Just Because (Interracial BWWM)

Chapter 12

Braelyn wasn't as drunk as she had been when the cops had shown up at Duke's house, so she was taking in the full scope of what had happened at the party.

She'd danced with Duke. Not just danced with him. She'd felt something with him. Something that words couldn't explain. Not any words she could think of, anyway.

But then Duke had been in his room with a girl. Her shirt was off. Braelyn didn't even want to know what had been going on in there. It made her sick just thinking about it. It made her mad, and she hated it. Hated that Duke evoked so much emotion from her. She had known his reputation, but she'd let her guard down, just a little. And look what happened. She wouldn't make that mistake again.

Not that she was sure she'd even have to worry about that. Duke had seen her and Jake together. He'd known that they were in the bathroom together.

...... She'd been in the bathroom with Jake. Jake had kissed her. He'd touched her. His touch had set her on fire.

Braelyn couldn't even wrap her mind around that part of the night. Why had Jake done that?

He was high as fuck, but, that couldn't be the reason why he'd cheated on his girlfriend. Could it?

Jake had cheated on Heather. Jake had cheated on Heather with Braelyn.

"Brae? Are you alright?" Taty whispered to her.

Unable to speak, Braelyn nodded. Her eyes wondered over to the bench across from hers. She made brief eye contact with Duke, who simply grunted and turned his attention to the cell bars.

Surprisingly, that made her angrier than him being in his room with the drunk bitch did.

Rolling her eyes, and hoping Duke saw the action, Braelyn looked over to Jake, who was sitting in the corner of the cell on the floor.

When she looked at him, she realized that he had already been staring at her. He didn't look away when she saw him, though. He just kept looking at her. She wasn't sure what kind of look it was, but he was definitely thinking about something.

'Maybe he's thinking that he made a mistake by cheating on Heather with me. But, if he thinks he made a mistake, then would he really be staring at me? No, he'd be avoiding me at all costs. But, didn't he avoid me in the bathroom afterward? And he hasn't really said anything to me since then. He hasn't said anything to me at all....'

Thankfully the holding cell opened, rescuing her from her thoughts and over thinking.

"Carroll, Brandons, Thomas, Smith, Davis."

The walk from the cell was more like a walk to the electric chair than to freedom. At least with the electric chair, you know the outcome. Braelyn was absolutely terrified to think about what was waiting for her on the other side that door.

"Jake!"

The voice wasn't a mother. It was a teenager. Braelyn turned, and finally saw her for the first time.

Surprisingly, she looked like a normal person. She definitely wasn't Pamela Anderson. She was taller than Braelyn, about the same height as Jake. She had long brown hair, which was put up in a sloppy bun. She wore a sweatshirt and a pair of booty shorts with some Uggs. Her face was powdered with makeup. It was a bit too much, especially for someone who looked as though they'd just gotten out of bed. Aside from the red eyes, which looked as though she'd been crying, Heather looked decent. Pretty, even.

She wrapped her arms around Jake's neck, and Braelyn suppressed the need to eye-roll. Duke walked by the couple, and Heather met him with a sneer.

"I don't know why he stays friends with you. You're nothing but trouble." She threw at him.