The Ex Best Friend

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"So has your day been so far, Miss Bryans?" Jake asked when I opened his door.

I rolled my eyes and sat down on one of the leather sofas in his office.

"Cut it out Jake," I told him sternly. "You know perfectly well you can call me Jessica."

He looked at me for a second emotionlessly. "I didn't know we were on speaking terms."

I surveyed his face for a second. "You're right. We're not."

I shot him a cold glance then continued speaking, not bothering to give him a chance to talk. "Okay well if I'm going to be your receptionist from now on, I'll need to know a few things about you."

My pen started scribbling across the sheet of paper. I had learned from my previous boss, Jamie Whitby (a total b-tch at heart) that it was best not to mess anything up.

I looked up to see Jake getting up from his chair and walking around his table slowly. His fingers trailed over some of his stuff and he observed them closely before standing in front of the desk, leaning against it with his arms crossed.

"You already know everything about me," he said plainly.

"That was a long time ago," I said.

"It was only 7 years," he argued.

"A lot has changed in 7 years," I told him, feeling tired already. I wasn't ready for this conversation and up until this morning, I didn't think I'd have to have it. Ever.

Jake raised his eyebrows. "Oh? Tell me what's changed."

"Well, we're older," I fumbled for an answer. I knew he was right. Not much has changed. He was still Jacob and I was still Jessica.

Standing up from his lean, he took slow cautious steps towards me. "And?" he urged on.

"Um, you've gotten taller," I stuttered.

Jake let out a small laugh and walked closer to me. "Other than that."

I didn't know what to say. I looked at the wall, I looked at my feet, at the TV on the other side of the room - I looked everywhere but him.

"What has changed Jessica?" Jake asked again slowly.

I let out a small sigh, feeling beaten. "I don't know."

He was in front of me now, staring down at me with sad eyes. In a swift movement, he bent down, looking me eye to eye, and placed his hands on either side of me, trapping me.

"Then how do you know something changed?" he asked with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"I just do," I whispered.

He was too close, too real. I don't know why it affected me so much, but it did. It felt like those first few days when he stopping calling again. Unbearable.

Jake laughed humorlessly. "Nothing change Jessica. I still like my coffee medium roasted, double double."

I reached out for my clipboard that was beside me but he grabbed my wrist and looked at me hard.

"I still like to eat a cranberry muffin every morning with my coffee. I still like to go out jogging every Saturday. I still like an apple everyday with my lunch. " The whole time he spoke, he looked me right in the eye.

"I'm still the same Jacob," he said.

The same Jacob who broke my heart, I added silently to myself.