𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐬. ! Sim Jake

⩩26

The atmosphere grew increasingly tense after Jay's ill-timed outburst. Everyone's eyes were on Haein, silently pleading for an explanation. 

Jay tried to diffuse the situation, laughing nervously as he said, "Uh, you know, I have this bad habit. When I get too excited, I just call anyone a sister-in-law—man or woman, no discrimination!" 

His attempt at humor fell flat, and Taerae, clearly unimpressed, rolled his eyes before turning to Haein.

"Look, you're going to tell us the truth—no lies. Why is this mechanic guy always hanging around us? Why did you get into that beat-up truck, and what were you doing in that neighborhood?"

Haein bit her lip hard, the pressure nearly drawing blood. She was cornered, unsure of what to say or do. Her eyes darted to Jake, silently begging for a way out. But when she met his gaze, she saw a resolve that sent a chill down her spine. 

His eyes, normally so kind, were unyielding as he spoke, his voice steady. "We have to tell them," Jake said, the weight of his words hanging in the air. "We can't hide it anymore."

Just as Haein was about to speak, Jake interrupted her, his voice cutting through the tension.

 "Me and Haein, we..." 

His words hung in the air, and a pregnant silence followed, every eye in the room fixed on them. Jake hesitated for a moment, then turned to face Haein, his gaze shifting to lock onto hers. With a steady voice that grew louder, he declared.

"I have fallen madly in love with her since I first saw her."

Haein's jaw dropped, and she stared at him in disbelief, her mind racing to catch up with his words. The room erupted into stunned silence as everyone processed what they had just heard. Eyes widened, breaths were held, and even the smallest movements seemed to freeze in time.

She didn't know what to think. Was this a desperate cover-up, or was Jake seriously in love with her? No, it had to be a lie,

Jake continued with unwavering conviction, "That's why I can't stay away from her, not even for a second. I want to see her face at all times. If I don't, my head starts shaking, and my heart aches. She's like a shot of espresso—she wakes me up, keeps me going, and I can't imagine a day without her."

Haein searched his face for any sign of the usual mischief or sarcasm, but all she saw was sincerity. It terrified her because, deep down, a part of her wanted to believe him. But the rational side of her screamed that this had to be a ruse, a desperate attempt to salvage their situation.

Jia scoffed, disbelief etched across her face. "What the hell is he talking about?" she muttered under her breath. 

Giselle,  turned to Haein with a raised eyebrow. "Wait, did you know about this? And you didn't tell us?"

Haein's mind raced, heart pounding in her chest. The walls felt like they were closing in as the weight of everyone's stares pressed down on her.