Fade Into You

Chapter 8

Faye's POV

Saturday afternoon, around six o'clock, I was rushing around my room trying to get ready. Jonathan was picking me up at seven, and let's be real—patience isn't exactly in his vocabulary.

I threw open my closet and quickly grabbed a dark blue hoodie, I paired it with black jeans and slipped on my sneakers. I brushed my hair, tying the top half into a messy bun while letting the rest cascade freely down my back.

At my vanity, I added a light wing of eyeliner and a touch of cherry-red lipgloss. Curious, I tried on a pair of clear blue light glasses—just to see how they looked. Surprisingly, I actually liked how they framed my face. Cute, in a nerdy way. So I left them on.

As I was zipping up my black leather mini backpack and tossing in the essentials—lip balm, gum, my phone—the sound of a car horn pierced through the quiet outside.

I started down the stairs, only to stop short when I spotted Jake leaning against the front door, arms crossed and an expression that could kill. 

My stomach tightened. I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and forced myself to keep walking, already rehearsing excuses in my head.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, eyes scanning me from head to toe.

"Yeah. I'm hanging out with Kaycee and a few girls from school. There's a Fair tonight—supposed to be a lot of fun." I gave him a casual shrug.

He raised a brow. 

"The Fair? With Kaycee? Then why is Jonathan Ryder's car parked out front?"

His tone dropped an octave, sharper now, more dangerous. I flinched.

I had a dozen half-baked lies stored up just in case this happened. But now, standing in front of him, every one of them vanished from my brain like smoke in the wind.

"He's just... here to pick me up because he wanted to talk to Kaycee. And you know her—she won't talk to Jonathan unless she has a solid reason. So he figured if I came along, she'd be more willing to hear him out."

Jake's jaw tensed. "About what?"

I shrugged again, weaker this time. 

"I don't know. Maybe he's into her?"

Jake turned abruptly. 

"That's it. I'm gonna go let him know exactly what I think of that idea."

I reached out and grabbed his arm. 

"Jake, no. Please. This isn't your business—just stay out of it."

He whipped around. 

"Stay out of it? First he's been hanging around you, now Kaycee too? I don't buy it. Something's off about that guy."

"For God's sake, Jake," I snapped, growing frustrated. "Just because you don't like him doesn't mean the rest of us have to feel the same way. Whatever history you two have? That's between you. Don't drag it into every conversation just because someone mentions his name."

We stared at each other in tense silence until the car honked again from outside.

"I'll be back before midnight," I said quietly. "And don't worry—I can take care of myself."

I turned toward the door, but he grabbed my arm before I could open it.

"If I find out there's something going on between you two... you're dead. Got it?"

I yanked my arm away, eyes narrowed. 

"You're not the boss of me. Don't act like you get to control who I talk to, or who I date. You live your life—I'll live mine."