Heartstrings in Play

Chapter 2

Weeks go by and he starts to avoid me. We started to become distant, I left the house I went for a run as I ran I saw Jake    I thought to myself, "What is he doing ?. The more I ran the more I thought. As I ran I came up to an old cabin and it looked abandoned. Should I go in ? I thought to myself. As I walk closer to the cabin I hear voices.
" No that's not right.... It can't be she's -"
I walk up to the door and quietly open the door. I walk inside. I hear the same voice again.
" There's no way she's alive!"
I walk in the living room.
"Jake?" I ask all surprised.
He turns toward me.
"What are you doing here Mariah?" He asks, leaning against the wall.
" You wouldn't answer anything from me and I went for a run. That doesn't matter who are you talking about  being alive? ". I say as I walk around the cabin.
He doesn't answer me for a minute. I sit on the couch. This place is pretty. Why won't he answer me? Is it really that bad? I thought. I get up and start to leave. He grabs my arm.
" I'm sorry Mariah." He says gripping my arm.
I just looked at him. He's not sorry. I thought to myself. He's hiding something. His phone rings. It's Sam.  That sends my mind into a thousand questions.
" No you're not Jake" I say  as I shove him.
He just looks at me.  I start to tear up. He walks to me and tries to hug me. I pushed him away.
" Talk to me baby, what's wrong?" He says in a calming voice.
" Do you love me?" I ask him with tears down my face.
He looks at me surprised I asked him the question but does not answer right away. I start to walk away from him and walk to the door.
"I love you Mari but I'm not in love with you." He says leaning against the wall.
Hearing those words sent a knife to my heart. Without saying a word I leave the cabin, I run  into the woods and I  scream then  cry until I can't breathe. Hearing those words hurt me.
Knowing I was falling for a man who would never love me in the same way broke me. I had to get away. I had to forget him.  I ran because that's the only thing I knew to do and fight. The more I ran I noticed something was different about me. I thought there was no way I would let him in again.
Months later Jake tries to contact me. Why now? I thought to myself. Hasn't he already put me through enough already? My phone rings again. I answer it.
"Hello" I said in a calm voice.
"Is this Mariah Holland?" The man asked over the phone.
"Yes I'm Mariah" I said as I sat down on the living room couch.
"Ms Holland we found your mom and your brother in California." He says in a chilling voice.
As I heard the news the phone fell to the floor. As if it was not bad enough already now my mom and my brother are gone. Trying to gather myself I ask
"What about my dad? Is he okay  ?"
The man took a deep breath and said,
"He's okay  for now. He's stable but might not make it."
I started crying til my sides hurt. I wanted to go to Jake but I just froze. I didn't know what to do.  I ended the call I run to the hospital.
Hours later the doctor. I walk in my dad's hospital room I tried to stay calm.
"He will be okay." The doctor said as he walked in behind me.
"Thank you. And who are you?" I said as I turned around.
"I'm Cole. I'll be Seth's doctor." He said with a smile that could steal any girl's heart.
I take a deep breath and look at my dad.
"How did this happen?" I thought to myself as I held my dad's hand waiting to see if Jake knew what was going on or that I was even here.
Hours go by and Jake has not called me or came to the hospital. I stayed with my dad all night. How could I have been so stupid ?. I thought about what Jake had said to me I love you but I'm not in love with you' it still runs deep.
"Hey baby". I hear a familiar voice. I turn around and it's Jake.
"What are you doing here Jake?" I asked him as I leaned against the door post.
He laughs and says,
"Baby I'm taking care of your dad today." He says with a smile like nothing ever happened between us.
I just kiss my dad's cheek and leave the room.  I had to walk away from him.  I run outside and I keep running. I hear footsteps so I hide behind a tree. I return to the hospital I listen to a conversation
"No mom, I just met her yesterday. I think it could be true love."
I just stared at him. Is that Cole ?  The nurse told me Jake was looking for me. I walked into a room   I see Jake kissing another girl. My heart sank as I watched him kiss her. I ran out of the room .
"Jake, who was that?" She asked.
"Wait what". He said as stopped and looked.
"Jake there was a girl that came in your office and she left crying" she said sitting on the desk.
He runs after me.
" Mariah wait!" he yells as he runs after me.
He stops me and I turn toward him. He grabs my arm.
" Jake let me go. Don't touch me! " I say as I jerk my arm away from him.
He just stands there. Crossing his arms he just looks into my eyes.
"Mariah please let me explain." He says in a calm voice.
I laugh and walk away from him.
" Why did you even come after me? You don't even love me like I love you." I said just as tears were rolling down my face.
" I don't know what to tell you Mariah." He said, crossing his arms.
I turn toward him and say. "Try telling me the truth Jake."
He takes a deep breath and says. "I'm still married. She's my wife. When we met I thought she wasn't coming back."
My jaw drops. "Oh my gosh! So not only do you have a son now you're married. Get away from me."
I backed away from him. "Go be with your wife Jake." I said as I crossed my arms.
My heart sank as I was saying that , but I could not let him see how broken I really was. I had to fake a smile and hide the pain, and that's exactly what I did. I was always taught to hide my emotions, and never show them ever.
" Mariah I-" he started to explain as he was searching for the words to say.
" Jake, stop. I can tell you are searching for the words to make this better, You were my first love , kiss , and no matter what I will always love you." I say as I take a deep breath and hold back the tears.
I walk away from him.
" Mariah!" He yells as he runs to me.
I turn toward him I look at him .
" Bye Jake." I say .
He leaves the room weeks go by and we hardly talk like we used to. My phone rings and it is Sam. I answer it
" Hey girl what's up?" I say as I answer my phone.
" Come on, let's go out. It's been weeks since I miss my sister." she says
I hung up the phone and when I leave the hospital I saw Sam . Sam gets out of her car and walks to me .
"  We are going clubbing, and do not tell me no  you need a girls night." she says .
I laugh at Sam  and I drive back to my house in separate cars. We arrived at my house. I walk  inside with Sam. I go to the bathroom and take a shower. Thirty minutes later Sam had my clothes everywhere. I get ready and we go to a club. We laugh, drink, and dance a lot.

"Mariah don't turn around but there's a guy that has been  staring you down since we got here." Sam says to me as she takes a sip of her drink.  I look around for Sam hoping she didn't leave me
The guy kisses my cheek and whispers in my ear making me smile.
Sam walks back to me and the guy leaves as Sam sits down.  Sam and I had a great night we left the club