Hope | ✔

Chapter 31: Progress

Its not about perfect. Its about effort. And when you bring that effort every single day, thats where transformation happens. Thats how change occurs

-Jillian Michaels

1 month later

Jaimie-mae and Fabian were exactly like best friends now. Their parents thought it was the strangest relationship and in a way it was.

Seeing a 5'2 girl and a 6'2 boy, one seventeen and one twenty years old was cute, but also absolutely weird. They were crazy and did stupid things together.

They had finally been able to play mario cart upside down. Both of them had won three times each.

They had tried baking a sponge cake together, but it had collapsed and it just looked like a really weak, fluffy pancake.

They were found wrestling each other in Fabian's room which got them in a bit of trouble from Justin.

Fabian had finally met Jaimie-mae's mom and Jazmyn had squealed over how handsome he was. Jazmyn had thanked Fabian many times over for watching out for her 'little girl'. He told her it was no problem and that he didn't really consider it 'watching out' because he enjoyed the time they spent together.

Fabian had made Jaimie-mae slowly realize that she didn't need him when she was having a bad day. She was now less dependant on him and she was thankful to him for that. She didn't feel so weak anymore.

Jaimie-mae didn't know it, but Fabian was thankful for her too. She was one of things keeping him out of trouble. He was involved with a small gang that didn't really do much. But when they did, they caused a bit of trouble around town sometimes. Things like: causing fights, grafitti, stealing a few cars. He'd found that stuff entertaining after he fell in with the wrong crowd.

He realized that people could have such a big impact on him. It didn't really matter what they did, it just always made something in him or around him change, whether he realized it or not. But what he did realize, was how Jaimie-mae had changed him.

It was strange because she was the first to not care about the way he acted or the things he did, well except for Malakai. Him and Malakai were best friends because they were so similar and they were into a lot of the same things. Jaimie-mae didn't try to change him and make him into something better for her own benefit, but somehow she had still changed him. And he liked this version of himself. He was a good person and for once he thought himself to be a good role model for his little brother.

Before, he wouldn't want Mason around. He didn't want his dad to be dissapointed at Mason for being like him; the troublemaker. He kept his distance so that Mason wouldn't absorb his words and his actions.

But now, things had changed. He took Mason places with him. He taught him things and talked to him more. He didn't shut him out for his own protection like he used to. All because of one girl. And himself of course.

As for Jaimie-mae, she still avoided places that could potentially bring up a memory. But now, things were better. She wasn't afraid of what could be around a corner. She wasn't constantly planning out where she'd walk and what she'd avoid. She didn't fear what was behind closed doors. It was more... nervousness now. Not fear.

She was going to school with her head held high. And when some days weren't as good as others, she realized she'd make it through. Eventually, she would get past the wall she was struggling to climb over. She knew she didn't always need somebody to be there and help her. She was strong. It was going to be all right.

It was funny how one boy made her realize some of these things. And she would be forever grateful to him. To Fabian.

At school, Jaimie-mae noticed Arabella had begun crushing on Malakai. She knew it was a horrible feeling for Kano. She wished Arabella would see the type of care Kano held for her. He was so sweet to her, yet she was blind to see what was right in front of her.

It seemed most humans were blind to see the good things they had most of the time. Or maybe it was that they just chose not to see the good things. They let other peoples comments and words get into their heads and it stopped them from seeing and striving for the things that were right there for them to take.

And that's exactly what was happening with Arabella and Kano.

It broke her heart when Malakai came and picked Bella up from school when Kano was trying to invite her to a game that weekend. She knew what it felt like to feel like she was losing something she never had in the first place.

There was always some type of frustration, resentment and irritation for yourself, the person and your feelings.

Feelings were such a... complex thing. Sometimes they could be the best thing that ever happened to you. But other times, you'd wish you didn't have a heart and a brain to feel those feelings. It was just a bunch of confusion in one little organ. Add a little hormomes and you had yourself a storm.

Emotions were one thing Jaimie-mae was constantly battling with. Her emotions were heightened to the point where sometimes it seemed like it was physically hurting her. There was lack of sleep and lack of good mood. And she knew it would affect the people around her and she didn't want that. She wanted to keep people out of that part of her life the best she could, especially Fabian.

She didn't want him to be losing sleep over her. His father had made that pretty clear. For some reason, it seemed like he was quite educated on her PTSD. He seemed to hold some type of grudge or tension whenever she was around.

It hurt. It really did for Jaimie-mae. Knowing that he approved of her a lot more before knowing about her PTSD hurt way more than she was letting on.

Fabian tried to convince her that his dad's opinion didn't matter. He thought well of her but his opinion didn't even count. No ones did but her own.

He said that Mason and his Mom loved her to death and were always talking about the food she had cooked while she was over there.

She was extremely talented and the only person who had to believe that now; was herself.