04 // Fear

MJ didn't know who to trust anymore. She couldn't even trust herself, so how was she going to trust anyone else?  

"MJ!" She sat up abruptly at the sound of her brother calling her name. Had she been sleeping on the couch? She turned around to find Jorge standing next to the couch, where she was seated. "How long have I been sleeping?" She asked, looking around her while stretching her arms. 

"I don't know, I just got home and found you here. Are you okay?" He asked with a glass of Scotch in his hand. He was wearing a grey three-piece suit, a jacket on his shoulder and his shirt rolled up. MJ remained quiet and smoothed over her dress. Jorge sighed and sat down next to her. "Wanna talk about it?" He asked, but MJ remained silent. "Were you crying?" Jorge asked.  

MJ's head snapped in his direction, but he remained unfazed, taking this chance to study her face. Her eyes were puffy, and her nose red, her face tearstained. 

"What?" MJ asked. "Of course not! That's ridiculous, when have you ever seen me cry?! No!" She said in a high pitched voice.  

Defensive.  

Jorge just stared at her with a blank expression. All he had done was to ask her if she had been crying, but she was so hysterical about it. Surely she had not looked herself in the mirror. Silently, without taking his eyes off her, he took out his phone from his pocket and without warning, took a picture of her.  

"Hey, what the hell?!" She said, shielding her eyes from the flashlight with her hand. 

"Here." Jorge placed the phone in her hand. MJ frowned and took the phone, not forgetting to narrow her eyes at him before looking at the phone in her hand. She tensed as her eyes landed on the screen. It couldn't be possible, the red and puffy eyes, the red nose, and the tear stains? It had to be fake. Jorge must have edited them. 

She couldn't have cried. She hadn't cried in a long time and she couldn't even remember the last time she shed a tear. "Check for yourself if you don't believe me." Jorge said. She placed the phone back in his hand and shook her head. "MJ, talk to me, what is wrong?" He asked as she got up and turned to leave. "MJ?" He got up and stood behind her. She sighed and continued to walk towards the stairs, but Jorge grabbed her hand and pulled her back.  

"Jorge–" she said weakly. 

"Talk to me. I cannot help you if you don't tell me what is bothering you. Why were you crying?" He asked, and the answer he got, shocked the life out of him. 

"I am scared, okay!" She snapped, whirling around to face him. Jorge gasped at the look on her face. Tears were streaming down her face and she was pale. "I am scared." She whispered, running her hand through her hair. "Whenever I close my eyes, I think I'm going to wake up in that hole again!" She croaked, and Jorge felt his heart squeeze. "I can't help thinking that whoever it is that tried to kill me is still out there and is probably waiting for a chance to finish off what they started!" She shouted, pulling on her hair. "I am scared. I am fucking scared, and your bodyguards are not helping the situation. I don't trust anyone!" She laughed humourlessly. Jorge felt a pierce through his heart at her words. She didn't trust anyone- him included? 

"I will reserve the bodyguards for now, but you will have to go with Liam." He said, stroking her hair. 

"That sounds better." She chuckled lightly. He held her face and stared into her eyes. Damn! He thought. She had really been crying.  

"Come here." He pulled her towards him and hugged her like she was a little baby, his one hand holding her head against his chest, while the other held her back. She wrapped both her arms around him and sighed deeply, closing her eyes. She had needed this. Jorge planted a long kiss on her head before he laid his head on top of hers. "I love you." He muttered, a smile tugged at the corner of MJ's lips as she tightened her arms around him. "I love you too." He looked down at her and smiled, planting yet another kiss on her head. 

"What are you doing tomorrow?" He asked her as he continued planting kisses on her head. She cringed and pulled away from him, causing him to break into his heart melting laughter. MJ smiled as she watched his shoulders vibrate when he laughed. Such a happy soul. She thought.  

"You were saying?" She asked and crossed her arms over her chest.  

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Jorge repeated as he began to calm down. 

"I don't have any plans." MJ shrugged, and then a thought popped in her head. "Actually, I do. I have to go somewhere."