Under the Mistletoe

Betrayed

It had been three days since mine and Coyotes date and three days since I had seen Jake, which was highly unusual. Every time I tried to text him, I would either get nothing in return or an extremely short response, prompting me to believe he was over whatever we had.

It was the day before New Years Eve and Jake and I had been allowed to fly so we would stay sharp. The entire time we were in the air, he was non-communicative and it worried me so when we landed, I had planned to speak to him.

"What's up with you?" I questioned, my brows pulled together in concern as I climbed from our jet.

"Nothing."

"Jake, you can talk to me."

I reached out and grabbed his hand as he attempted to walk away from me.

"You've been really quiet since I went on that date with Coyote," I muttered before pausing at my realization. "Are you jealous?"

"What do I have to be jealous of? That he's getting my leftovers?"

In shock, my jaw dropped slightly and I could feel my nostrils flare out of anger.

"That was mean," I finally replied, my brows pulling together once more before turning on my heels to walk away before stopping and stomping back towards him. "You know what? You're a coward and a fake, Jake Seresin! You let people think you're a tough guy but you only act like a compete dick because you're scared to get close to anybody! I thought we were friends but friends don't talk to one another how you just talked to me and friends don't use one another like you've used me!"

I took a deep breath as I began to walk away from Jake after berating him in front of the entire team.

"Did I just hear Hangman right or?" Bradley questioned as he caught up to me.

"You heard him right," I muttered.

"You've been hooking up? Since when?"

"Not long enough for it to matter," I muttered.

I walked away before Bradley could say anything and went straight home to get ready for my second date with Coyote— the second that week. I had planned to meet him at his house so I grabbed my car keys as I walked towards the front door.

Before I walked out of the front door, I looked in the mirror once more and gently ran my fingers across my cheek that was still very bruised with cuts everywhere. I thought back to the night of the accident and Jake's protectiveness of me but I was quick to shake the thought due to my profound anger with Jake.

As I was leaving the house, I found none other than Jake Seresin sitting outside on the front steps. I contemplated going back inside but decided to walk towards my car that had been parked in the street, wishing I could walk by without being seen.

"What do you want, Jake?" I questioned as I walked past him, my heels clicking on the concrete.

"Don't go out with him again, Brooklyn."

"Why is it any of your business who I go out with?" I questioned. "All I am is just your leftovers, remember?"

"You're not just leftovers," Jake sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"That's what you said to me, isn't it?" I questioned as I stopped at the drivers side door of my car, my eyes dark from the anger I was holding within me.

"You're not. I shouldn't have ever said that," Jake replied as he stopped in front of me. "You were right. I am jealous."

"You are?"

Jake sighed as he nodded, knowing he was wrong for saying the things he said earlier in the day.

"Brooklyn, you talk in your sleep and you think you're funny," Jake muttered as he closed the gap in between us. "You also have a huge, HUGE attitude problem at times and the biggest daddy issues of anybody I've ever met."

"If you're trying to make me feel like shit, it's working."

I rolled my eyes and turned to unlock my car as I grew more and more frustrated with each word that had left his mouth.

"You shouldn't feel bad about any of that  because I absolutely love those things about you," Jake replied. "I love watching movies and ordering takeout and being around you doing absolutely nothing. Shit, even talking until the sun came up was one of the best nights of my life."

"Jake," I whispered.

"And you were right, you're totally lovable and great at everything you do."

My heart raced as he closed the gap between us.

"And it took no time at all but I really like you, Brooklyn. We've known one another for a month and I can say without any hesitation that I've never felt like this before. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I can be myself."

"You told me you wouldn't fall in love with me," I whispered as Jake placed his hands on my hips and his lips met mine.

"I couldn't help it," he whispered against my lips as his forehead pressed against mine. "I can't just be your friend anymore."

I hesitantly pulled away as I thought of the conversation we had on Christmas Eve about hating how emotions complicated everything and that relationships were stupid.

"How can you be so sure that you want me? Especially after all you've told me about how you feel about relationships?" I questioned, my eyes finding his.

"Brooklyn, I literally crave your presence every second of every day. I've never felt like that about anybody."

"So then what do you want me to do?" I questioned.

"Don't go out with him," Jake seemingly pled. "Don't see anybody else, Brooklyn. Please."

I sucked in a breath before moving my arm to the side and placing my fingers on the car door handle, locking it up once more.

"You're not going?"

"Not if you're serious about everything you just said," I replied, my gaze holding his.

Before either of us could say another word, Jake's lips came crashing down against mine and he pressed me back against my car.

"Be mine, B. Only mine," he whispered against my lips.

Knowing that I had slowly fallen for Jake over the previous month, I nodded and melted into another sweet, soft kiss.