lights out, jake sim.

04.

"You scared me half to death. What were you thinking?" she exclaimed, her expression a mixture of concern and annoyance. 

"Social experiment, that's all," he replied casually.

"Social experiment? So you thought some disappearing acts out of nowhere would help?" she asked, taken aback by his indifference.

"I didn't know you would be so deeply worried about me," he teased her, enjoying the playful exchange.

She wore an unamused expression with mock indignation as if the playful banter struck the chord. "I was just worried about you, Jake. You know that, right?" She looked up at him, her gaze a mix of affection and concern.

He brushed a strand of hair away from her face as he said, "I do. And I appreciate it more than you know."

His smile was so contagious that she couldn't help smiling back; very well aware of the hold he had over her.

Jake's gaze intensified for a brief moment as he closed the distance between them.

Feeling overwhelmed, she instinctively took a step back under his intense gaze only to have her back collide with a hard veneer.

Her heart was palpitating to see the pleased smile teasing his lips and a glint of humour in his eyes. Placing one hand on either side of her head, she felt frozen under his scrutiny, leaving her with no escape.

Tilting his head, Jake's eyes trailed a path down to her tempting lips. Her heart raced even faster, she lightly pushed against his chest as she made a feeble attempt at escaping from his embrace.

"Where are you going?" he questioned, his voice layered with a hint of amusement.

A sudden loud thud startled them both, as she pushed her way past him, inadvertently knocking over a stack of books in the process.

Bending down to pick up the fallen books, she became completely engrossed in her old favourites, momentarily forgetting about Jake's presence. 

 A soft breathy chuckle reached her ears, prompting her to glance in his direction. There he was, sprawled lazily across the bed, a detail she hadn't even noticed before.

"Did you find something more interesting?" he teased, warmth invaded her heart as she realized what he was referring to. 

"Yes, something much more interesting," she responded, a playful smile dancing on her lips that might have escaped Jake's notice.

"Oh really? Is it perhaps a book on decorum that has managed to capture your attention considering we were clearly in the middle of something," his tone was sardonic with a hint of exasperation.

A subtle smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she held back the urge to make a quip.

Ignoring his remarks, she proceeded to ask.

"Whose room is this?" she inquired, genuinely curious.

Evidently annoyed at the fact that she found his books more captivating than him, he replied curtly, "I don't know."

Discerning the boy's glum demeanour, she took it upon herself to initiate the conversation.

"So, what were you doing up here?" she pressed, hoping for a response.

Silence greeted her.

"Jake?"

Still no answer.

"Hey, why aren't you responding?" she exhaled softly, betraying a hint of concern.

Finally, his voice broke the silence, causing her to catch her breath.

"Why don't you come over here and find out for yourself."

For someone who is upset, he does act weird.