feels like french kisses - a jobe bellingham story

chapter 18

➪ caretaker (ft. sza) - dram, sza

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About two weeks later:

Maëlys' pov:

We had just finished our tutoring session a few minutes ago, so now Jobe and I are just sitting there and talk to each other. Today's the first time in like two weeks we've seen each other again which is why we're catching up on our lives right now.
At this point our tutoring sessions are really more like study sessions. Jobe's grades have been improving so I can't tell how long me tutoring him will still last.

"Do you wanna get something to eat? We could go to a cafe or something in the city", Jobe suggests.
"Sure, yeah, let's do that. Are you here with your car?", I return.
"I am, yes."
We then pack our stuff and make our way downstairs and outside to the parking lot.

———

About half an hour later we're sitting at a table in a small cafe and are almost finished with our food and drinks.
"I've gotta head to the restroom real quick. Be right back", Jobe says and gets up before he heads towards the bathrooms.
I watch him walk away as I lift my lemonade to my mouth and take a sip of the drink. I then take the last bites of my sandwich.

"No, damn it", I mutter. Some of the sauce of my food had dropped onto my shirt. Since I had already used the napkin on my plate I get up and walk over to the counter in the front of the cafe. I ask the barista for some new napkins and receive them only a few seconds later. As I walk back to our table I'm being stopped by someone.

"Maëlys, what a surprise seeing you here."
When I hear the voice my eyes widen and I look up to the person it comes from. As suspected I find Darien looking back at me with a smile.
"Darien, w-"
"It's good to see you. How have you been?", he asks me before I can finish my sentence.
"I've been alright. What a-"
"Yeah, me too. Haven't seen you since Amari's birthday", he interrupts me again.

He always did that, interrupting me. I guess I just never noticed it when we were in a relationship. It's like people say, love makes you blind. I only noticed his flaws after he broke it up with me. But now I can see this walking red flag of a man clearly.

"Good, I guess. If it's okay with you, I'd like to get back to my table now", I tell him wanting to get away from him as quickly as possible.
"Oh come on, let's chat for a bit, catch up."
"Why?"
"Why not? Can friends not catch up?"
"Okay, first, we're not friends. And second, if this is some weird way of you trying to get me back, don't try. I'm good."

"Don't be so stubborn, Lee."
"I told you not to call me that anymore", I say starting to get annoyed.
"Seriously, those dramatics again?", he scoffs and I hear disbelief in his voice.
"Yes, this again. If you think I'm so dramatic, there's the door", I tell him clearly annoyed now and point to the front of the cafe,
"And also stop harassing me. Constantly calling or texting me is already bad enough, but now you do it in person as well? Nah, you're crazy."

———

Jobe's pov:

"And also stop harassing me. Constantly calling or texting me is already bad enough, but now you do it in person as well? Nah, you're crazy", I hear Maëlys say as I walk back to our table after exiting the restroom. Looking up I see Darien standing opposite of her. What the hell is he doing here?

Her words make his expression switch to an angry one. Out of anger he grabs her wrist and, judging by her face, he seems to hurt her.
"How dare you call me crazy", he tells her.
I quicken my steps trying to reach them as fast as I can.
"Get your fucking hands of her, you creep", I say now angry as well. However my anger is directed at him.
"Who do you think you are to tell me what to
do?", he says turning his head towards me.

"His name is Jobe and he's my boyfriend", Maëlys suddenly says. As I move my eyes to her she sends me look. I then realize her plan. She's trying to get rid of her ex by telling him she's in a relationship.
"Your boyfriend?", he asks with a mad voice while letting go of Maëlys' wrist.
I quickly put a protective arm around her waist and pull her closer to my body.

"I am. And you need to get out of here like right now", I tell him while sending him an angry look.
He hesitates for a moment, but thankfully he takes the hint and walks away from us, out of the cafe.

———

Maëlys' pov:

The second he's out the door I release the tears I was holding back and let them roll down my cheeks. Jobe seems to realize it pretty quickly seeing as I'm being pulled into a hug only seconds later. He starts to rub one hand up and down my back trying to calm me down.

"Why can't he just leave me alone? We've been broken up for over ten months now", I sob into his chest.
"I don't know", he replies before he pulls me even closer.
Both of us stay in the embrace for a few more minutes before I slowly start to pull away again.
"Oh, I got some mascara on your sweater. I'm sorry", I sniffle and chuckle slightly while wiping my eyes.
"It's alright, I don't care", Jobe replies.

We then both sit back down at our table.
"Thank you for playing along by the way. I didn't know what else to do to get him to leave so I just came up with the fake boyfriend thing", I tell him before taking a sip from my almost empty drink.
"Of course, no need to thank me", he returns with a soft smile, "I have a question though. I hope I'm not overstepping here but is it true that he's been harassing you over call and text?"

I hesitate at first. But, even though I don't want to, I know I have to talk to someone about it.
Keeping it all to myself will only strain on my mental health. Or at least that's what I've learned in the many years of therapy I've been going to since my parents' divorce.

"It is, yeah", I tell him in all honesty, "He's been sending me texts telling me he misses me for about a month now. And he also started calling me randomly a few weeks ago. I never answer his texts and also only answered like the first few calls. I also block every number he tries to reach me with and delete the texts."
"Wait, was he the one who called you multiple times the night before the Liverpool game and was the reason you hardly got any sleep?", he wants to know.
The fact he actually remembered that makes warmth spread inside my body.

"I can't prove it but I'm pretty sure it was him", I reply.
"You need to go to the police with that, Lee", he says with a concerned face.
"And tell them what? That some unknown number keeps calling and texting me? I've got no proof, J, the police wouldn't believe me."

Jobe stays silent for a minute probably thinking about a solution.
"If you could get any phone, which one would you get? And in what colour?", he asks catching me off guard.
"What?"
"Just answer the question."
"Okay, well, the newest iphone pro in black, I guess", I shrug.

"Alright, let's pay and get out of here. Do you have anything else to do today, like volleyball practice or something?", he wants to know.
"I don't, why?"
"Because I'm taking you somewhere and it could take a while."
He puts some money on the table and gets up before offering me a hand.
"Where?", I question before taking his hand and let him pull me up.
"You'll see", is all that I get as an answer.

———

new chapter done you guys.
i already got part of the next one sitting in my drafts, so i might give you guys a double update today🤷🏼‍♀️.
if not the next chapter will be out tomorrow.
anyways, i hope you all enjoyed this one.
don't be silent readers pls🙏🏼.
love yous💕