𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙀𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏
—𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦—
𝘽𝘼𝙄𝙇𝙀𝙔 𝙇𝘼𝙐𝙂𝙃𝙀𝘿 𝙊𝙐𝙏 loud, trying to stifle her giggles as she looked over his sullen expression. She didn't want to be outside with him, let alone hear excuses he made, or jokes he wanted to tell to settle the air. The Dai girl couldn't believe these were the lengths he would go to in order to get her attention; why would he even say something like that? And even past that, he shouldn't have come back . . . not after what she had been through earlier. Her heart was still broken; it was a sure fact, she found, especially when she was face-to-face with him and faking a smile.
"You don't expect me to believe that, do you?" Bailey raises an eyebrow, composing herself. "Jax, what are you really here for? I don't have time for playing games right now— my parents are inside waiting for me."
"And I know that, but what I'm saying right now is extremely important, and I need you to just listen," his eyes beg her, sincerity dripping from his lips like sweet molasses. "Everything I'm going to tell you is true because I wouldn't lie to you. Not anymore, at least. Because all the things I said about Emma, I—"
She would have listened. Bailey would've stayed outside in the cool autumn air and believed every single word that came from his mouth, not matter how crazy it was. No matter how much she hated— no, despised it— she trusted Jax more than she trusted anyone else. And it was extreme to think that way, based upon the fact that they had only met days ago. Yet Bailey felt as thought she'd known him her whole life.
But she didn't get to listen.
"Bailey, what's wrong, dear?" A calm, sweet voice comes from behind them, along with the soft creaking of the front door. "Oh, I didn't realize you had someone coming over. Who's your friend?"
Jax notices that Bailey looks quite similar to her mother. They share the same dark hair, bright smile, and honey eyes. But in this moment, her mother seems more content than Bailey. Although he could understand why the girl would react to his arrival in such a way . . . but he wanted to change that. When the opportunity showed itself, he would— that was certain.
"Mom, this is Jax," Bailey clears her throat, turning around to face her mother. "He's a friend from school."
"Hello," Jax chuckles, waving to Bailey's mother. "I'm sorry for interrupting, Mrs. Dai, I was just stopping by to speak with Bailey."
"No, no, that's quite alright," the older woman shakes her head, opening the door wider, "and please, call me Alanna. Would you like to join us for dinner, Jax?"
"I wouldn't want to intrude—"
"I'm sure Jax has homework," Bailey interrupts, crossing her arms over his chest. "Besides, we talked earlier, and I'm sure he could wait until tomorrow."
"Nonsense," Alanna sends a scolding look to her daughter, ignoring Bailey's comment. "Come on in, I'll set you a place at the table."
Bailey's mother disappears into the home, leaving the teenagers— both dumbfounded— in the driveway. If Jax was being honest with himself, he was slightly relieved; her mother was kind to him, and hopefully afterwards he'd have the chance to tell Bailey everything he had told Emma. But deep down, he was terrified that he had lost his only chance the moment he had convinced himself that he didn't have feelings for the Dai girl. Now that he understood what his heart had been telling him all along, he wasn't about to throw it all away.
"Ladies first," Jax says, gesturing to the door. Bailey stares at him for a short moment, studying the emotion in his eyes. And then, with a heavy breath, she went back inside.
The house was dim, except for the lights that were on in the living room and dining room. A heavily built man with caramel hair looked over at Jax and Bailey as they entered the room— and Jax could immediately tell where Bailey had gotten her eyes. But whereas his were a bit harder, his daughter's were always soft and kind. The man stood from the table, giving Jax a smile as he held out his hand.
"Brent," he introduces himself, his voice low but welcoming. "And you are . . . ?"
"Jax Novoa, sir," Jax moves forward, not wasting a second to give Brent's hand a strong grip. "I'm a friend of Bailey's."
As Bailey took a seat at her chair, she couldn't help but close her eyes and release a long sigh of discomfort. It wasn't because she didn't want Jax here— obviously she would've been fine with it if he had come the day before. But now, after the things she had endured in a day's time, she wasn't sure if she could look at him without thinking of all the things he had said. And maybe she was overreacting; perhaps it was just that she was so attached to the idea that he could've been hers. Yet here she was, watching as the boy she had feelings for was greeting her parents, and being even more charming than he had the day she met him.
Maybe Daniel was right. Maybe this was Jax Novoa's game. But admitting it wouldn't make the aching in her chest go away.
"These are for you," Jax says to Bailey, placing the bouquet of carnations into her grasp with a charming grin.
Bailey gives him a quick, forced smile in return, fighting off the urge to leave the room as she hands the flowers to her mother. "Could you put these in a vase?"
The girl swallows back all the words she wanted to say to him. She knew that if she were to open her mouth now, all of her feelings would spill out and she wouldn't be able to stop— and then what would Jax think of her? She didn't want his sympathy, she wanted him.
Alanna nods, giving her daughter a knowing look before placing a plate down next to Bailey. Jax joins the family at the table, right beside the shaking brunette. "Thank you, really. You didn't have to invite me to dinner."
There was that accent of his; the one that made Bailey's lips twitch upwards at the corners, and a fluttering appear in her stomach. His words dripped from his lips like sweet honey, and she wanted to run as far away as she could. Words as soothing as his could only ever break her heart.
"It's no problem," Brent waves his hand, letting out a chuckle. "So, Jax, do you play any sports?"
"Actually, I'm on the swim team," Jax replies proudly, shooting a quick wink to Bailey.
Yes, Bailey should definitely run away.
---
"You shouldn't have come," Bailey says once the door closes behind her. She doesn't look into the eyes of Jax; instead, her eyes find the pavement below her feet and she focuses on the color of it. The dinner had gone well— too well. Bailey couldn't handle the emotions swirling inside of her head, at least while he was here in front of her.
"Why?" Jax asks, his eyebrows furrowed as he turns to face her. "Your parents seem to like me well enough. What's the problem?"
"That is the problem, Jax!" Bailey huffs, throwing her hands in the air and forgetting all the feelings she was trying so hardly to hide. It didn't matter anymore. "You can't just barge right into my life anytime that you see fit, only to break my heart and leave again! Do you think I enjoy this? Watching you get along with my parents while I try and hold my tongue because of what you've put me through these past couple of days?"
"Listen, Bailey," he frets, his heart clenching to see that tears are welling up in her beautiful eyes. Jax reaches out to pull her into an embrace, "I didn't mean anything that I said earlier, I—"
"So you lied to me?" She questions incredulously, shoving his hands away from her. "No, don't touch me! We can't go on like this, doing the same thing over and over. You can't keep lying to everyone, especially me!"
"Please just give me a chance to explain," the boy begs, the longing in his voice too desperate for her to ignore. "When I went to see Emma today, I told her—"
"Emma is the problem." Bailey states, her voice cracking as she pulls her arms to her chest. "I was there for you when she wasn't, I listened when no one else would, and I believed in you. But you chose her over me. I watched you walk out of the school with her, I watched you leave my home to go tell her how head-over-heels you are for her. And now that I know how you feel, you need to know I feel.
"I'm in love with you," her bottom lip trembles as tears leak from her eyes. "I think deep down, I've always known that. It may have only taken a couple days, but I've never felt this way about anyone else before. I always hoped you felt it too— the butterflies when I touch your hand, or the warmth in my chest when I see your smile. And I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, but I knew what would happen when I did."
Jax's lips were parted, the shock clear on his face. So she did feel the same for him? The Novoa boy wanted to pull her close, wrap her up in his arms, and never let her go. She was here, on her own doorstep crying because he had been so selfish. He had broken a delicate girl that deserved nothing more than a perfect life and a happily ever after. He needed to fix this.
"I . . . I really think you should go," Bailey chokes out, wiping hurriedly at the streaking tears on her cheeks.
"No, Bailey, I'm not—"
"Just go, Jax! You said enough this morning." The girl turns on her heel, a sob leaving her lips as she makes her way up to the door.
And Jax almost let her go.
Almost.
"I'm not going to lose you again," he shakes his head, moving forward to grab her arm and pull her into his chest.
And then he kissed her.
_______