at him. Smiled as he used his thumb to wipe away the tears. Smiled as he cupped my face. And smiled as he lowered his lips to mine in an unexpected turn of events.

For the first time, he was kissing me.

It wasn't out of lust or drugs, no!

He was kissing me because he wanted to, and that was the purest show of affection in my inexperienced dictionary of love.

Jack wasn't worried that anyone could burst through that door, no! It made me want to freeze that moment forever.

I responded, slowly rose on my toes, opened up my mouth to allow him to deepen the kiss.

All the emotional hurt that had been there minutes ago was slowly replaced by this warm sensation of satisfaction. It echoed in every part of my body, both inside and outside.

And when we came up for air, our soft rhythmical pants were the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard.

"I love you Annie! I love you so damn much!"

Jack whispered pulling me against himself in an intense embrace that sang of safety.

But my brain was still in another shock.

Jack had never told me those words before, so there was no mistaking them for normal affection.

He had just confessed his feelings. What was etched in his heart. He loved me. Not as an adopted daughter. He loved me as the woman I was becoming.