Breaking Point

CHAPTER IV

The day for the Q & A session has arrived. Jake has arranged the time and place for them to have a private session with no one around to bother them. He was unsettled at first in choosing between the cafeteria and the school yard but ultimately, they both agreed and settled with the roof. The school roof is usually empty due to the countless flights of stairs to get there.

ding ding ding ding

The bell rang. It is break time and Beckett needs to sneak away from her usual lackeys because she doesn't want to tarnish her image by hanging out on the roof with Jake. She needs to be discreet. She goes to the restroom with her jacket stuffed into a small bag. She quickly changes to the jacket and covers her face as she goes out of the restroom. She changes her mannerism and the way she usually walks. She walks all the way to the roof with a high level of anxiety, worrying about someone might notice her going up there which will definitely lead to a rumor. As she opens the door, she can see Jake is already set with the session with his notepad in his hands. She shakes her head and thinks to herself, "Is this guy for real?" Jake begins the session with the questions around her daily life. He finds out that she tends to read fiction books in her spare time, she loves to stargaze from a lake house which her family owns, and she sometimes take horse riding lessons during the weekends.

ding ding ding ding

Break time is already over. 30 minutes passed by like a flash. The interview feels tremendously short as the bell rings around them.

"Well, I think that's enough for today. Thank you again for wanting to do this with me. If you need any help, you let me know." Jake tidies his stuff back to his bag.

"I don't need help but I do have a request of my own. Think you can handle it?" Beckett looks at him with an enthusiastic look.

Upon hearing the offer, Jake gives a nervous chuckle and jokingly assured Beckett that he will not be interested in becoming her brainless lackeys. Beckett's enthusiastic look changes abruptly to disgust and disbelief. Feeling offended, she raises her voice towards him, suggesting him to go screw himself. Beckett immediately goes out of the roof and slams the door behind her. Jake is still in a stupefied state. He did not expect her to respond that way with such frustration colored all over her face. He expected her to be smug and proud of having fans throwing themselves at her. He feels like he has seen a new side of the famous Beckett, a new side which he never thought ever existed with her, a side where she seems like a human and not a goddess. After he is done with his walk down the imagination realm, he immediately closes the door behind him and goes back to class. Jake can't help but to feel exhilarated from reading the data he had just collected in those 30 minutes but at the same time conflicted with the small guilt he felt for accusing her of such thing. He enters the class and their eyes meet. He is met with the deadliest glare Beckett has ever given. At that exact moment, he flinches 3 inches back and lowers his head in his way getting to his seat. He cannot wait to get home, avoid this unpleasant feeling and start making the draft for the story. Once he gets to his room, his mind is ready to pour everything into writing but his body won't let him. The guilt is still there and he can't do anything until the matter is resolved. He decides to log in to his game and distract himself from all this. His online friend soon joins in—Jetstar with his usual quips asking Jake some inappropriate questions. He then confides in Jetstar about his problem to ask his advice on the matter, to which Jetstar replies with: "If you really feel bad about it then talk it out with her. Nothing beats honest conversation." He can't believe how wise his online friend can be when it comes to it. All this time, he thought his friend was incapable of such positive and motivational remarks. Nevertheless, his friend has helped him come into a conclusion which is to approach Beckett and have an honest conversation. His story is on the line so he has to do whatever it takes to save it. Fortunately, the school festival is coming soon and his class is having a brainstorm on the theme tomorrow. He can take advantage of the occasion to approach her.