"You should have come up with a more believable lie, Wentworth." Jake murmurs down my ear. I resist the urge to shiver as I push through the door and enter the empty corridor. It's deserted during lunch which makes it the perfect place to talk to him.
"I'm not exactly a professional at lying to my friends at such quick notice." I hit back at him. Once we're safely tucked away from prying eyes, I whirl around and set my attention on him. For a moment, I forget about my beating earlier that morning. My hand immediately presses against my stomach to decrease the pain. Jake takes a step toward me, and his blue eyes fill with a deep concern. He clenches his teeth which highlights the sharpness of his jaw. His hand shoots out, and he gently wraps his fingers around my wrist. My breathing shifts in the back of my throat, and I stare up at him like a deer caught in headlights.
"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" His voice is a low rumble. I blink several times and try to focus on keeping the tears at bay. I can't ignore the heat that flares through my body knowing his hand is wrapped around my wrist. I expect him to be heavy handed but he radiates nothing but a gentle nature. I was wrong to be so scared of him yesterday.
He searches my eyes while waiting for an explanation. I shrug before lying to him —
"It's my period. Nothing interesting." I lean against the wall, attempting to portray myself as casual. The blue in his eyes darken like a deep ocean, and I know he doesn't believe me. He shakes his head slowly which causes his dark hair to fall over into his eyes. It's easy to keep my secret with other people, but with Jake, it feels like he's searching behind the hard exterior I parade around with me. "What did you want to talk to me about?"
"I want to apologize." Jake says, surprising me. I snap my head up to look at him with shock. My mouth falls open slightly, and the surprise is clear on my face. Jake Melvin is going to apologize to me? I never thought I'd see the day. His reputation doesn't deem him as the type of person to apologize.
"Since when does Big bad Jake apologize?" I tease him. He chuckles quietly, and his blue eyes sparkle with amusement. I immediately study his smile since it's the first time I've seen it. He's cute when he chooses to smile.
"Big bad Jake? Please tell me that's not what people call me. That would seriously ruin my street cred." Jake responds with a playful tone to his voice.
"Okay, maybe not everyone. I made that up," I laugh nervously. Jake glances at me from under his dark lashes, and his eyes linger on mine. For a moment neither of us speak and there's a shift in the energy between us. I feel my stomach somersault and my heart begins to pick up pace. When did he begin to make me nervous? I drop my gaze to the floor because it's easier than holding eye contact with him.
I remind myself I'm standing in front of Jake Melvin. Despite being good looking, charming and attentive, I should be trying to avoid him.
"I want to apologize for this morning. I shouldn't have blown the smoke in your face. It was rude."
He clears his throat before shoving his hands into his pockets. Does he really want to apologize, or is he looking for a reason to talk to me? The thought causes a light blush to stain my cheeks.
"Do you know second hand smoke is just as dangerous as smoking the actual cigarette?" I ask him. The amusement in his eyes begins to deepen.
"Really? I didn't know that. That's interesting." The corner of his lips tug upwards into an uncontrollable smile, and I find myself mirroring his expression. My joy is short lived when I'm hit with a wave of nausea and a dizzy spell. I should have forced myself to eat more mouthfuls of pasta when I got the chance.
"It's okay, I forgive you. It wasn't a big deal." I whisper quietly while trying to fight off the nausea consuming me. I hope he doesn't see the pain in my eyes or sense the tremble in my voice. My legs buckle underneath me, so I grab hold of the wall to keep myself steady. I silently wish I don't collapse in front of him. It isn't going to help the suspicions he probably already has about me.
Jake immediately takes a step forward into my personal space, and his hand slides around my waist. His touch feels alien to me, and I can't remember the last time I was touched without being hurt.
"I've got you," Jake says quietly. His voice is calm, but I sense a hint of anger behind it that doesn't feel like it's directed at me. Black spots take over my vision, and I feel a ringing vibrate through my ears. Jake continues to hold me against him whilst I recover from my state of darkness. I whimper quietly while gently pulling away from him. I don't want him to comfort me, I barely know him.
"Don't, please..." I whisper. My cheeks burn with embarrassment. I don't want him to get close to me because I fear he's going to see the person I've spent so long trying to hide. He releases his hold on me, but I'm not ready to be independent again. My body wobbles unsteadily, and it causes him to grab hold of me for the second time. His hand tightens around my waist, and he dips his head low until his lips align with my ear.
"I think you're forgetting who I am. I'm surrounded in a world of pain, Emily...Don't think I'm not able to sense it when it's all I feel around you."
My body falls limp inside his hold, and I bury my head into his shoulder. I stop resisting him so I can fight against the darkness invading my being.
I don't know how long Jake holds me.
He eventually slides down to the floor, taking my body with him. His arm slips around my shoulder, and he guides me so my face is buried in his chest. I take slow shallow breaths until the dark fog begins to lift from my mind. His chest feels stiff against me, almost as if he's holding his breath the entire time I'm lying against him. I can hear my heart echoing inside my ears due to how close I'm pressed up against him. I'm wrapped up in his scent, and it's a scent I never want to forget.
"How are you feeling?" Jake asks me quietly. His fingers gently brush back and forth over my shoulder for a split second. The sensation of it causes me to shiver, and I wish he didn't feel the need to stop so suddenly.
"Exhausted," I whisper honestly. I'm tired from the beatings. I'm tired from trying to survive. I'm tired of lying for a man who deserves for the world to know what a monster he is. I'm tired of being tired.
Jake's arm tightens around me, and he inhales a deep breath. I want to build the courage to look up at him, but I'm too nervous and filled with anxious energy. I'm afraid if I move an inch, the moment will disappear between us. My eyes become weighed down with exhaustion so I close them for a split second. The relief that washes through me causes my body to grow heavy. Before I know it, my breathing labors and I'm falling asleep wrapped up in Jake Melvin's arms.
I haven't slept properly for weeks due to feeling unsafe. As soon as I'm wrapped up in a stranger's arms that I barely know, I feel the safest I've felt in a while. I don't know when or why my perception of Jake Melvin changed, but I don't think he's as terrible and dangerous as people describe him to be. I'm a firm believer in knowing something isn't always what it appears to be on the outside...
Jake and I are both a perfect example of that.
The sound of the school bell ringing brutally wakes me from my sleep. My eyes fling open and I gasp while expecting to be alone in the corridor. To my surprise, Jake is sitting beside me. He turns his head toward the sound of students entering the corridors. My cheeks instantly burn with heat when I realize I've been sleeping on Jake Melvin's chest. My hand flies up to my mouth, and I begin panicking.
Did he hear me snore? Did I drool on him? Oh god, this is so embarrassing.
Jake clears his throat before standing up from the floor. He extends his hand for me to take, and I slip my hand into his warm one. He pulls me onto my feet gently, almost as if he knows he needs to handle me with care. The words I want to say to him are stuck in the back of my throat. I blink several times before wrapping my arms around my body. I feel vulnerable knowing he's watching me, waiting for me to speak.
"I, uhm —" The words don't leave my lips. Jake gives me a small smile of reassurance before slowly backing away from me. He senses that I'm left embarrassed and speechless from the tender moment we shared. He places two fingers against his head before saluting me —
"I'll see you around, Wentworth." Jake says casually before turning around and walking away. The small departure ignites butterflies inside my stomach that I'm unable to explain. I find myself watching him as he navigates himself through the sea of students. He avoids eye contact with most people, and I notice how he carries himself differently. There's an air of maturity about him, almost as if he's had to grow beyond his years through no fault of his own...
When he disappears, I run a hand over my face with slight disbelief.
"Did that really just happen?" I mutter in shock before heading in the direction of my next class.