Finer Lines

5. Project Jake

For our history project we got to pick groups. Tori, Jake, and I decided to all be in a group. We did it on the African Trade. To work on it we all went to Tori's house. We went up stairs to Tori's room and just started messing around. Tori grabbed a plush banana that she found in her closet and started hitting Jake with it. We all started laughing and throwing her stuffed animals around.

Out of no where, the door flung open with a scary slam.

"Everyone in here needs to calm down! You're supposed to be working on your project!!" Said Tori's mom, angrily.

She closed the door, leaving all of us in an awkward silence.

After we finished the poster board we all sat on Tori's bottom bunk and just played on our laptops.

"I have to peeeeee!!!" Said Tori, she bolted off the bed and into the bathroom next door, leaving just Jake and I in her room.

I exchanged some awkward glances with Jake and tried not to smile. We both looked at each other and he started to smile his crooked smile. I didn't realize what it was he was trying to do at the time but every so slowly he leaned in. I started to catch on too and did the same thing. My heart was pounding. I was afraid that once we got to close he could hear my heart beating. Just as we were about to kiss, Tori swung the door open, scaring us back into place. Tori didn't notice a thing but both of us were blushing.

I went home soon after that and texted him that night and we had the most awkward conversation. You see people at school kept asking us why we don't hold hands or hug at all and both of us answered, "I don't know if he/she wants me to." It had been a couple weeks since we started dating and nothing had happened.

Jake: Hey so you know that thing that people have been asking us a lot lately?

Me: yeah that whole PDA thing?

Jake: yeah that. Are you comfortable with it?

Me: yeah of course I just think that everyone is making it awkward.

Jake: same

Me: I'm going to bed soon so goodnight <3

Jake: goodnight <3

*the next day at lunch*

We were all sitting under the shady tree at the bottom of the hill. There was anew kid that enrolled in the beginning of November. His name was Braden and he was loud, obnoxious, mean, and kind of a bully. One day he was sitting with our lunch group and Tories sister, Penny, walks up to her and asks for a snack since she forgot to bring a lunch. Braden grabs her arm and wouldn't let go. He started to hold on too tight.

"Let go of her!" Said Jake, angrily, grabbing Penny's other arm and trying to yank her free. Braden let go and pushed Jake forcibly. Jake pushed back with more force, making Braden step back. I had never seen Jake get so mad before. I knew that they didn't like each other, but I had no idea how much.

Tori ran in between them and gently pushed them away from each other. Braden walked inside to blow of steam. Jake came and sat next to me covering his face in his hands. He didn't want me to see him like this. This is where I regret not comforting him. I just sat there. Why did I just sit there? If that were me I wouldn't want anything more than to have my own significant other assure me that everything would be okay. Like he's always there for me, why wasn't I doing the same for him? I wish I would've came in between them instead of Tori and hugged Jake to calm him down or something other than nothing. I just sat there. Never just sit there.

We went inside and everyone had gone to class except Jake, Braden, and I. I was walking with Jake inside when Braden comes up to him and starts going off. He was yelling and insulting him. Jake calming said, "shut up."

Braden kept going and finally Jake said a little louder, "Shut Up!" And slammed his hand into the table. Again. I just stood there. What was wrong with me?

I regret that whole day, not being there for my own boyfriend.