Protective

3

Jealousy. Was it normal to be this jealous? Jake shook his head as he paced outside the house in the chilly Boston afternoon. The scene they were prepping was of Joe and Diana on her parents porch while Cal and Bertie walked down the street. It was simple but demonstrated how Bertie was always under Joe's nose and he never knew.

"Ready for today bud?" Dustin clapped Jake's shoulder as he walked past with a coffee in his other hand. Jake jumped, startled by the older man. He laughed nervously,

"Oh sure yeah. Nothing much," Was he ready? Jake internally cursed at himself. He was prepared with dialogue and acting but he wasn't prepared to be in the mere presence of Ellen, who he felt himself getting more attached to every day.

"Hiya Jake," Ellen came up and clapped Jake on the back, slipping a warm coffee into his suddenly sweaty hands. He turned to face her, smiling.

"Oh! Uh um coffee I- thanks El," Jake grinned as he took a sip. She shrugged,

"It's nothing. Don't worry, it's cold out so I figured you'd like a cup." Ellen said between her own sips. She shuddered, closing her eyes. "Ugh speaking of there was so much damn ice this morning I was walking to get picked up by the van and almost slipped."

Jake reached out, holding her shoulders.
"You're okay right?" He asked, laughing as Ellen batted him away.

"I'm a Bostonian ain't I? Ice alone will never take me down," She teased, smirking. Jake chuckled, grinning between sips of warm coffee. He felt his heart pounding, but a good kind of adrenaline rush.

"Us east coasters do know how to survive out here huh," Patrick joined the pair, nudging Ellen and winking a gleaming blue eye at her. She nudged back, giggling.

"That we do," Ellen replied, walking towards their seats to sit as they waited for the camera rigs to set up. Jake watched Patrick with a sour taste in his mouth. He didn't quite know why he took him to be so much of a threat. He was just being friendly right? Jake sat beside Ellen, licking his lips.

"So, uh Ellen," Jake started to say, getting flushed, but his next string of fumbling words was cut short by the scene starting. He sat in place on the porch, watching over Diana's shoulder as Bertie walked along the path, holding hands with Cal. She leant over, hugging his arm, resting her head on his shoulder. Jake's insides twisted thinking of the night where he had held Ellen so close. He imagined her soft body against his once more and he sighed, looking away. The scene cut.

"Good work, Patrick you work so well beside Ellen, I'm glad you could join us last minute." Brad said as the actors gathered up to him. "Right I want to shoot another scene, similarly but with Joe on the steps as Bertie and Cal kiss while walking past."

Kiss?

Jake turned red. He backed away from the group and watched the cameras start to move to get in position.

"I'm going to the bathroom while cameras reset." Jake said quickly before making his way to the men's room. He took a deep breath, walking up to the mirror as his insides erupted in an angry growl. Jake looked at himself, staring back into the wide blue grey orbs in the mirror. His cheeks were ruddy with heat from the growing monster of jealousy. He paused, thinking. This was all over Ellen...Ellen whom he had promised he was just friends to. It all came back to that balmy day in the parking lot behind Joan's on Third, where out walked a beautiful blonde with a sandwich to go and the rest was history. Known history. Jake felt himself want to throw up when he remembered being rejected, how scared he was to even approach someone so out of his league- of course she was an actress. It just so happened she was a damn good actress too. 

"They're calling for you Jake,"

Jake whipped his head around to see Patrick walking around the corner, a worried look in his face. "Hey you actually look kind of green, do you want me to tell staff and get you a nurses note?" He asked, coming closer. Jake's nostrils flared as he took deep breaths to control the anger he felt at Patrick. Green? How fitting.

"I'm fine Patrick," Jake lied through his teeth, drawing the water from the tap and splashing his face.

"Jake. Don't push yourself. I know you're young but you being sick could wipe the rest of the cast out. Don't you have to kiss Ellen this afternoon? Don't get her sick." Patrick argued, looking at the other man up and down, shaking his head. Jake splashed water on his face as Patrick mentioned Ellen. He had a point but he honestly wasn't 'sick'. Maybe sick with...god was it love? Jake shuddered, shaking his head. He didn't know what to call it.

"I'm fine." Jake walked out of the bathroom and back to set, trying to seem better than he was.

"Good of you to finally show up." The actress for Diana shot at him as he sat down on the steps. Jake sighed, knowing he didn't want to fight her. The cameras started rolling and he watched as Ellen giggled before leaping into Patrick's arms and kissing him. He wanted to throw up again. His heart beat like a drum over and over as he watched them. Jake knew Patrick was enjoying it, and Ellen too, and it made him angry. He didn't want to see her in another man's arms.

"Cut. Cut. That's all for this scene we resume at 12pm in the bar scene." Brad cut the scene and let the actors go. Jake made his way to Ellen, smiling.

"Hey, Ellen, do you want to eat together today? I thought we could talk character or just hang out, I mean-" Jake started to ramble and he shook his head. Ellen saved him with a "Yes," and a giggle. She took his soft hand, walking down towards the food catering.

"Patrick said you looked a little green earlier? Are you feeling okay Jake? I worry is all, it's cold out and we're in a hotel," Ellen mentioned as they walked. She pushed a strand of hair back, wind whipping between them.

"Oh that? No I uh...I felt overwhelmed but I'm better. It's nothing, I'm not sick. I promise you. I wouldn't be kissing you this afternoon if I was." Jake assured her. Ellen shook her messy head,

"The kiss? In the bar? Oh that was cut silly, they didn't think it was right. Which I get." Ellen replied. Jake chuckled,

"Oh yeah? Sounds like you just didn't wanna kiss me." He teased. Ellen grew blushed as she kept walking.

"I'm do anything for you to kiss me." She replied quietly as they reached the cafe. She slipped inside, cutting off Jake's reply. It was going to be a long night.