Tormented love

Chapter 22

"Anna?" Jake called my name for the fifth time tonight. I didn't have the energy to move or to answer him any longer. My eyes were heavy and I was drifting in and out of sleep. "Anna." His voice was still a whisper but much deeper at this point.

"Hmm?" I was so tired and I wished he would've been by now too.

"Are you falling asleep?" The question was nearly mockable, honestly.

"Yes Jake." Ally turned over in her sleep and wrapped a leg around me.

"I'm glad you have a group of female friends now Anna. I really have missed you and I think Rohan and Tyler did too. Neither of us missed Zach." I let out a small laugh as he reached for my hand, pulling it into his. "You can go to sleep. I'm just still in shock that you're this close to me again." I turn my head and aim to kiss his jaw. He was of course turned towards me, staring. So I kissed his lips instead.

He didn't argue with it, he returned the kiss.

The next morning I woke up in an empty bed. I was still in Jakes bed but Ally and Jake were no longer beside me. I was worried for a while that Jake would come in and tell me to leave maybe he'd already made the others leave. I was actually considering sneaking out of his room towards the pool and leaving. Maybe then I'd escape the embarrassment of course Jake didn't want me here, he was drunk last night. Last night probably meant nothing to him. Then the bathroom door opened and Ally stumbled in, with a towel around her and wet hair. She was rubbing her temples and groaning. "Have a fun night?" I mocked. My internal argument ceased and my body was released from the tension.

"Shutup." She stated bluntly as I reached into Jakes beside table. "Advil?" She seemed desperate. "Jake said he didn't have any."

"I put these here before he an I stopped talking. I get migraines." She blew the statement off with a wave of her slender hand as she grabbed the bottle. She took them without water. Just shoved them down her throat, dry. That is one thing I could never say I've done. "Where'd you get clothes?" She looked towards me.

"Who's shirt are you wearing?" I glanced down. I had not changed into Jakes shirt. I remember vividly falling asleep in the very uncomfortable dress. I was too exhausted to take it off. "It's Jakes. He changed yours after you fell asleep when Amber woke up earlier he got her to change mine and Ashley's. He's washing our dresses, or his maid is washing them. He went and got us clothes out of the friend room Ashley's in, said they were yours that his father bought for when you were here." I remember his father buying me the clothes. I'd never worn them because I didn't feel right letting him buy me clothes. "Go take a shower by the way. You look like shit. Jakes making breakfast." I rolled my eyes, he is having Sarah make breakfast.

"You're one to be talking." She used her middle finger as an argument as I stood from Jakes bed.

When I stepped into the rock shower, that's when it all hit me. The reality of lastnight. I was hurting and this time not because of Jake. I was hurting because of the guy who made the Jake pain tolerable. I didn't even make Jake apologize or explain himself. I only forgave him. Yet the one who saved me from Jake I wouldn't offer the chance to explain or to apologize. This is what Zach was terrified would happen. Here I am letting it happen.

I should at least offer Zach the chance to explain and to apologize.

Is there an explanation for cheating though?

That's the question that would be on my mind while I was deciding wether to let Zach explain or not. My father always told me cheating is never okay and never is it your own fault. It's the cheaters insecurities, but what insecurities could a flawless guy have?

I was stupid for believing Zach was flawless, I'd been with him for months. The boy was not flawless, yet he also wasn't heavily flawed. He was damn near perfect in my own opinion. I did love Zach. Maybe I always will. Just as I'll always love Jake but as of now Jake hasn't cheated on me with a blonde girl in his own bed.

I climbed out of the shower and wrapped a towel around myself. Before walking into the friend room to find clothes. "Well that was a long shower. In your thoughts?" I smiled as Jake walked towards me.

"Maybe a little." I lied. He placed a firm hand on my cheek and pulled my lips to his. The kiss sent a volt through me before I kissed back. It was strange but I welcomed it. Jake had been away for so long and I feel him slowly resurfacing. I missed Jake, this new relationship would take some adjusting but he was well worth it.

For now.

"Get dressed I made you guys breakfast and if you don't hurry up, they're going to eat it all. Hungry bunch for some reason." He laughs.

"Sarah made breakfast." I corrected.

"I made breakfast." He restated. Had he though? Doubtful but I'll go along with it. He pulled away and waited for me to get dressed before following me out of the door into the hallway.

"Fancy hallway." I stated, this must've been the apology, Jake never gave. The hallway was lined in lights. They dangled from the ceiling and hung close to the framed photographs in the hallway. He only nudged me into the dining room where the others sat at the long table. The dangling lights didn't end in the hallway they continued into the dining room where the three girls giggled as they whispered. "Secrets aren't nice Ally." She shrugged her shoulders and leaned back in her seat.

"Anna just sit down, I know one female in this room that can't hold a secret." I sat in the seat Jake had pulled out in front of me as he pushed a plate in front of me and we began to eat. Amber pressed a button on a tv remote as their dining room television began to play.

Ashley and Ally were on their phone seemingly recording me as I watched what they'd put together. Childhood photos of Jake and I were the first to display for a few minutes with songs we use to listen to. Words were attached to a few of the photos and I could feel Jakes eyes burning through my flesh as I read each statement on the screen. The slideshow talk about all our disagreements lately and the way he felt about it, he was hurt as well as myself apparently. The last photo to appear on the screen was of Jake and I last night.

A moment I would never forget. Our first kiss. My legs pulled Jakes body flush with my own as his hands entangled in my hair. Lightly he pulled on it and our lips moved in synch. The picture in itself was mesmerizing and I try to think who could've taken it. All signs point back to Rohan.

The tv goes completely blank right before four letters slowly drop onto the screen in my favorite color, purple. One at a time. A question mark following.

Jake asked me to prom in the cutest way and all I could respond with was 'awe' like some preppy girl I never imagined myself being. Then when he pulled me into a hug I knew we both recognized that as me agreeing to go with him, as his date. As his girlfriend. He placed a firm kiss on my forehead before pulling away and smiling.

I'd completely forgotten that he had cooked breakfast for us and had not realized, Rohan and Tyler were sitting at the end of the table. "Awe how cute." Rohan stayed sarcastically. "Can we eat?"

"A lot sweeter than someone Rohan could come up with." Amber retaliated. "I'm posting it to my snap story. Captioning 'if only my bf was more like Jake. Anna's lucky.' Catchy huh?" Rohan rolled his eyes.

This was all nice. I was happy with the company. Reforming a relationship with Jake was something I'd been wishing for. I couldn't help but miss Zach though. The back and forth constantly that my mind was in. With Zach, I want Jake. With Jake I crave Zach. And I really do. I crave him. His presence. He scent. His touch. All of it.