Chapter 7: Last Cigarette

Pauline parked the car in her house driveway. She took her bag from the right seat and got out of the car. She locked it and walked to the door. Walking the living room her parents were sitting in the sofa. "Here she is!" Kostas said exited and got up to hug his daughter. "Congratulations honey! Well done!" "Thanks daddy!" Pauline answered when they broke apart. "When the stage will be?" he asked and made their way to the sofa. "Next Saturday! Same hour, same place, same rules!" she answered. "Do you know what you'll do in stage two?" Katerina asked. "Yeah, i do! They're going to ask questions about our personality and how we control things! A piece of cake to me!" she said smiling. Her hands were making ups and down to her legs and she said "I'm tiried! I'm going to my room! Goodnight mum! Goodnight dad!" she said and kissed them both and left.

She opened the door of her bedroom and closed it behind her with her foot. She let the bag hit the ground. The lamp on her nightstand was on and it was lighting the picture of her with Jesse. After that fight a shower sounds like a great idea. She undressed and hit the shower.

Once she was shower she dressed in the yoga pants and one Bon Jovi t-shirt. She tidy up her bag and put it back to its place. She checked her phone. No texts or missed calls from anyone. That made her heart sink. She thought that at least Jesse should had called to apologizied but he didn't.

She sut on the bed looking to the frame. She took it in her hands and focused on Jesse. His light blue eyes were chining more that the usual. His smile was from ear to ear. It can be seen how happy he saw. Looking to the girl next to him Pauline saw the same things to herself. Leaving the frame back to the night stand she singed.

She was feeling a fire in her lungs. It was the first time in a very long time she wanted a cigarette. She knew that she had promised to Jon and Ava to cut it but they were moments that she wanted like crazy. She stood up and opened the door of the closet. They were where she left them almost 5 months ago. She picked the pack from the corner and opened it. The lighter was still in. She counted the cigarettes, there are 9 left.

She closed the door of the closet and opened the balcony door. It was really cold for the middle of Septembre. The night breeze coming from the ocean was chilling Pauline a little. She placed her hands on the top of the banister. The view was really stanning. It's been a long time since she sut on the balcony. Sighing she opened the pack and took one. She placed it on the edge of her mouth and lighted it.

The first puff was very refreshing. A refreshing that pauline has almost forgot. She blew out the smock that came from her lungs.She saw the shapes that the smock mades with the backround of the lighted New Jersy skyline. In her mind came the first time she smocked. It was right here. Even the reason was the same, Jesse.

Cigarette was finished and Pauline walked in the room and closed the door behind her. It was really late but she didn't care, she has no school the next day. She lyied down in her bed and closed her eyes.

She was pretty tiried from all that happend. Starting with the competition and finishing with the fight with Jesse. She left the first flow by like she wasn't take place. The one that was worring her was Jesse. She must admit that he've changed since the day he opened his from the accident. She thought that he was going to be better. But the one that made her want to jump from the top of a skyscraper was the way he talked to Romeo.

She was trying to forget that she heard these two sentences coming from his mouth and were adressing to Romeo. To his 9 year old brother and Pauline's favourite Bongiovi kid exept from Jesse. If she were Romeo she could had done the same thing. But she wasn't 9 years old. She checked her phone. No texts. No phone calls. Jesse has a lot of thinking to do back home.

The Bongiovi family walked in their house. The two youngest were so tiried and left for their bedrooms. Romeo didn't come closer to Jesse because he was afraid that he might yell at him again. If he did it once what stopped him to do it again? Was the thought of Romeo.

Stephanie wasn't that tiried and she didn't want to go to bed at this hour. But she went to her bedroom and opened her laptop. Dorothea could feel that Jon must have a 'man to man' chat with his son so she left for her bedroom too. Now it were only Jesse and Jon.

Jesse put the bag on the floor. "And now young man just the two of us! Tell me!" Jon said and sut in the couch crossing his arms. Jesse singed. "I've been an asshole to her..... again! Is just sometimes i don't listen to other people and i'm only thinking what i have to say no matter what is that!" Jon half laughed. "I know that! Now you understand why we're telling you to listen to the other?" Jesse nobbed and Jon continued. "What did you told her, Jesse? Romeo told me that you made her cry." Jesse sighed. He hated to admit it because he did it. "I told her that she did the wrong thing to come and see me in the game! I-I thought she didn't go to the competition! I-I thought that she did it because she didn't want to let me down! She tried to calm me down but the Bongiovi stuborness was on! When Romeo left crying she asked me if i was happy! I made two of the person that i love the most cry in one minute! She asked me twice! I-I wasn't able to find a good enough answer! She left and then you came! You know the rest....."

Jon was looking to his son while she was talking. He could hear the sadness in his voise and the regret. He couldn't do nothing else but feeling sorry for him. "You know that you must apologise to the two of them Romeo and Pauline! I advise you to start from Romeo! But hey if you talk to him like that no matter if his fault or not you'll have to deal with me...." Jon answered with a way that he ment every word that came out of his mouth. He wants to make sure that his son will not do this mistake again in his life. "Yeah, that's what i'm going to do! Thanks again dad! Goodnight!" Jesse said and got up from the couch. He collect his bag from the floor and walked upstairs.

He thought his bag on his bedroom floor and changed in a shorts and a t-shirt. He looked for his phone and remembered that he left it in the kitchen. He closed the door of his room and walked in the hallway. He passed Romeo's bedroom when he heard him cry. His heart stoped for a second or two. His little brother was crying. He could hear him saying something but it wasn't clear. He placed his ear on the door and heard him say "What i've done wrong? I was worry about him and Pauline! He looked so upset and i thought that i might can help! Jesse don't love me anymore!" The last sentence was enough to make Jesse feel more guilty of what he've done. He tried hard not to cry and he knocked the door.

He slowly opened it and put his head in the dark room. "Hey big man can i come in?"he asked. "If you want to yell at me again no!" Romeo answered and buried his little face in his pillow. Jesse walked in and closed the door behind him. Walking in he saw the teddy bear he bought him for his 6th birthday on the floor. That make her hear sink. he loves this teddy bear from the day Jesse gave it to him Romeo never go anywhere without it. He took it from the floor and sut in the bed next to him. "Romy i want to talk to you!" Romeo lifted his head from the pillow and turned his body to face him. "Here take you Tedd with you!" Jesse said and gave him his teddy bear.

"Look, Romeo i know i should had talk to you like i did! And i'm so so sorry about it! It was a moment that i was very pissed...." "Did Pauline and you broke up?" he ask hugged his Tedd. Jesse laughed. "No, we didn't! You'll see her again don't worry i'll take care of that!" "Good! Why are you yelling at her?" the curiosity couldn't help him and asked. "Well, things are little compicated but let's say it was my fault!" "Ok, i understand!" Romeo answered and smiled. "So, you're not made with me?" "No, i'm not! You said that we might go out with Pauline and Jacob can we do that?" "Mmm, sure! If she hasn't a problem with that! I'll let you know when we're going to!" Jesse informed him. "Jesse could you please read me the story you started?" he asked with his sweet voise. Jesse couldn't do nothing but make his wish his order.

He got up from the bed and took the book in his hands. Romeo got more comfortable in the bed holding his Tedd. Once Romeo was ready Jesse start reading his favourite story. Everything was back in normal again. Jesse took the first step and apologised to Romeo. Romeo was the easy one. With Pauline he must try harder and find his best explenasion he could ever have.