The Problem With Musicians

Chapter 17

Jake gaped at me for a moment, his face reminding me of a fish. He obviously hadn't expected me to agree, and honestly I was surprised I had agreed as well. I knew though, that if I had not agreed now, he would continue this for the rest of the year, and I don't think that would be something I could bear.

He moved and sat down against the wall next to me, yet giving me my personal space. He sat there for a moment with his guitar laying across his lap, staring down at his hands. I watched Jake for a moment, waiting for him to speak, then started to allow my eyes to wander over him and the guitar.

I recognized the guitar immediately, since it was the one he first used to sing 'Wanted' to me. I gulped back a breath of air as the twang of the strings floated through my head with Jake's voice accompanying it. I tore my eyes away from it and, where else would they land, but upon his face.

His eyes looked red, puffy, and swollen, as if he were to have been crying. I tried to ignore that thought as I scanned the rest of his facial features. He had a slight five o'clock shadow appearing around his jaw, and his hair was more ruffled than usual. Then, out of anything Miranda could have possibly made him do, I notice the faintest trace of makeup.

I bite my lip to stiffle a giggle as I make out the slightest amount of mascara and a hint of foundation. I hope that it was Miranda making him wear it, rather than him choosing to my himself. When I could bear the silence anymore I simply said "Okay, you came here to talk to me. Not for me to talk to you. So start talking, or I am leaving."

   Jake turned his head suddenly, staring at me. I was shocked by his eyes, and just a little bit mesmirized by their color till I remembered he dance. Do not let him sweet talk you, think about the dance if he tries. The dance. The dance. The. Dance.

He took a deep breath, then opened his mouth. "Melissa. I am so sorry. I am a fucking dumbass. I know that for sure. What we had, was perfect. Then I had to go and fuck it up at the dance. I don't even know why I did that. It was stupid, idiotic and selfish of me. If I could take it all back, I would instantly. Please, please. I am so, so fucking sorry."

Jake watched me, his eyes watery yet a bit of determination seeping into them. I stared at him, processing the information, thinking through all of it. "Then why did you do it?" Were the first words, falling through my lips.

Jake looked stunned, so I stumbled on "I-I mean. You did not have to go and do that with Miranda. You could have walked away, but no. You stayed there with her, and let me find you. It did not seem like you would be the type to do such a thing, so why, why did you go and kiss her, right there, in front of everyone?"

I narrowed my eyes, fury and anger sloshing into my veins. Why had he done that? I knew Jake, he had worked so hard to get me, why would he have thrown it away so easily and so fast?  He gulped, tearing his eyes away and focusing on his hands that were strumming slightly on the guitar's strings. All I needed was an answer. Yet of course, the one person who give me an honest, truthful answer, was ignoring me.

I cleared my throat, drawing Jake's attention back to me again as I waited for him to speak. He sighed, staring at me for a moment before looking back down to his hands as his mouth opened. "She- she threated both of us. She said she was going to somehow hurt you in such a way you would never be able to dance again, and she threated the burn this guitar. It was my first one, my dad got it for me, and it is extremely special."

"I did not want you to stop dancing, espically with you getting the solo dance for the concert. I knew, that even though I screwed everything up I would have the rest of the year to try and make it up to you. I realize that I should have come found you immeadiately after the dance but I was scared. Scared that if I left and Miranda found out, she would carry out her threats, even though she had gotten what she wanted." When Jake finished, he looked straight over at me, his eyes burning into mine.