Try and Guess

Screwed Over.

"Jake!"  I pounded on his door furiously and rapidly.  "Jake!  I need to talk to you, now!"  There was no reply and I slumped my shoulders.  I didn't know what to do then.  I wasn't even that mad at Ace at the moment, just my friends.

"Jake, please."  My voice was breaking and my strength felt more than drained.

I heard a small bang in the house and a moment later, the door latch was unlocked and my best friend gave me a hug the moment he saw me.  The warmth of him felt so comforting as I fell into Jake.

"What's wrong?" he murmured.  He pulled away slowly but kept an arm around my shoulder.  "I'll get you a cup of tea."

I gave a half-hearted smile and said, "Chai, okay?"  I received a little playful eye-roll from him when he took a little can from the top shelf in his kitchen and shook it.  "You still have it," I smiled.

"Duh, Kaitlyn.  Do you really think that after that night over I would never have chai in the house?"  I giggled despite my mood.  "You were bouncing off the walls practically after the overdose on Skittles."

"Chai tea was the only thing that calmed me down.  Thanks to God for that."  Jake set the purple mug in front of me and rested his head in both of his hands.  My eyes crinkled into a smile.  "Stop that!  Your pose is a girl's face when she wants to hear the gossip or other trash."

"That's because I'm giving you all of my attention.  Go on with your problems, Mademoiselle."

I took a long sip of the tea and felt the hot liquid trickle through me and warm my whole body.  Then I told him the whol story.  Because he was my best friend, he never interrupted except for the almost cued, "Oh no!" or, "He's a horrible person and an ass!" 

Usually the long silences would be very awkward and tense, but it was welcome and comforting then.  Jake's hug made it even more perfect.  Was I even right to be upset?  Ace was being Ace and Brayden tried to help me.

Yes, I can feel defeated.  I did my best to be the strongest I could after everything with my dad, and it was just thrown back into my face like a piece of shit.  By people I actually cared about.  Except for Ace.  I didn't think anyone cared about him actually.  There was something he said . . . Julia.  It was Julia.

"Why did you tell Julia about what happened to me?"  His resting head slowly met my eyes.

"Uh."  I could see his Adam's-apple gulp and sigh.

"Tell me.  I need to know."

He shook his head.

"Tell me!"

"I can't," he whispered.

"Why not?"  His voice seemed perfectly genuine; the thing was, I couldn't force him to tell me as long as he was truly conflicted.

"Because there is no reason!" he screamed.  I jolted away from him in fear.  "I betrayed you, and I hate myself for it."  A small vein along the side of his forehead defined itself on his upset face.  "I told Julia because she asked.  I'm not saying it as an excuse, but she begged."  Jake's eyes pleaded with me.

My lips pursed and I stood up.  "Thanks for the tea," I whispered and left with the door open behind me.