Love is Beautiful (She's so Ugly)

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Three

Jacob went home with an angry face. He just put the groceries down and sighed heavily.

Jane who noticed signalled Jeremy with her eyes. Jeremy signalled back with an ask-him look. She cleared her throat and spoke, "Why the long face little brother?"

Jacob looked fiercely at Jane for a moment and shakes his head. "Nothing, just... I think I love two girls."

"OOF! That's tough brother!" Jeremy commented as he chuckles softly.

Jane threw Jeremy a dirty look that shut him up. She stands up from her desk and went to where Jacob was. She looks at him with crossed arms across her chest. She took a deep breath before speaking. "Are you sure it's love you're feeling? It might be just longing for an explanation or that you're just stuck in the past. Or it's just you're mistaking grief for love."

"I don't even know..." he mumbles.

Jane move closer to his brother and hugged him, rubbing his back. "It is okay little brother. You're far smarter than Jeremy. You'll figure that out."

"I hope I do."

"Hey! I heard that!" Jeremy yells that made them laugh.

After their talk, Jacob texted Brandon and invited him to play basketball with him. Why not Elise? She hasn't texted him back for a day now and it's like fine with him too.

Brandon arrived at the court with fries in his hand. He was at McDonald's when Jacob texted. He looked at Jacob's face and immediately figured he was mad at something.

"Hey!" Brandon called.

Jacob stopped dribbling and walk towards him. They did their signature handshake.

"What's up?" Brandon asked.

"She's back. Different." Jacob uttered sitting on the bleacher.

Merida's back, Brandon thought. Does Leo know that she's back? That guy doesn't like sharing information. "Are you trying to care?"

Jacob raised his head to look up at Brandon. "I cared and still care for her."

That made Brandon laugh sarcastically. "Cared for her? You forgot her the moment Elise showed up. Stop thinking about her. She's not yours to take care of... not anymore."

"Why the fuck do you make it sound like I'm so bad to her? Which side are you on, man?"

Brandon tossed his head to the side and back to look at Jacob. He can't keep hiding shits from his stupid friend so he is going to tell him what he did.

"I invited Elise to the festival just because I want to prove you're over her... But you're not. And I'm on Merida's side," Brandon told him.

Jacob's face expression dropped into a confused one. What the heck is Brandon telling him?

"So you mean you planned it? Why are you so against us?"

"I'm not against you and her. I just want you to realize who you really want. Don't try to blame me. You obviously chose that bitch Elise!"

"Don't fucking call Elise a bitch!" Jacob stood up and pushes Brandon. "I don't get why you're so mad!"

Brandon scoffed. "You're so naive! Long before, Elise has a thing for Leo and not for you! She dated you to get closer to him! Get that shit inside your head! She never liked you!" He roared in anger. His voice echoing across the court.

Jacob's face is throbbing with rage, crinkling his nose in anger. He even raised a fist at his own friend who didn't budge on keeping a smirk on his mouth.

"You want to punch me? Treat me like how you treated Leo?" he scorned. "Well guess what? This time, you, him and I, like the same girl."

Jacob's eyes widened with what he heard. He grunts frustrated that he wants to punch Brandon but can't. "Y-you—"

"I liked her long before you could even notice her. Didn't you realize at that time when you asked me who she was? I answered she's in your class; I told you she's ugly so you don't interest in her. But fuck you did! Now I'm telling you, leave her alone if you're not sure you love her," Brandon hissed. He shoves Jacob's hands that are gripping on his shirt.

"And I knew that she left. I was there when she did." He threw Jacob one last look and walked out of that court.

Jacob threw the ball with force, clutching his hair and screaming his anger out. He can't believe Brandon has been keeping stuff from him! And he just can't believe that the three of them likes the same girl too and fuck! He does love Merida. He slapped his forehead a couple of times as he grunts fool in a loop.

Now, how is he supposed to face Brandon at school tomorrow?

•••

It was six when finally Jacob received a text from Elise saying they should meet up at a restaurant. He didn't feel like doing something but then he wanted to ask her some things regarding what Brandon told him earlier.

At the restaurant, Jacob waited with a blank expression on his face. When Elise arrived, she was smiling and kissed Jacob's cheek before she sat down across him.

She noticed his poker face and asked softly, "Is something wrong?"

Jacob looked at her, his eyes filled with unreadable words. "Do you honestly love me?" He asked.

Elise gaped for a moment and chuckled awkwardly. "Of course I do! I love you even before—"

"You love Leo and decided to get closer to me," he cut her off. "You fooled me once and now, you're trying to fool me again."

Elise blinked a couple of times and looked at the side. "I'll admit I loved Leo but I learned to love you too! Isn't that what matters? That I love you now?"

Jacob smirked, realizing the fact that he had been so blinded by her return. He didn't love Elise any more, he was just in pain and he longed for an explanation. I'm so stupid, he thought.

"You know, I almost thought I love you again. It turns out I was wrong... So wrong," he stated, getting up and was about to leave when Elise grab his arm.

"I'm sorry, Jacob. I'm sorry I fooled you like that before. I swear I love you now and I can prove that!" she yelled as she started to cry. That caught people's attention.

"Stop it, Elise! Don't be how I looked like when you decided to give up on me," he muttered, pulling his hand off her grip.

As he walks away, he could hear Elise shouts, "I'm going to prove it to you!"

Jacob minded it no more. He wants to fix things and all he wants to do is get back what he had... And that's his Love.