A Second Chance 133
Posted on March 07, 2025 ยท 0 mins read
Listen to this chapter:

Chapterย 133ย  D Thisย neighborhoodย inย Jeiacrityย wasnโ€™tย exactlyย lowโ€“end,ย butย itย certainlyย wasnโ€™tย highโ€“classย either,ย especiallyย comparedย toย Cedricโ€™sย familyย background. Josiah parkedย theย carย andย glancedย atย Siennaย throughย theย rearviewย mirror.ย Hisย toneย wasย flat.ย โ€œGoย ahead.ย Heโ€™sย inside.โ€ Asย forย him,ย heย wasnโ€™tย goingย in.ย โ€œIโ€™llย waitย hereย forย you.โ€ Afterย aย pause,ย heย added,ย โ€œIfย youย decideย toย stay,ย justย giveย meย aย callย orย sendย meย aย text,ย okay?โ€ Whatย ifย theyย metย andย couldnโ€™tย bearย toย part?ย Thatย wasย entirelyย possible. Asย heย spoke,ย Josiahย nearlyย bitย hisย tongue.ย Heย shotย aย quickย glanceย atย Sienna,ย feelingย anย uncharacteristicย surgeย ofย irritation. โ€œArenโ€™tย youย goingย yet?ย Hurryย up.โ€ย Ifย sheย didnโ€™tย goย soon,ย heย mightย regretย it. โ€œOh,ย okay.โ€ย Siennaย wasย aย littleย confused.ย โ€˜Whatโ€™sย goingย onย withย him?ย Heย isย fineย oneย minuteย andย thenย snappingย theย next.ย Hisย moodsย areย allย overย theย place,โ€˜ย sheย wondered. Sheย turnedย andย openedย theย carย door,ย steppingย out.ย Followingย theย addressย Josiahย hadย givenย her,ย sheย madeย herย wayย toย Cedricโ€™sย place. Itย wasย aย smallย apartment,ย rentedย byย Cedricโ€™sย collegeย friend.ย Thereย wasnโ€™tย muchย space,ย noย surprise,ย consideringย Cedricโ€™sย bankย cardย hadย beenย frozen,ย andย heย wasnโ€™tย allowedย anyย helpย fromย relativesย orย friends. Siennaย tookย aย deepย breathย andย raisedย herย handย toย knockย onย theย door. โ€œSienna?ย Youโ€ฆโ€ย Cedric openedย theย door,ย surprisedย andย pleased.ย โ€œHowย didย youย knowย Iย wasย here?โ€ Siennaย didnโ€™tย answerย immediately.ย Instead,ย sheย smiledย andย said,ย โ€œArenโ€™tย youย goingย toย inviteย meย in?โ€ โ€œOh,ย right.โ€ย Cedricย quicklyย steppedย aside.ย โ€œComeย in.โ€ *Sienna,ย haveย aย seatโ€ฆโ€ย Cedricย fumbledย around,ย headingย forย theย fridge.ย โ€œWhatย wouldย youย likeย toย drink?โ€ โ€œNoย need.โ€ย Siennaย shookย herย head.ย โ€œYouย donโ€™tย needย toย worryย aboutย that.ย Iย cameย hereย toย talkย toย you.โ€ โ€œOkay.โ€ย Cedricย stillย grabbedย aย bottleย ofย waterย andย placedย itย inย frontย ofย Sienna. Heย seemedย a littleย nervous,ย givingย aย forcedย smile.ย โ€œIโ€™mย onlyย stayingย hereย temporarily.โ€ Heย hadnโ€™tย reachedย outย toย Siennaย forย theย pastย coupleย ofย days.ย Heย didnโ€™tย wantย herย toย seeย himย inย suchย aย pitifulย state.ย Butย heย hadnโ€™tย expectedโ€ฆ. โ€œSienna,โ€ย Cedricย said,ย handsย clasped together,ย tryingย toย maskย hisย unease,ย โ€œDoย youย knowย everything?โ€ โ€œYes.โ€ย Siennaย nodded.ย โ€œWhyย goย throughย allย this?ย Didnโ€™tย youย tellย yourย parentsย thatย weย donโ€™tย haveย anythingย betweenย us?โ€ย  โ€œSienna.โ€ย Cedricย froze,ย hisย faceย turningย pale. โ€œDonโ€™tย sayย that.ย Hearingย itย fromย youย hurtsย moreย thanย beingย kickedย outย ofย myย house,โ€ย heย saidย quietly. Siennaย closedย herย eyesย forย aย moment.ย Sheย feltย guilty,ย likeย sheย wasย theย oneย atย fault. โ€œCedric,โ€ย sheย said,ย pursingย herย lipsย andย speakingย gently,ย โ€œDonโ€™tย makeย thingsย worseย withย yourย parents.ย Goย backย andย talkย toย them.ย Theyย onlyย wantย whatโ€™sย bestย forย you.โ€ย  โ€œSiennaโ€ฆโ€ย Cedricย feltย hisย heartย sink.ย Theย pressureย heโ€™dย beenย underย inย theย pastย fewย daysย hadย beenย overwhelming. Butย evenย so,ย heย hadnโ€™tย givenย up.ย Heย plannedย toย getย thingsย togetherย inย aย fewย daysย andย thenย goย findย Sienna. โ€œYouโ€™reย worriedย aboutย me,ย right?โ€ย Cedricย quicklyย shookย hisย headย andย explained,ย โ€œIโ€™mย fine.ย Iย justย needย aย littleย timeย toย getย backย onย my feet.ย Withย myย education,ย Iโ€™llย findย aย jobย soon.โ€ No.ย Siennaโ€™sย wordsย caughtย inย herย throat,ย unableย toย bearย hearingย himย sayย it.ย โ€œYouโ€™reย theย onlyย son.ย Youย shouldnโ€™tย haveย toย goย through this.โ€ โ€œSiennaโ€ฆโ€ย heย pleaded. โ€œLetย meย finish,โ€ย Siennaย said,ย takingย aย deepย breath.ย โ€œAย goodย relationshipย shouldย beย aboutย liftingย eachย otherย up,ย notย holdingย eachย otherย back.โ€ย  1/3ย  2:04ย PM Chapterย 133 . Sheย lookedย directlyย intoย hisย clearย eyes.ย โ€œCedric,ย Iย donโ€™tย wantย toย beย aย burdenย toย you.ย Youโ€™reย theย onlyย realย friendย Iย haveย hereย inย Jeiacrity,ย andย Iย canโ€™tย letย youย getย hurtย becauseย ofย me.โ€ โ€œSiennaโ€ฆโ€ย heย almostย cried. Siennaย stoodย up,ย herย eyesย brimmingย withย tears.ย โ€œGoย home.ย Iโ€™mย notย worthย it.ย Iย wonโ€™tย beย inย touchย withย youย again afterย this.โ€ย  Withย that,ย sheย turnedย andย ranย outย theย door. โ€œSienna!โ€ย heย calledย out. Withoutย lookingย back,ย Siennaย keptย runningย ahead,ย hearingย Cedricโ€™sย footstepsย behindย her.ย โ€œSienna!โ€ Inย theย car,ย Josiahย wasย idlyย scrollingย throughย hisย phone.ย Heย glancedย upย and sawย Siennaย andย Cedricย runningย towardย him,ย oneย afterย theย other. โ€œWhatโ€™sย goingย on?โ€˜ย Josiahย wondered.ย Beforeย heย couldย react,ย Siennaย openedย theย passengerย doorย and gotย inside. Cedricย continued,ย โ€œSiennaโ€ฆโ€ย  โ€œDrive.โ€ย Siennaย wasย visiblyย upset,ย herย voiceย sharp asย sheย barkedย theย commandย atย him. Josiahย frozeย forย aย moment. โ€œSienna.โ€ย Cedricย caughtย up,ย poundingย onย theย carย window.ย โ€œSienna,ย donโ€™t leaveโ€ฆโ€ Josiahย couldnโ€™tย catchย everythingย heย saidย throughย theย window,ย butย heย watchedย Siennaย withย confusion. โ€œYou,ย him,ย youย twoโ€ฆโ€ย heย hesitated. โ€œDrive,โ€ย Siennaย shouted,ย coveringย herย earsย andย shuttingย herย eyes.ย โ€œDidnโ€™tย youย hearย me?ย Drive!โ€ โ€œOkayโ€ฆย fine.โ€ย Josiahย hesitated.ย Heย hadย never beenย spokenย toย thisย wayย before,ย andย forย someย reason,ย itย madeย himย feelโ€ฆย aย littleย intimidated.ย Heย startedย theย carย obediently. Asย theย carย pulledย away,ย Josiahย glancedย inย theย rearviewย mirrorย andย sawย Cedricย stillย runningย afterย them,ย gettingย smallerย andย smallerย untilย heย wasย outย ofย sight. โ€œHey,โ€ย Josiahย muttered,ย furrowingย hisย brow.ย โ€œYouย reallyย donโ€™tย careย aboutย him?ย So,ย whatย didย youย twoย evenย talkย about?โ€ โ€œDriveย faster,โ€ย sheย ordered. Josiahย wondered,ย โ€˜Alright,ย alright.โ€™ Heย steppedย onย theย gas,ย andย theย carย spedย up.ย Slowly,ย Cedricโ€™sย figureย disappearedย completely. Suddenly,ย Siennaย liftedย herย handย toย coverย herย face.ย Josiahโ€™sย heartย skippedย aย beat.ย Sheย wasย crying. Ifย sheย wasย crying,ย thatย meantย sheย reallyย caredย aboutย Cedric.ย Theย thoughtย madeย Josiahย feelย uneasy,ย andย hisย badย moodย flaredย upย again. โ€œWhyย areย youย crying?ย Ifย youย careย thatย muchย aboutย him,ย youย shouldย beย clingingย toย him,ย notย runningย away,โ€ย his toneย wasย cold. Siennaย froze,ย thenย quicklyย movedย herย handย away.ย โ€œStopย theย car.โ€ โ€œStopย theย car?ย Weย canโ€™tย parkย here.โ€ย Josiahย refused. โ€œIย told youย toย stop,โ€ย Siennaย insisted,ย grippingย theย carย doorย andย pullingย it.ย โ€œStop.ย Iย needย toย getย out.โ€ โ€œHey!โ€ย Josiahย panicked.ย โ€˜Donโ€™tย moveย aroundย likeย that.ย Itโ€™sย dangerous.โ€ โ€œStopย theย car!โ€ย sheย roared. Sheย wasย soย workedย upย thatย Josiahย hadย noย choiceย butย toย pullย over,ย turningย theย wheelย toย parkย onย theย sideย ofย theย road. Withoutย missingย aย beat,ย Siennaย flungย theย carย doorย openย andย jumpedย out.ย  โ€œSienna.โ€ย Josiah,ย concerned,ย followedย herย outย ofย theย car. Sheย hadย justย beenย crying,ย andย nowย sheย wasย chargingย aheadย recklessly.ย Heย couldnโ€™tย helpย butย worry.ย Whatย ifย somethingย happened?ย Whetherย itย wasย badย luckย orย justย hisย badย mouth,ย heย wasnโ€™tย sure. 2/3ย  2:04ย PM Chapterย 133 Siennaย steppedย forward,ย andย aย carย approached fromย theย intersection,ย headingย straightย forย her. โ€œSienna!โ€ย Inย thatย instant,ย Josiahโ€™sย heartย almostย stopped.ย Heย lungedย atย her,ย grabbingย herย shouldersย andย pullingย herย intoย hisย arms,ย stumblingย backwardย andย leaningย againstย theย car. Asย theyย collidedย withย theย car,ย Josiahย quicklyย supportedย theย backย ofย herย headย withย oneย handย andย shieldedย herย backย withย theย other,ย makingย sureย sheย wouldnโ€™tย hitย herย head. Theย carย spedย pastย them,ย theย driverย stickingย hisย headย outย theย windowย andย yelling,ย โ€œAreย youย tryingย toย getย yourselfย killed?ย Donโ€™tย dragย othersย downย withย you.ย Damnย it,ย unlucky.โ€ย  Sienna,ย stillย shaken,ย lookedย upย atย Josiah,ย herย eyesย wideย withย shockย andย anger. โ€œAreย youย outย ofย yourย mind?โ€ย Josiahโ€™sย expressionย darkened.ย โ€œYouย canโ€™tย beย withย Cedric,ย andย nowย youโ€™reย willingย toย riskย yourย life? โ€œIfย thatโ€™sย theย case,ย whyย didย youย leaveย earlier?ย Whatย happenedย toย theย determination youย hadย whenย youย wereย chasingย afterย meย yearsย ago?โ€ Siennaโ€™sย eyesย narrowed,ย herย gazeย turningย sharp. โ€œDoย youย reallyย notย knowย whyย Iย left?ย Youย seriouslyย donโ€™tย know?โ€ย sheย asked.


Please let us know if you find any errors, so we can fix them.