Chapter 24 - Complicated Feelings

Returning to school after the long break felt like stepping into a different world for Helena. So much had changed in just a few short months.

She had unearthed secrets she never thought she'd face and found strength she hadn't known existed. Yet, as she walked down the familiar hallways, her thoughts inevitably drifted to Jay. 

Her steps slowed when she caught sight of him in the distance, leaning against his locker, laughing with a couple of friends. Seeing him felt like a mix of comfort and apprehension.

Their families' histories were interwoven with deception and pain, but Jay had always been the one bright constant.

After class, Helena gathered her courage and asked Jay to meet her at the small cafe near school—a cozy place that had somehow become a second home over the years.

She arrived early, claiming their usual corner table and sipping nervously at her coffee. Her heart was pounding, as she knew the time had come to open up fully.

Jay entered the cafe, catching sight of her almost immediately, and a gentle smile softened his features as he approached.

As he slid into the seat across from her, the world outside faded, leaving just the two of them cocooned in the warmth of the cafe.

"Helena," he started, his teasing voice entering her ears. "You look like you've been carrying the world on your shoulders."

She managed a small smile, tracing her fingers along the rim of her coffee cup. "I guess… It's been a lot, Jay. More than I thought I could handle."

He reached across the table, his hand resting over hers in a comforting, steadying gesture. "Then why not let me share the weight?"

Taking a deep breath, Helena reached into her bag, pulling out the evidence she had gathered—documents, photos, fragments of her father's downfall, and pieces of the twisted web the Aldens had played a part in. S

he laid them out, letting Jay see the tangled truth she'd been piecing together. Watching his face, she braced herself for the impact.

Jay's expression shifted, his smile had disappeared as he seriously studied the information and evidence Helena laid on the table. His eyes moving over each page with growing tension. 

Finally, he looked up, a mixture of guilt and sorrow flickering across his face. "Helena…I'm sorry, I-I never knew," he whispered. "If…If I had… if I could have stopped any of this…"

"I know, Jay." Her voice was soft, gentle even, though her heart ached. "I don't blame you. You were just a child, just like me. But now… things are different."

There was a silence that settled between them, thick with unspoken words and lingering pain. Jay's hand tightened slightly over hers, he gazed nervously at her, afraid she would distance herself from him.

"Helena, I can't change the past," he said, his voice was low and resolute. "But from now on, I will always be here for you… if you'll let me."

Her heart softened at his words, and for a moment, she let herself fall into his gaze, searching for answers to her own questions. "Do you ever wonder what we would have been like, Jay, if our families hadn't been at odds?"

He exhaled, looking down at the table. "I think about that all the time. But maybe… maybe everything we went through just brought us here.

Maybe this is where we're supposed to be." He looked up at her, his eyes warm but pained. "I care about you, Helena. More than you might know."

A flicker of surprise crossed her face, followed by a faint blush. "I didn't think you'd ever… I mean, I didn't know if you'd feel the same."

His lips curved into a soft, almost wistful smile. "I've felt it for a long time, but I never wanted to complicate things. I didn't want to burden you… or add to everything you were going through."

Helena looked away, biting her lip, feeling a strange mix of relief and vulnerability. "Jay, I—" She hesitated, then looked back at him, with fear in her eyes.

"I'm scared. Of letting someone in… of trusting that things can be good between us despite everything."

"I understand," Jay replied, his tone gentle, understanding. "But I won't let you go anywhere, Helena. Not now, not ever. I want to be here for you, with you…"

He looked at her earnestly, as if baring a part of himself he'd long kept hidden. "And I promise, whatever happens in the future, we'll face it together."

Helena felt a wave of warmth wash over her, easing the tension she hadn't realized she was holding. "Jay… Thank you. For everything. For always being there, even when I didn't realize I needed you."

Jay's smile softened, and he squeezed her hand reassuringly. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be." He paused, his voice taking on a playful note. "So… does this mean I get to take you out on a real date?"

She laughed, the sound light and unburdened. "I hope you won't regret it later. And maybe this time, I'll let you pay."

"Oh, I would never regret it," he teased, grinning. "Also, we'll have plenty of time to argue about who pays in the future."

The words carried a promise, unspoken yet undeniably present—a hope for shared moments, memories to build, and dreams to chase together.

For the first time in a long time, Helena felt the weight of her past lifting just a little, as if with Jay by her side, she could finally look forward to something better.

They stayed there in the cafe, laughing and talking, slowly shedding the layers of pain and hesitation that had kept them apart. When they finally rose to leave, the tension between them had transformed, filled now with a tender, mutual understanding.

As they stepped outside into the warm afternoon, Jay wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her close. She leaned into him, feeling a sense of calm she hadn't felt in ages.

"Ready for whatever comes next?" he asked, glancing down at her.

Helena looked up at him, her eyes bright with a newfound confidence. "With you by my side? Absolutely."

And with that, they walked forward together, leaving the shadows of their past behind.