Summary: Jade reveals the real reason why she doesn’t approve Hana and Leo’s relationship
Based on the music prompt: I Am
Warning: This piece contains psychological issues (eating disorders, manipulation, psychological abuse, drug abuse) which may be disturbing/offensive to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.
Liam opened the door to Jade’s room and got in, carrying her in his arms. He was well aware of how much she drank that night and how sadness was capable of draining her energy. He carefully put her down, helped her take off her clothes and as she sat on the bed, he removed her shoes and jewelry.
She barely said a word. Tiredness and inebriation were enough to keep her quiet, but she was mostly sad and regretful. There was nothing she could say at the moment that would undo the fight with Hana and it was killing her.
Liam went to her closet and picked up a nightie. Returning to her the room, he helped put on the tiny cotton black dress after she finished brushing her hair. “I assume you need to remove your makeup before sleeping.”
“Yeah, I do, but I don’t want you to look.”
“Why not?”
“Because it gets messy once I take the false lashes and start to remove the mascara.”
“And?”
“It’s not pretty. You can’t look at me while I’m removing my makeup,” she nagged.
“I’ve seen you without makeup several times. You’re beautiful,” he smiled.
“This is not up for discussion.”
He chuckled as she stood up and sat by her vanity dresser, then picked up a bottle of micellar water and a few cotton pads. “Turn around.”
“I just undressed you, I helped you putting on your sleepwear and this is the moment you ask me to turn around?” He asked.
Jade folded her arms.
“Fine,” he turned away smirking and picked up two anti-inflammatory pills and a glass of water for her when he caught her pulling out her eyelashes. “Dear god, what is that?!?”
“I said don’t look!” She yelled throwing a cotton pad at him.
He laughed. “I’m kidding,” he stood behind her leaving the pills and the water on the dresser. “It’s just makeup. I don’t mind.”
“Really?” She asked looking at him from the mirror, using one last cotton pad damp with the makeup remover.
“Yes,” he bent over, kissed her shoulder. He took off his jacket and tie, placed them on her end table, took off his shoes and sat on the bed.
Jade finished cleaning and moisturizing her face, took the pills and joined him in bed, cuddling with her fiance.
“How are you feeling now?” His hand ran through her hair as she played with the buttons of his shirt absentmindedly.
“Terrible. My head hurts, I’m tired, my best friend hates me.”
“Hana doesn’t hate you.”
“She clearly doesn’t want to talk to me. Maybe it’s for the best that we’re going to Madrid for a week,” Jade shrugged.
“Hmm…”
“What?”
“I had the impression you didn’t want to go.”
“I didn’t. But you were right when you said I should visit my family before the wedding. It is the right thing to do if I want them here with me, supporting us. I’m just anxious and I don’t want to mess it up.”
“It’s completely normal to feel this way, though I don’t see any mess happening. Your grandmother loves you the same way she did the last time you saw her and she’s the toughest one to please.” Liam grimaced feigning apprehension.
Jade grinned. “She wasn’t so bad last time I saw her. Abuela was really cool, actually.”
“Easy for you to say. Try to be the one who almost started an international incident for falling in love with her beloved granddaughter, putting her in danger and sleeping with her, even though the laws of Cornodia and Spain forbid me to do so.”
“You’re joking, right?”
“I wish. As the monarch of Cordonia, I can bend some of these rules, since this is more of a tradition than a rule here, but your family didn’t exactly give us their blessing.”
“Didn’t she give us her blessing when you talked in New York?”
“Queen Sofia said I only asked for her granddaughter’s hand, but I shouldn’t have assumed I could take such liberties with a member of the Spanish Royal family before the wedding.”
She laughed.
“How supportive of you, my love. Thank you,” he scolded her, pretending to be mad.
“Sorry,” Jade smiled sheepishly.
“It’s fine. You’re worth the risk.”
“Aww…” she gave him a quick kiss smiling. “Thank you for making me laugh, taking care of me and being so patient, even when I snap at you because of your brother.”
“It’s not a problem. But you can thank me by telling me why are you so against Leo and Hana going out.”
“I don’t know,” Jade picked at an invisible cuticle. “You’ll think it’s stupid.”
“If it made you cry, I don’t think it is,” he said brushing a thumb on her cheekbone.
“Okay,” she snuggled up against him, holding him tighter. “I had an ex-boyfriend who was a lot like Leo: older, easy going, always charmed his way out of trouble, had all the girls at his feet. He was the older brother of a friend and I had a crush on him for years, but he never looked at me. Then one day when I was seventeen, I was working on a project with my friend at her house and he returned to New York for his parents anniversary. He saw me in his sister’s bedroom and he flirted with me. He kissed and said I had to keep it a secret because it was more fun.”
“Of course he said that. He was taking advantage of a minor,” Liam’s jaw clenched.
“I didn’t know better, I did everything he asked me to do. Sometimes he convinced me to do things I didn’t I wanted to and he’d say I did it because I wanted. I felt so guilty I started to eat too much and barf again. I wanted to talk to somebody, but I thought no one would believe me. His sister didn’t and she stopped talking to me. And he knew everyone I knew, everybody loved him. Well, except Jules and I didn’t know why.”
“Because she and her father were already onto him,” Liam added.
“Yeah… In the beginning, I thought she was just jealous or something, so he told me to stop talking to her and I did.” Her lips began to quiver. “I was always away from home and my mom was alone all time. When she died, he said it was my fault so many times I started to believe it. He had this power over me and I didn’t know how to fight it.”
“Jay, you were a teenager. How could you have fought an older man on your own?” He kissed her forehead as she curled up against, tugging his shirt to hold him closer and started sobbing again.
“I– I could’ve–”
“Hey, look at me,” he lifted up her chin. “It wasn’t your fault. Your mother had depression and you did the best you could, all things considered. This guy, whoever he is, he manipulated you and he should be in jail.”
Jade simply frowned, biting her lip. “I don’t know what happened to him. A few months after my mom died, I was at a party with him and then he was gone. Juliet told me the police showed up and Juliet’s dad picked me up at the hospital because I passed out that night. I went to rehab right after and never heard about him again. About a month later, Jules paid me a visit and asked me to live with her family in Long Island for a while. We became roommates since then.”
“Now I understand why she was so protective of you when I first met her.”
“She hides her feelings pretty well, but I know she always got worried when I had a date with someone she didn’t know.”
“With good reason,” he replied, caressing her shoulder.
“I know I’m probably projecting my fears on their relationship and not all guys are jerks trying to take advantage of inexperienced girls, but I can’t help it. Hana is like a little sister to me and the thought of her going through what I did–” Jade trailed off, her face hardened as her eyes welled up again. “I can’t let this happen to her.”
Liam cupped her face in his hands and wiped her tears with his thumbs. “I understand, Jay. But there’s something you should know about Leo. My brother taught a lot of things, but one of the most important lessons I had was about consent. I know my brother well and he wouldn’t force Hana to do anything.”
Jade looked down at her hands, considering his words. “I think Hana said that at some point. You know, among all the yelling…”
Liam shook his head.
“I think I also need to not underestimate her. She’s getting bolder.”
“I agree. She has a loyal friend who taught her how to stand up for herself.” He smiled at her. “And if he hurts her in any way, I can always tell Bastien to torture him.”
“Really?”
He nodded.
“Can I watch?”
“No.”
She brushed her feet on his and gave him a pleading look.
“Don’t even try it. I’m not falling for that.”
Jade pouted, making him chuckle.
“Thank you for telling me all this, Jade. I can see it wasn’t for you to talk about it and I’m elated to know you trust me.”
“I trust you with my life, Li.”
“I could say the same about you.” he smiled, tightening the embrace as their lips met in a sweet kiss.
As they pulled away, Liam stifled a yawn.
“Oh… I didn’t realize it was so late,” Jade said looking at her phone. “We have to be up in a few hours.”
“It’s okay. We can sleep in the jet. There’s a room newly decorated in it just for us, you know?”
“Mmm… Good to know,” she smiled as he sat up to pick up his shoes and jacket to leave. “Liam?”
“Yes?”
“I know I’m risking another international incident, but can you stay with me here? We don’t have to do anything,“ she said, chewing on a nail.
He chuckled. “Of course, my love.”
Liam got out of the bed to remove his shirt and pants and crawled back under the comforter. Wrapping his arms around her, he nuzzled her shoulder, savoring the warmth of her body until both of them fell asleep.
