Love and hate

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Okay kid's enough! It's time to eat cake! Jacob! Your girlfriend has a gift for you!" Mrs Griffin yelled.

We parted at lightning speed, y'know, like it was the most normal thing to do.

"G-G-GIRLFRIEND!? Mum how did you... You didn't hear did you?!" Jacob stood open mouthed. I, on the other hand hid my face behind his arm, way too embarrassed to look at his mother. Cake sounds good though. I cautiously head towards the door, one step at a time. I feel like a robot.

Inside, I smell hot chocolate as I walk into the kitchen. There is a couch that's unoccupied on the side of the room next to the fireplace, so I sit down on the end, trying to consume the least amount of space possible. Judging by how loud Mr. Griffin is laughing, I probably look ridiculous all scrunched up at the edge. So I get up and head for the bathroom to fix myself up.

"Excuse me for a minute." I say as I leave the room. I find the bathroom and look in the mirror. Nothing has really changed since I left the house this morning. I straighten my dress and with a spare brush from my bag, I comb through my golden and chestnut hair until it falls evenly around my face, lying on my shoulders. I wash my hands and head back to the kitchen. Jacob is sitting on the couch with his black jeans drenched from the snow and a button shirt he was probably wearing under the jumper. He still has his gloves on. I wonder if he even notices. I giggle.

"Huh?" He looks up at me and his mouth opens again. I roll my eyes and lean over to lift his chin back up with my finger so his mouth closes. I hear his dad snickering somewhere at the back of the room.

"Ah. Sorry." He rubs the back of his neck with his hand and finally realises his gloves are on. I laugh and I sit next to him, our legs touching.

"Here." I say. I help him take his gloves off with a quick tug and place them on the heater next to us.

"Oh can you help me set the plates please Liz?" Mrs. Griffin asks me.

"Sure." I get up and grab four plates from the cabinet. They were blue with white and red dots all over. Cute, my mum would love them. One, two, three, and four plates on a square table. I smiled at how cute it looked. I start to back up

Being the careful and aware person I am, I trip over a chair leg in front of Jacob and I fall backwards. I expect an embarrassing fall to the floor but instead I land on Jacobs lap. I stand there frozen in shock.

"Hey Liz, are you okay?" Jacob asks. I turn to face him and his face is red. I don't realise why until I see where his hands are. One is holding my back up and the other is supporting my shoulders.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" I try to get up but I almost fall again, I grab onto Jacobs neck and I am once again stabilised.

"I-it's okay. If you want you can sit here..." he says blushing even more.

"I...If it's okay with you, I don't mind." I murmur. But my weight began to bother me so I ask,

"How about I sit in front of you so I'm not so heavy?" I say.

"Y-yeah..." He splits his shaking legs apart and I slide in between once again on safe couch.

(eg. on safe ground)

I feel his hands slip around my stomach and pull me back into him. Happy, happy, happy is all I can think. I cover his hands with my own and lean on his chest. We have the hot chocolate and the cake and now, it's time for me to give him his gift. I suddenly think... what if he won't like it? But he opens it eagerly and when he finally lays his eyes on it, he smiles. Inside there is a photo graphic frame with two children holding hands and laughing. On one side there is me and on the other there is Jacob.

"Thank you... This is an amazing present." He keeps smiling. I'm so relieved that he likes it, I don't know what I would have done if he didn't.