"Where are we going?" I asked for the 10th time.
"The answer is still the same, you will find out." He answered, making me sigh in frustration. It has been an hour since we left my house and I have no clue where we are going. I am starting to regret my decision to agree on this late-night rendezvous.
About ten minutes later he pulled up at the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. "What is this place?" I asked suspiciously. He grinned and got out of the car.
"Come on now." He said opening the door for me. He then proceeded to pick up two blankets from the backseat.
"Just a minute walk and be careful." He said and start walking in the trees.
"Ahan, no buddy I have seen enough horror movies and read too many books to know it is a bad idea to go in there." I said not moving from my place.
"Why do you have to be so darn stubborn on everything." It was more of a statement than a question and I just give him a tight-lipped smile.
"You hear that noise?" The question made me concentrate more on the surroundings. Now that I think about it I can hear the water hitting the shore.
"We are at Huntington beach on long island. So chill out, I am not taking you to my secret butcher house atleast not yet." He said.
"YOU DROVE ME TO LONG ISLAND!" I exclaimed.
"Jesus Christ you will get us in jail, keep it down." He whisper shouted and started walking through the trees.
"What do you mean jail?" I glared at him and followed behind.
"Why do you think we are going through these trees than the opening for the beach? Because it is after midnight so basically we are trespassing. Now unless you want to get locked up, I suggest keep your voice down." He said as we manoeuvre our way through the trees.
For the next minute or two only sound heard was the crunching of leaves under our feet and rustling of trees.
Soon enough we reached the clearing. I took in the soothing smell of sand and water. A small smile made its way to my lips on seeing the beautiful view.
"Let's set up our blankets here." Jake said pulling me out of my thoughts. We lay one of the blankets on the sand and pulled the other one on our feet.
"Why did you bring me here?" I questioned.
"I don't know, it is good here. No one to interrupt. All alone on the beach, it's calming." He shrugged.
"Have you ever been here before?"
"Yeah a couple of times but they were all in the daylight, never at night."
The sky was clear today, bright stars and moon casting their reflection on the water. The light dancing on waves giving life to a mesmerising view. Splashing waves filling the silence leaving no requirement of words. A gust of wind sends my hairs flying on my face. I shivered as chilly air came in contact with my skin and gave me goosebumps.
"Here." Jake pulled up the blanket allowing me to wrap it around myself.
"Thank you." I smiled at him.
"Can I ask you something?" He asked hesitantly. I hold back my tongue from replying a sarcastic, "you just did." Instead, I nodded.
"Are you and Jeremy together? I didn't mean to pry....I...ugh...just curious." I looked at him, trying to figure out what suddenly prompted this question. I am not surprised because it is not the first time someone asked me this. People usually misunderstand our closeness.
"No. We are just best friends, I know it looks like more than friends because of how touchy and clingy we are around each other. But there is nothing romantic going on and I am sure it never will." I said.
"Asking for a friend?" I asked with a slight smirk.
"No, just like that. Just a random question to break the silence." He replied.
"Really? So Theo didn't make you ask me that." I frowned and murmured to myself hoping that my some magical power Theo finds me attractive.
"Theo? What are you talking about?" He questioned, confused. I stayed silent, not wanting to embarrass myself more than I already did, he was not suppose to hear that.
"Oh no. You like Theo?" He asked wide-eyed and I blushed. Jake looked at me for a second before he bust out laughing. I glared at him telling him to shut up.
"Oh poor you. I am sure you will find someone." He cooed.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I am sorry but he is gay." He blurted out holding back his laugh.
"Oh fuck." I murmured embarrassedly.
"He got a very handsome boyfriend. Better luck next time." Jake chuckled.
"Can you at least show me a picture of the boy who stole Theo?" I asked intrigued. Jake then showed me a picture of Theo with a beautiful green-eyed lad with curls and amazing dimples. God did take his sweet time carving these two.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Jake shivering and I offered him the blanket. "I am good, you take it." He declined and I rolled my eyes.
"I was not going to lay out in cold. We can share, this ain't no 1950's, a girl and a boy can share a blanket." I deadpanned. He smiled and pulled the blanket towards him. He has been smiling a lot today and now that I properly pay attention, he has one beautiful smile.
"Oh come on." I sighed, still half of his body was out in cold. I scooted over and properly wrapped us over with the blanket. We were both cramped up together and I know it was making him uncomfortable, but I think it is better this way than him catching a cold. I would have bought one more blanket if he would have told me where we are going. He just asked me to get two blankets and I did.
To break the uncomfortable silence I asked, "What about you? Are you seeing anyone?" He just shook his head no.
"How did you, laura and Aubree became friends?" He questioned.
"Well, back in Canada I have my childhood best friend Cassidie who is Laura's cousin, small world right. So for a couple of summer breaks, Laura and Bree came to visit and we bonded very well. We kept contact even when they returned here." I explained. He smiled down at me, eyes locking with mine. I looked away not able to keep eye contact, I don't know why but I have never been one of those people who can look in the eye. It is a very intimate action for me.
Cold air slapped my face while my body from the neck down was hot. One, because of the blanket but mostly because Jake's body was legit radiating heat. Damn, he has a hot body.
Hah, double meaning sentence.
"How did you and George became friends?" I asked to prevent my inner thoughts to not get too worked up.
"Middle school. I was the new kid and he was and is the outgoing super friendly one. So the first day of school I was sitting with a geeky girl with braces, all she did was keep on complaining how horrible other kids are because they won't talk to her. I was okay at first letting the girl rant and let it all out but after some time it got very annoying. She kept on saying how no one talked to her but when anyone came up to her she would glare at them. Luckily for me, George came to talk to me, introduce himself and that girl just scowled at him and went away. George and I hit it off immediately and the girl moved towns couple weeks later." He explained smiling.
"Why did you moved all the way from Britain to here?" I asked curiously. But as the saying goes curiosity killed the cat, in this case, it killed the smile on Jake's face. He turned his head away but not before I saw him clench his jaw. I think this was a personal question, I should have asked it.
You think Captain obvious?
"I am sorry, you don't have to answer that, just forget I even asked." I quickly said and he nodded, his face not showing any emotion.
The place filled with silence again. None of us dared to break it this time, we just lay there wrapped in a blanket and looking at the water and the sky.
×××××××××
If there is one thing in the world I like more then procrastinating is sleeping. I can sleep all day and still feel sleepy. It is not healthy and I should be disappointed in myself but who cares. With that though I nuzzled my face more into the pillow.
I let out a low whine when a bumpy thing poked my cheek. Must be cotton bunched up in the pillow. Ew, I need new pillows. I stoked the lump to flatten it and weird enough the pillow jerked. Getting more frustrated with the morning light I buried my face completely in the pillow. But to my utter dismay, I heard a welp and woke up, instantly regretting opening my eyes because of the bright light. Why is there so much light?
I jumped up and screamed "shit" when the realisation hit me, we fall asleep at the beach last night. I slowly opened my eyes rubbing them to see a shocked Jake sitting with eyes wide open.
"Are you okay? You look like you have seen a ghost." I asked. I didn't get a reply and he kept on looking at me with wide eyes and mouth hung open.
Wait a minute. If we are still here and not at home, that means no pillow. Then what was my head on?
I looked down and then instantly snapped my head up, "Please just tell me that what I am thinking is wrong. Please for the love of Lord please." I begged.
"What are you thinking?" He asked horrified.
"That I -" I didn't even finish my sentence before Jake screamed.
"Yes, yes you did." He said pointing an accusing finger at me. It was my turn to be horrified.
The pillow was not the pillow it was his lap and the cotton lump was not cotton lump it was his, well his thing down there. I looked up to see him still looking at me wide-eyed and wrapping his waist with all the blanket.
"MY FACE WAS ON YOUR... ON YOUR THING." I screamed, aggressively rubbing my face in disgust.
"AND YOU RUBBED IT WITH YOUR CHEEKS AND HAND. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT." He screamed back.
"I THOUGHT IT WAS A PILLOW."I buried my face in my hands and for some time we both sat there in silence.
"We should get going. It's Sunday people will be here soon, we can get in trouble." He said and I nodded. We collected our blanket and dusted our selves, making out way towards Jake's car, all the while not looking at each other at all.
Ten minutes into the ride back home and I was done with awkward silence.
"Can we pretend that it never happened, please." I requested. He sighed and grumbled.
"Please, I am sorry." I said but my traitor eyes went down on his lap.
"STOP LOOKING THERE." He screamed.
"Sorry, sorry." I apologized and looked out the window. A minute or two later he voiced, "We never talk about this ever."
I nodded and watched him relax in his seat. We spent the rest of the ride singing the songs playing on the radio.
×××××××
"Chocolate syrup or maple?" I asked and Jake pointed to maple syrup. I shook my head in disappointment and flipped the pancake.
"What? It is basic and good." He shrugged.
"It is disgustingly sweet." I expressed.
"Don't knock it till you try it and if it's so disgusting then why do you have it?" He challenged.
"Because dumb hoes like you, Laura and Jeremy like it." I grunted and he rolled his eyes.
He picked up his phone from the charger and turn it on.
"Fuck." He whispered and then his phone started ringing.
"Hello. Yeah mum...yes...uhm...sorry...no but-...yeah...phone was not charg-...yeah...sorry...no I promise I wasn't there...with a friend...someone...ugh...Nyla...yes her...MOM!!!" I listened to the short replies he gave.
"No please mom no." He begged and then scowled at whatever his mom said.
"My mother wants to talk to you." He said shoving his phone towards me. I frowned, not knowing why she wants to talk to me either way reached out to grab the phone but he immediately pulls back and put his palm on the speaker.
"I will put it on speaker but you don't tell her it is on speaker." He instructed and I shrugged.
"Hello?" I heard his mother's voice.
"Hi Mrs Carter." I replied nervously. Why am I nervous?
"Hi sweetie. Can you please tell me your name I don't trust Jake to tell me exactly where he is." She asked politely, I saw Jake glare at his phone.
"I am Nyla Henderson." I confirmed.
"Oh good, it is nice to speak to you finally, George told me you are a good friend. So was Jake with you all night and did he behaved?" She questioned.
"Mom stop embarrassing me." Jake exclaimed.
"I knew it you were listening and I have every right to ask her if you were there or not. Do you have any idea how worried I was Jake Aaron Carter? I called George you weren't with him, I called Theo and he had no idea where you were and you had no gratitude to call your mother and let her know that you are okay. I swear to God Jakey you come home I am beating your ass and you are grounded for a month. I don't care about how important your work is and if any freaking one calls you are not getting out of this hous-" She started sobbing towards the end. Jake snatched his phone from my hand putting it off the speaker and walk to the corner of the room to talk to her.
After having breakfast he left. I spent the rest of the day doing school work, watching TV and procrastinating. Later in the afternoon Laura and Bree came over and we celebrated because Bree's parents will be coming back two days later and they promised her to spent two weeks here with her and no work.
×××××××××
NEXT DAY
I shut my locker and took out the phone in my pocket which wouldn't stop buzzing.
"Hello. Jeremy I am in school-"
"Nyla, Nyla listen to me carefully. You need to get out of the school right now and don't talk to Jake and George. Get out of there fast."
××××××××
Well well well...
I was very excited about this chapter. For those who are finding the story too boring or cliche good news, this is the end of Phase I.
Get ready my lovelies because the story starts now.
Ps. Anyone of you watch Riverdale? I am obsessed with it right now.
DON'T FORGET TO VOTE AND COMMENT.