Cindy White POV
I was in class the next day reading my note when I heard my name and look up to see D'mally and Chad at my front desk, I wonder what they were doing here and looking like they had something to say to me. "Yes."
"Let's have a chat outside," D'mally told me and I look around, it must be something important since they didn't want to tell me on phone but it made me more curious.
"What is it?" I asked again.
"You would know when we tell you." They both left the class, I closed my book and put them in my locker, luckily my two friends were not here to question me, so 8 followed them to the school field.
"Tell me, what is it?" I look from Chad to D'mally, they had been my childhood friends too, but as we came into High-school we were no longer that close, but we still talk once in a while.
D'mally looks at Chad as if trying to take permission from him and Chad nod and then they turn to me again, this was getting serious. "It is about Jeffery."
I exhaled softly, all this curiosity just for the boy I want to hate, hearing the name was even tiring for me. "I don't want to hear anything about him, he is a deceiver and a liar." I turn around to leave but the word I heard made me halt.
"His father died!" Chad called out and I froze, I slowly turn around to look at their faces, the word had come as a shock to me and I was speechless for a while.
"What!"
"Yes, his father died the day he was supposed to meet you at that playground fourteen years ago." Chad went further to explain, I couldn't believe what I was hearing as tears cluster in my eyes.
"He was forced to leave with his mother that day since there was a crisis at the company and their home." D'mally continued. "He wasn't given a chance to even attend his father's burial." Hearing all this made me stunned.
"He cried and kicked the air, wanting to at least tell you, since he knows you were still waiting for him, I remember him pleading with his mother to at least let him say goodbye to you, but they were also in danger if they tarry, so they left in a hurry," Chad explained.
"Cindy, he never stopped thinking of you when he was away and even now, he loves you and is sorry that he did not recognise you either, it is our fault for not telling you, so we are sorry." D'mally finished.
I was in a daze, all my head was aching and everything I was hearing was a blur to me, It was my fault, my fault for not wanting to listen to him, I should have at least heard him out. "Where is Jeffery now?" This was the only thing that came out of my lips, I only wanted to see him, his father died, he left, the pain he must have felt, and now I added to it too.
"At the rooftop," Chad told me and I turned around without another word, I have to find Jeffery, I have to find him was all I could think, I have caused him more pain, I have hurt him more, I should have consoled him, but then I had pushed him away, I have told him that I will hate him, I was horrible, oh no!
I got to the rooftop and saw Jeffery standing close to the small wall, looking at the horizon, I ran over to him and I hug his back in tear. "I am so sorry Jeffery." I stutter with a choked voice.
"Cindy." Jeffery turns around and looks at me with a surprised expression as he held my chin up to give me a better look.
"Jeffery, I am the stupid one," I said in tears, honestly, I was, all this time, all this time I have blamed him for lying to me, all this while I have ignored and blamed him, I was stupid, I was truly stupid.
"Stop crying, Cindy." He held my cheek, looking down at my face but I shook my head.
"No, hit me...I am the one supposed to be hit for not understanding you, I am so sorry for your father's death." I look at his eyes and he paused. "I am so sorry, so sorry."
"Don't be." I could see tears in his eyes too. "It is not your fault, and it has already been years now." He told me, I know he felt sad too but was trying to hide it, trying hard not to feel that emotion anymore.
"Yes, it is fourteen years now, but I don't know." To me I felt guilt, I said I love him, I said I waited for him but still, I didn't know this much, I didn't know his father died and worst of it all, he couldn't even attend the burial ceremony.
Jeffery held my cheek up and made me look at him, tears were in his eyes and his voice was hoarse as he began to speak again. "What I am asking now is this, don't you miss me?"
I hug him tight. "I do Jeffery, really miss you, I do miss you." I closed my eyes and he hugs me back and gently pats my back.
"I do too, I miss you so much." I lean my head to his chest and sob while he consoles me, one I know I should do now was to always listen, always listen when someone has something to tell me, it could solve tons of misunderstanding and not prolong the pain, but what lies ahead was something we both never expected.