Downfall | ✔️

Chapter 2.

I wake up in the same place I sat pondering life last night, I don't even remember falling asleep. I stretch my legs and rub my eyes, gathering my bearings. My phone lights up with three missed calls from Jake and seven text messages, as well as a text from my mom. What the hell?

I slide to unlock my phone, reading the text from my mom first, postponing whatever the seven texts had to say from Jake.

*Out for breakfast then heading to visit Aunt Carol for a few days. I left money on the counter in case you need it. Love you, Mar. <3*

I roll my eyes, "Of course she is." She always runs off to Carol's when things get tough. Maybe I should take a page out of her book and get away for a few days. Summer is only a month away, maybe then I could get out of here. I sigh, scrolling to find the messages from Jake.

*Amara?*

*Amara, I left my keys in your bag.*

*Amara? I really need my keys, they're for my apartment.*

*I guess you're asleep. Call me when you can.*

*Amara come on. Are you even asleep?*

*Okay, just text me as soon as you can.*

His keys? I rack my brain trying to pinpoint the moment when they were even placed in my bag, nothing comes to mind. I shake off the weird, eerie feeling that crosses me and decide to call him, straighten things out. He lives with his parents, and his sister — one of them will have let him in, right? My eyes focus on my bag that pokes out of the edge of my bed. I peer inside and surely enough, there they are. A set of silver keys held together by a small gold ring. I move the metal in between my fingers, desperately trying to think of what reason he would have to sneak them into by bag without asking me.

Once again, I brush it off and dial his number.

"Hello? Amara?" He answers almost immediately after the first few rings, taking me by surprise.

"Hey, Jake. I'm really sorry, I crashed out last night and didn't see your texts. Did you get inside?" I ask as politely as I can.

There is a brief pause and a muffled sigh as I wait for a response, any response.

"No, I stayed at a friends. I didn't want to wake everyone because you wouldn't answer." he snaps.

His tone is drastically different and he is obviously annoyed. Annoyed? I bite my tongue, trying to compose myself.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I can bring them over if you like?" I offer grudge fully, trying to contain my attitude to avoid an argument. I've been trying to work on that.

"I'll text you the address. Thanks, Amara." he sighs before ending the call.

I throw my phone down onto my bed as I pettily ramble to myself. "Who the hell does that? Why would you just drop your keys into your dates bag? A heads up would have been nice, Jacob." I emphasise his name in annoyance. I vividly remember seeing pockets in his jacket, so why would he need my bag for his keys?

I grab a towel and step into the shower, without turning on my designated 'shower playlist' since I'm in a rush. I shower as quickly as possible, dry my hair and grab my phone to check if Jake had sent me the address of his friend's house, which he had.

"It's a dorm?" I mumble to myself. A dorm at FIU nonetheless. Great, I'll probably know his friend, too. Why didn't he mention he had friends that go there? It would have been a good conversation starter, better than the silence that makes me cringe to think about, it really was beyond awkward.