Perfectly Mismatched

Epilogue

It has been 10 years since Jake and Layla last spoke. 

LAYLA'S POV

Layla was back home visiting family, walking down the street by her old high school when she sees someone who looks vaguely familiar up ahead of her, walking her way. As he gets closer, she starts to realize, that's Jake. She decides to pretend like she doesn't recognize him as he gets closer, then right after their paths cross, she hears, "Layla?" 

She paused, "Shit" she thought to herself. She had hoped he wouldn't recognize her. She turned around and said, "Yes?" 

She locked eyes with the boy she once loved. They were both older now, but his general facial features remained the same. 

"It's me, Jake." He said with a smile. As he raised his hand to gesture to himself as he spoke, she noticed a gold band wrapped around the ring finger of his left hand...he was married. 

Layla gave him a confused look, "I'm sorry...I don't know a Jake." 

It was his turn to give her a confused look, "Jake Knox? We used to be like best friends..." 

It took everything to keep Layla from rolling her eyes at him; she couldn't believe he had the audacity to say they were best friends. Instead she gave him a sheepish smile, "Oh! You're Jake Knox! Sorry, I didn't recognize you! Well, I better get going, bye!" 

She turned and walked away quickly, even though she had nowhere in particular that she was going. 

JAKE'S POV 

Jake was walking down the street when up ahead he saw someone walking toward him. He did a double take. Is that...Layla? No, it can't be her...as far as Jake knew, Layla hadn't come back to Washington in the last decade, but as she got closer, she seemed more familiar. As she started to pass him, he was almost certain it was her. "Layla?" he asked hesitantly. 

The girl stopped and paused before she turned toward him, "Yes?" she said. 

Did she not recognize him? He slowly said, "It's me, Jake" as he smiled and gestured toward himself. 

The girl gave him a confused look, maybe it wasn't her. She said, "I'm sorry...I don't know a Jake." 

He looked at her closely, he was sure it was her, so he gave her a confused look as he said, "Jake Knox? We used to be like best friends..." 

The girl furrowed her eyebrows, almost as if she was angry before she said, "Oh! You're Jake Knox! Sorry, I didn't recognize you!" 

Then before he could say anything she said, "Well, I better get going, bye!" and turned and walked away quickly. 

Jake stood there for a minute, perplexed and unsure of what to make of this interaction. He wondered why she ran off so quickly...and why she almost seemed mad when he explained who he was. Jake had this weird feeling, a longing to talk to Layla. He hadn't seen her in 10 years and seeing her now felt like he'd seen a ghost...but he wanted to talk to her, reminisce over the past, and remind her about how much she meant to him. 

Later that night, Jake was leaving work when he saw Layla up ahead leaving a restaurant with takeout in her hand. He thought, "this is my chance to go talk to her." 

"Layla! Hey! Layla! Wait up!" he yelled as he ran toward her. 

She turned toward him and smiled as she said, "Jake? Hi!" 

He said, "Twice in one day, huh. How've you been?" 

She somewhat hurriedly said, "Good. Look, I really have to get going so this food doesn't get cold..." 

Jake paused. Is she dodging me? As she started to leave he said, "Layla, wait..." She turned toward him and he asked, "Are you mad at me or something?" 

LAYLA'S POV 

Layla was leaving her favorite restaurant with takeout in her hand when she heard, "Layla! Hey! Layla! Wait up!" 

Shit. She sighed and turned toward the voice...sure enough, it was Jake running toward her. She knew she couldn't avoid him this time, so she smiled and said, "Jake? Hi!" 

When got to her he asked, "Twice in one day, huh. How've you been?" 

She quickly said, "Good. Look, I really have to get going so this food doesn't get cold..." 

She turned to walk away when she heard him say, "Layla, wait..." so she turned back toward him as he asked, "Are you mad at me or something?" 

Layla was astounded. Is she mad at him? How could he even ask her that? She wanted to sarcastically say, "Mad at you? Why on earth would I be mad at you for dropping me like I was nothing with no explanation?" But then it dawned on her, she wasn't mad at him. 

She said, "No, I'm not mad at you..." 

Before she could continue he said, "Do you hate me or something?" 

She sighed and said, "No, Jake, I'm not mad at you and I don't hate you...I just don't want to talk to you ever again." 

He looked at her, baffled, "What? Why would you say that? I thought we were friends." 

Now it was Layla's turn to look at Jake incredulously. "Seriously, Jake?! You have no idea why I wouldn't want to talk to you ever again?" 

He shook his head, "No! Why? Did I do something?" 

Layla could feel herself becoming angry now, she said, "Josephine?!?"

"What does my wife have to do with this?! This is between you and me!" 

Layla's eyes widened and her heart stopped, she couldn't believe what he just said...wife?  She shook her head in disbelief as she said, "You dropped me like I was nothing  for Josephine and I never knew why!"

"So you hate me and you hate her because of me, is that it?" 

Layla shook her head in frustration, "No, Jake. I don't hate you...though sometimes I think it would be easier if I did..." 

He looked at her confused, "Why would that be easier...?"

"I don't hate you...and I don't even hate Josephine, none of this was her fault. All I ever wanted was for you to be happy. I'm genuinely happy for you that you found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, and you're lucky that she also wants to spend the rest of her life with you. But I'd be lying if I didn't say that I wished I was never part of the picture." 

Now he had a hurt look in his face, "You wish you'd never met me?"

She sighed, "No, I didn't say that. I said I wished I'd never been part of the picture. I am genuinely glad you found your person, but I wish you could've done so without dragging me along. I don't think you meant to, but you did and it had a huge impact on me. It took me a really long time to learn to trust people again. I used to chase after guys I knew I had no chance with because that was easier than letting myself be vulnerable and risk getting hurt again. Whether you meant to or not, you destroyed me." 

She turned and walked away, even though she could hear Jake calling her name. She knew she didn't want to continue to talk to him, she'd said her piece and that's all she wanted.