Infinite - Jake T. Austin Love Story

34: Promise

I haven't written in a long time, so please excuse the roughness of this chapter. Thank you.

Dedicated to my new reader @dayay1016 for voting and commenting. Readers like you make me want to continue writing ♥︎

____________________

34: Promise

I wake up with the light shining brightly on my face, scorching my skin. I open my eyes slowly, adjusting to the brightness. Mentally scolding myself, I fell asleep watching Lara. After a few seconds, I finally realize something wrong.

The bed is empty.

I quickly look down at my phone; Lara's phone is not right next to mine, and I quickly get up grabbing my phone. It is 11:23 am, meaning everyone is out of the house. I dash out of the bright room and make my way upstairs thinking she is in the bathroom. When I check both restrooms, she isn't in either.

I drag my body down the stairs until I reach the flight of stairs towards the third floor. My feet are planted on the first stair, and I hear soft cries from behind me. I step off the staircase and into the fourth floor once again, moving slowly to the door. I hold onto the doorknob for a few seconds before turning it.

I step into the room, noticing right away a plate on the floor with a half-eaten omlette and a glass of water, a black long-sleeved sweatshirt, and grey sweatpants. Quickly, I realize that Lara went downstairs for breakfast before coming in here. Right after, I see a large canvas about six feet high - the back towards me - on the art stage. I quickly realize that Lara is behind the canvas due to the amount of pressure being put into the stretched-out white cloth. I move around the room to see in an angle her body moving viciously on the art stage with her focus directed to what she's painting due to her heavy panting and color-coated hands. Paint is splattered all over the ground as well as her clothing which encompasses a large white-button up and a tanktop. The paint mixes and dribbles with her accumulated sweat on her body, while her arms are still wrapped in the bandages I put them in.

"Lara," my voice comes out as a small whisper as I come closer. Her body doesn't fidget as she continues to use her fingers to stroke the canvas. "You're awake," her voice is soft; a small smile plays onto my face as I finally hear her speak. I take that as my cue to approach her, walking closer to the stage she is working at. As if she can sense me approaching without looking in my direction, she holds out her right hand to stop me from moving closer and begins speaking, "I woke up before Auntie did, so she didn't see anything," her tone is quiet as she continues to use her painted fingertips, "She doesn't know that you were in my room because I - I woke up before everyone." I don't understand what she's trying to say, so I stay quiet, waiting for her explanation. It takes a few minutes, but I finally hear her.

"I - I woke up, Jake."

I gaze intently at her, and she takes a quick glance in my general direction, a bittersweet smile encompassed on her cheeks, but her eyes do not show any love or happiness - rather, they show emptiness and sadness. I squeeze my hands at my sides realizing that she was expecting to die - expecting to disappear from my life forever. She doesn't know how painful it was for me to see her in that condition. I want to open my mouth and tell her how I'm feeling, how fucking destructive it was for me to see her laying in my arms in blood, but that would make me selfish. Instead, I try croaking out the question that has been killing me after the moment I first saw her lifeless body.

"Why did you -" but I couldn't finish my sentence. I can't voice out the action she almost did to herself.

"Almost kill myself?" Her voice is barely audible, her head hangs low as she puts her hands at her sides. "Jake, I - I can't handle this anymore," I hear her struggle breathing in and out, "I can't take the fact I'm the one ruining your life. I can't - I can't be the one that's bringing you down - "