The Bachelor (Jerika)

Chapter Forty Six

Jake POV: Erika's mom takes a deep breath. "She's our savior. She works three jobs seven days a week to pay the bills. She's 23 yet she doesn't party or go out; in face she doesn't do anything for herself. All she thinks about is us. She's truly our angel." Erika looks down; blushing. "Mom, stop. You're embarrassing me." Angel shakes her head. "Erika, I'm speaking from the heart. Lord knows where we would be without you." I see her eyes start to well up. "Lord knows we would be. Even now it's so hard; we barely get by. It's not easy taking care of eleven people on such a small budget." She sighs, and wipes her eyes. "But I'll always believe that we'll make it. There's a lot of love in this family. Love that makes us strong enough to handle whatever life throws at us." Katy puts her hand over Angel's. "Mom's right. We don't have much, but we always stay positive. Glass half full, right?" I look around the table, everyone's smiling. I feel my eyes start to burn. "Excuse me," I say; getting up from my chair. I quickly walk away from the table, and run into the first room I see. I slowly sit on the bed; my head spinning. I take a deep breath and try my hardest to hold back the tears that were ready to spill. I hadn't cried in years, but the last hour had overwhelmed me. It was one thing to hear about poverty, it was another to see it. I couldn't bare the thought that Erika had to live like this. I couldn't comprehend how this family survived. I couldn't believe they managed to have such strength and happiness. It was a slap in my face to think about the thousands I blew every week on stupid shit while this family had to scrap together every penny to get by. I felt ashamed, entitled and wasteful. I complained so much about pointless, little things to Erika while she barely mentioned her true hardships. I didn't deserve her. I didn't deserve her strength, her compassion, her resilience, her spirit. She deserved the world. Suddenly; I hear the bedroom door creak open. I look up, and it's Erika. She takes one look at me and her face dulls. "I knew it. I knew it. I knew it. I knew you'd think I'm pathetic."

She falls onto the far edge of the bed; tears rolling down her face. "I'll never be good enough for you. Now that you've seen how different we are, how pathetic my life is and you can't stand it. I should have known." She wipes her eyes. "Jake, please just leave me here and go back home to whoever you're supposed to be with. Someone on your level." I was shocked. "Erika, what are you saying?!" I move toward her but she scooches away. "Is it because I left the dinner table?" She doesn't reply. "Erika. You couldn't be more wrong about what I feel. I left because I'm humbled. I'm not just humbled, I'm in awe." She looks up. "You are by far the strongest girl I've ever met. It's a privilege to date you and if anything I'm the one who's not good enough for you." She shakes her head. "No, Jake you don't understand. No matter what you say, I know that I'm not good enough for you." I groan. "Erika. I don't have half your brains, half your looks, half your personality." "But you're rich. And famous." I grab her hand. "Listen to me. Money and fame don't mean a damn thing." Her eyes light up. "You really mean that?" I nod. "Money comes and goes. Yes, I live comfortably but that doesn't make me any better than someone who doesn't." I look into her eyes. "Erika, if you really though I cared about how much money you have then-" I'm cut off by her lips being pressed onto mine and all of a sudden we're making out. After a bit we pull away, and I bury my head into her shoulder. "I can't believe you thought I was repulsed. You know I adore you, right?" I feel her giggle. "Jake, imagine being in my shoes. You literally ran away from dinner. I was so scared, even now mom is probably worried sick. "Oh god, we better go back then." She nods, and we get up to leave when something on her desk catches my eye. I go closer, and squint at a paper sticking out from a notebook. I slip it out; and reveal the image of a dark haired boy; smiling softly with a bunch of dandelions in his hand. "Your ex?" I ask, turning to Erika. She nods, and I squint closer. "He seems chill. And you know what, he looks a lot like one of the gardeners at the estate...Anthony, I think his name was?"