Even Heroes Have Scars

[68] What We Came Here For

Ansley's P.O.V.

The following morning, I got out of bed and made myself a cup of coffee, peering into the fridge as I grabbed creamer for my coffee; I could've sworn I left two entire packs of beer in the fridge when I left, but perhaps I was remembering wrong. I stared at Jacob's closed bedroom door and wished he'd let me in, that he'd talk to me. Some may call this manipulative, but I needed to know what was wrong, and I needed to ask him in a place where he couldn't just walk away.

My phone rang, which startled me, and I quickly answered it, so the ringing wouldn't wake up my brother. I hadn't even checked the Caller-I.D. before I put the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" I whispered into the phone, migrating out onto the back porch as a I spoke.

"Hey, babe," Demi greeted. "Sorry – I know it's early. I just wanted to call before my meetings start today. How is everything?"

I sighed heavily, relieved that she called yet embarrassed that Jake and I hadn't had the conversation yet. "It's okay. He's still sleeping, but I'm about to wake him up and take him to breakfast where I can talk to him. Look, I'm really sorry for making us come home a day early for no reason–"

She cut me off. "Stop. Don't do that. You wouldn't have been able to sleep last night if you didn't go home. Plus, you wouldn't have caught him in that lie if we stayed in L.A. You needed to do this. It's okay."

"I know, it's just..." I leaned against the railing on the balcony and looked out at the trees. "I just feel bad for making you come here and everything. I know you had to pull a lot of strings to make it happen. I guess I'm trying to say... Thank you."

Her cute giggle sounded through the phone, so lively that I could've thought she was right beside me. "It's okay, love. I'm glad you're home and that everything is okay. I wish you the best of luck with talking to him, and I'm here if you need me. Say the word, and I'll be there. I... I'm here for you."

"Thank you. And I'm glad you're in town to see your family. If you need me, I'm here for you, too." I was usually great at talking to girls I was in a relationship with, but for some reason, I was terrible at this. I didn't know how to talk to her without sounding stupid. I was dancing around the three words I so desperately wanted to say. "You have a good day with your meetings, okay? And maybe I can see you later?"

"Of course, baby. I can't wait. And maybe if things go well with Jake, we can have dinner together – just the three of us?" She sounded hopeful, but it made me laugh a little.

"Hey, don't push it. He's struggling with this information enough as it is," I joked, though I was partially serious. "We'll see. I'll talk to you later, okay? Have a good day, babe."

I could hear her smiling through the phone when I realized this was my first time calling her that. "Okay, love. You, too."

With that, we hung up. I tucked my phone into my pocket and entered the apartment again, finding Jake finally leaving his room. He groaned and rubbed his head, heading towards the bathroom. A few seconds later, he brought a pill bottle of Acetaminophen into the kitchen. After popping two pills into his mouth, he shoved his head under the sink faucet and collected a gulp of water in his mouth to force the pills down.

"Headache?" I asked him, taking the bottle of pills back to the kitchen.

He slowly nodded, wincing at the light and at his own movements. "Killer. But I'll be fine."

I nodded in understanding. "It's fine if you don't feel up for it, but if you want to, I'd like to take you to iHOP for breakfast. That sound like something you're interested in?" I knew that was his favorite place for breakfast.