The New Neighbor

Chapter 16: Defense Mechanisms

As Mellie was heading to her car after track practice the Tuesday after her birthday, she noticed a figure leaning against her car. It was Jake. She stopped a good fifteen feet away and said, "Hey, Jake. What's up?"

He straightened from the car and gave her a little smile. "Hey, Mellie. I need to talk to you."

"Okay. Talk."

He winced slightly at her abrupt manner. "I got interrupted when I tried to talk to you at your party. You looked amazing by the way."

He tried another smile, but it faded when she said blankly, "Thanks."

"I was trying to tell you how I never get to talk to you in school, so I wanted to ask you to see me outside of school. Like dinner, as friends. Dinner was great." Mellie frowned. "Or lunch on the weekend or just coffee. Whatever you like."

"I don't think that would be a good idea, Jake."

"Why? Because your other friends don't like me? You don't need them, Mellie."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "I don't need anyone in the sense that I can't breathe without them. I want them, their friendship."

"I can't breathe without you, Mellie." His eyes looked pained.

She glanced down and shook her head for a second before looking at him again. "Jake, I know you have feelings for me, but I don't return them."

He nearly yelled, "Because of Jax!"

The anger and hatred in his voice caused Mellie's back to stiffen, but she kept her voice calm. "No, even if Jax wasn't in my life, I wouldn't have romantic feelings for you, Jake. I can't make myself feel something that isn't there."

His voice was still loud, but now it contained pain and frustration. "You haven't tried!"

"I shouldn't have to try. It's there, or it isn't."

He shook his head and lowered his voice to normal. "I mean you haven't tested it fully. Don't you have to kiss someone to be sure? Kiss me, Mellie, really kiss me. Honestly check."

Firmly, she said, "No."

"Please, Mellie. Forget about Jax for a minute and just try it. It's just a kiss."

"No."

He stepped towards her, his walk purposeful. She dropped her gym bag, keeping her car keys in her hand, as she hustled back to keep the distance between them constant. He stopped, frowned, and asked, "Are you afraid of me, Mellie?"

"I'm cautious. You obviously want to kiss me. You've tried to kiss me before without my permission."

"It's just a kiss, Mellie. I'm not going to hurt you."

Trying to make her voice as hard as steal, she said, "No. You need to leave, Jake. Please move away from my car."

With obvious reluctance, he nodded, and stepped back. He went back to her car rather than away from it and said, "Let me get your door."

"No."

He cajoled, "Mellie."

"No!"

Finally, he nodded and walked away, moving to the side towards his own car. When he was more than twenty feet away from her car, she quickly ran to it, scooping her bag up along the way, hopped in, and locked the doors. As soon as she got home, she went to Jax's garage. The band stopped playing immediately when they saw her face. Jax took his guitar off and quickly went to her, wrapping her in a hug, and asked what was wrong. She told him about the encounter with Jake word for word and admitted it had shaken her. The other guys heard, and everyone was angry. Mellie stayed with the guys until her father got home. Jax took her to her house, and they both talked to Frank about the issue.