Hate To Date You ➤ Jake

|| After All

"I just need to see him," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Is that okay?"

His mom hesitated, her brow furrowed in concern. "He's really been asking for some space, Sooah. I think it's best if you give him some time."

But I could feel the unease in her voice. Something didn't feel right. I wasn't about to leave without seeing him.

"Please," I said, more insistently this time. "I just need to check on him. I promise I won't stay long."

After another long moment of silence, she relented, her expression softening. "Alright, but please don't push him. He's had a rough day."

I nodded, feeling my worry intensify. What was going on with Jake?

I made my way up the stairs to his room, my heart thudding in my chest with each step. When I reached his door, I knocked softly.

"Jake?" I called out. "It's me. Can I come in?"

I heard his voice from the other side, thick with something I couldn't quite place.

"Mom, I told you, I'm fine."

I opened the door slowly, stepping inside. And then I saw him.

Jake was sitting on his bed, his back turned to me, his face a mask of something cold and unreadable. He stiffened when he noticed me standing in the doorway, and I couldn't ignore the way his posture tensed.

His eyes locked onto mine, but there was no warmth, no smile, nothing that I was used to seeing when we were together. Just a guarded expression, almost like he was trying to keep me at arm's length.

"Sooah," he said, his voice clipped. "What are you doing here?"

I smiled softly, trying to ease the tension that had suddenly settled between us. "I just wanted to check on you. You didn't come to school today. I was worried."

But instead of responding with the usual gentle teasing, he just turned away, crossing his arms over his chest. "It's nothing. You should go home, Sooah."

The words didn't make sense to me. They felt... off. I furrowed my brow, trying to understand.

"No," I said, stepping further into the room, my heart hammering in my chest. "Jake, we've been hanging out all week. We were fine yesterday. What's going on?"

He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair, clearly agitated. "It doesn't matter. Just go. We're done."

My stomach dropped. "What do you mean 'done'? What's going on? We just—"

"The bet's over now," he said, cutting me off, his voice growing cold. "There's no reason for this to keep going. We can go back to our normal lives now."

My breath caught in my throat. "Jake, what are you saying?"

His eyes flicked away from mine, unable to meet my gaze. "It was a stupid bet, Sooah. None of it meant anything. It's over now. So just leave."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Jake, stop. This isn't you. You're lying. I know you're lying. You've been different."

But he wouldn't look at me. His words, though harsh, didn't feel like they came from him at all. He was shutting me out, and I could see the pain in his eyes. He was pushing me away, but why?

Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. "Why, Jake? What changed? I don't understand."

I took a step forward, but he stepped back, his eyes now hard, and his voice lowered to a whisper. "I don't like you, I never did. It's over. Leave."

The finality of his words broke me. I turned on my heel and fled the room, my chest tight and my heart shattering with each step. I couldn't understand what was happening, but I couldn't stay there anymore.

I ran out of the house, not caring where I was going, just needing to get away. I found myself wandering aimlessly down the street, my mind spinning in confusion and hurt.

Somehow, I ended up at the park. The park where Jake and I had shared our first kiss.

Everything hit me all at once. The pain, the confusion, the memories we had made together. And with it, the tears that had been threatening to spill finally broke free.

I crumpled to the ground, sitting on one of the benches, the tears falling freely now. I sobbed like I had never sobbed before. I couldn't hold it in anymore. The weight of what had just happened—of Jake rejecting me like that—was too much.

I cried for what felt like hours, the pain in my chest only growing stronger with each sob. What had happened to us? How could he say those things? How could he act like everything we shared meant nothing?

Eventually, when I could cry no more, I managed to get up, my legs weak and unsteady. My chest felt hollow, and I was completely numb. I didn't know where to go, but somehow, my feet carried me back home.

When I walked in, Jay was standing by the door, looking at me with wide, concerned eyes. "Sooah... what happened?"

But I couldn't answer him. I didn't want to talk. I didn't want to explain. I just wanted to be left alone.

I pushed past him, heading straight for my room. I slammed the door behind me and locked it, sinking down onto the floor.

I collapsed onto my bed, the tears flowing again, my body shaking with the sobs I couldn't hold back anymore. What had happened with Jake? Why had he done this?

I didn't know.

But all I knew was that I was broken.

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A/N: IM SO SORRY SILLYBILLYS