First Punch ➟ Kellic

F O R T Y O N E

Mateo looks shocked, falling silent for a moment. "Why the fuck not? He's been such a dick lately, especially to you."

"Yeah, but..." I sigh, not knowing whether to say this or not. "I really messed up with Jake, and...I didn't want to do anything else that might hurt him."

Mateo looks deep in thought for a moment, and when he looks back at me, there's a slight smile on his face. "You wouldn't be here if you messed up that badly. Honestly, I don't think he would care if you defended yourself against Lucas. I think he would care a lot more that Lucas hurt you."

"Really?" I ask, not so sure. "But...he does everything for Lucas. He loves him."

"Cooper," he says, shooting me a look as though I'm lying to myself. "He loves Lucas, sure; they're brothers, he'll always love him, but...he changed his whole life because of you."

His words make me feel like shit. I didn't mean for him to change because of me. But then he says something that makes me smile.

"I'm pretty sure he loves you a lot more."

I sigh, not sure how to feel about or respond to that. "I didn't mean to make him change."

Mateo shakes his head, saying, "I didn't mean it like that. You're good for him. After his grandfather, he was all..." he sighs, hesitating, "Empty. It took a big part of him, and all he could focus on was hurting the people who hurt him."

I look down, thinking back to when I first met Jake and how different he is to the Jake I now know. Did I really do that? I thought he was just getting comfortable around me.

"When you came along, he got all quiet and at first it kind of worried us. I thought he was depressed because he didn't seem to care about hunting you guys down anymore. But then, when you started hanging out with us, he was...happy. He was so, so happy. It's like the kid we grew up with came back...and it was all because of you."

I can't help the ecstatic expression rising to my face. I didn't realize how well Mateo knew him. I also didn't realize I had any effect on Jake at all. I look away shyly, not knowing how to respond to such a nice statement.

"I...I didn't even know," I finally say.

"Yeah, well, it's true," he tells me. "So you can't give up on him. You can't let him go back to that."

I nod, loving how supportive he is. "I'm trying, I just...I don't know. I can't tell if he's gonna forgive me."

"Cooper..." he says, giving me that look again. That look like I'm blind to something. "You're here."

"Yeah, but...I didn't have anywhere else to go, I think he felt obligated to let me stay here. He doesn't listen to me and barely looks at me. It's like he doesn't hear my apologies."

"You have to make him listen. I know he's not good at that, but you've gotten through to him before. I've seen it. So just...keep trying."

I nod, trying to think of a way to follow his advice. I forced him to let me explain myself. Now I have to force him hear my apology.

"You're right," I tell him. He smiles at me, about to respond when I hear a door open and his gaze shoots behind me.

"Oh, there you are," I hear. I turn around, seeing Jake standing in the doorway.