Nothing is ever fine but I can't tell her that, I can never tell anyone.
I'm afraid if my secret is exposed, people will treat me differently. . . Like fine china. Breakable. Fragile. That's not how I want to be known. I don't want people to whisper behind my back, whispering about my abuse. I don't want rumours being created about how Trevor did this and did that to me.
The next text message is from an unknown number. My heart speeds up as my mind wonders to the night where I received the call from the person claiming to be my dead father. Since then, I've had no other calls but the thought of it still causes an uneasy feeling to settle inside my stomach. I breathe in sharply, composing myself before my eyes scan over the text —
Are you ok? -J.
I bite my lower lip as I try to figure out who's texting me. It takes me a while to realise but eventually, I get it. J is obviously Jake.
How did he get my number?
Why does he care if I'm okay?
My heart begins to pick up speed once again but not because I'm afraid. . . Because I think Jake cares about me. Why else would he ask how I am? I quickly push the thought to the back of my mind. The boy doesn't care about people, definitely not me. I decide against ignoring him so I quickly text him back, wondering whether he'll even respond.
I'm fine, thanks. Em.
I send the text and don't expect to get a response back immediately. I sit and stare at my phone for a few moments, surprised that he's texting me.
Where were u today? And if you didn't already know, it's Jake.
I roll my eyes and text him back, a ghost of a smile flickering across my face.
Me - I know it's you, silly. And I was at home, busy.
Jake - Can I call you?
I hesitate at my phone, taken aback by Jake's request. I'm afraid if he hears my voice, he'll sense the pain I'm feeling. I bite down on my lower lip, strangely wanting to hear his voice. I feel so lonely and maybe talking to Jake will take my mind off things. . .
Me - Sure.
My phone rings instantly and I glance down at it for a second or two, unsure of what to do. Without thinking too hard about it, I answer the phone, holding it up to my ear.
"Hello?" I whisper, my voice quiet and hoarse.
"Hey Emily."
I smile, liking how my name sounds coming from him. I'm also surprised at how comfortable I feel talking to him.
"Hi Jake."
"Are you okay?" Jake asks. I notice his voice is deeper than usual with a hint of raspiness.
"Yeah, I'm probably coming down with the flu or something. Have you been sleeping?" I ask him, sounding amused.
"You got me."
I laugh quietly, pulling the duvet up to my chin. My body sinks into the covers and I sigh, shoulders slumping in relief.
"Do you want me to come round and keep you company? I can bring medicine." Jake responds, his voice raspy.
"At half eleven? It's dark outside." I respond, ignoring the flutter in my stomach. I can't believe Jake Melvin just offered to keep me company and bring me medicine.
"I'm a night person," Jake responds back, humour lining his voice.
"Like a vampire?"
"Yeah, I'm pretty good at the whole blood sucking thing as well."
"Gross Jake," I giggle, his voice washing away any feeling of loneliness. Instead a warm sensation grows inside my chest and a smile stretches across my face.
"I thought all girls love vampires?" Jake jokes. I roll my eyes at his stereotypical thought —
"Not this girl. Besides are you trying to make me love you?"
My words are risky, directed to be a joke. Once they leave my lips, I instantly regret them. Jake pauses for a moment on the other end, silence falling between us.
"I don't need to try," he eventually replies and I immediately scoff, the conversation turning light hearted once again.
"You're so big headed. Not every girl wants you Jake."
"That's where you're wrong Muffin. No-one can resist my handsome face and bright bubbly personality." His tone of voice is sarcastic, causing me to giggle once again.
"Are we still describing you? Because that sounds nothing like you Jake." I respond.
"Ouch, that hurt Wentworth."
"Do you want me to kiss it better?" I tease, feelings my cheek ache from the grin on my face. Jake chuckles on the other end and I imagine him smirking, a cheeky glint in his eyes.
Gorgeous blue eyes that resemble the ocean.
"I'd love for you to kiss it better." Jake responds without hesitation. I pause, noticing the playfulness right his voice has disappeared. I swallow the lump in my throat nervously, unsure of how to respond.
"I'll hold you to that." I say quietly, a slight shiver running down my spine. Jake pauses on the other line for a brief second —
"Make sure you do Muffin."
We end up chatting on the phone for the next hour, talking about all the silly things in life. The conversation never turns deep but I prefer it that way. One thing I notice is that I couldn't stop smiling and giggling the entire conversation.
After the call, I turn my phone off, putting it underneath my pillow. Jake made me feel better. I don't quite feel like I've just done ten rounds with Mike Tyson and obviously lost.
I close my eyes, drifting off into one of the most peaceful sleeps I've had in a long time. My dreams are focused around the people in my life that make me happy. The people who make me smile and cause a warm feeling to settle inside my stomach from the thought of them.
Dad, Trish, Grandad, Ivory, Jake. . .
Yes, even I'm surprised at the last one.
Chapter Nine - Return of the creep.
Before I enter the little cafe ten minutes away from home, I check the surrounding area for any sign of Trevor. I can't risk him ever finding out about this place, I treat it like my save haven. I enter the warmth and exhale deeply, feeling my shoulders relax.
I love to sit by the window when it's raining and watch as droplets of rain slide down the glass. The cafe holds a special place in my heart and reminds me of my father.
After ordering a hot chocolate and a toasted cheese sandwich, I scan the dining area and make my way towards a booth in the far back.
The delicious scent of warm chocolate, coffee beans and pastry permanently lingers in the air. My stomach grumbles loudly in protest, screaming out for something to ravish.
I can't remember the last time I ate.
"Here you go, sweetheart." The owner smiles, placing the plate down onto the table. The smell of toasted bread and cheese hits me and my stomach rumbles embarrassingly.
"Thank you," I respond, smiling at her in return. As she begins to walk away, my phone buzzes inside my pocket. I smile immediately as I pull it out, hoping to see Jake's contact flash up on the screen.
It isn't Jake.
My palms begin to sweat and I look around, the paranoia building up inside me. My hands begin to tremble as I scan over the text a second time —
Stranger: You shouldn't be skipping college. . . I'm watching you Emily.
Who is this person? Why are they watching me?
That's so incredibly creepy!
Emily: Who are you? Leave me alone!
I quickly send the text, slamming my phone down onto the table. I blow out the breath I'm holding and lean back against the chair, closing my eyes.
Suddenly I don't have much of an appetite.
*****
After finishing up at Lulu's, I decide the safest place for me to be is college. It's supervised by teachers and somewhat safe. I've already missed two hours but showing my face is better than not attending at all. On the way there I can't help shake the feeling that I'm being followed, my every move watched.
I knock on my classroom door and enter. My eyes land on a substitute teacher sat behind the desk instead of Mrs Wilkins.
"Sorry I'm late, I had a dentist appointment." I explain briefly before taking a seat next to Trish. I feel terrible, my body is weak a
nd constantly in pain.
I managed to hide the bruises forming on my skin underneath a grey turtle neck jumper. I ignore the stares around me and pull out a text book from my bag, placing it onto the desk. Beside me, Trish leans in closer —
"You look terrible Em, shouldn't you be at home resting?"
I shake my head, giving her a small smile.
"I feel fine." I lie effortlessly.
"Is it the flu? What if it's Ebola?" Trish grimaces and I notice her not so subtle way of creating distance between us. I immediately giggle and curse myself for doing so as pain shoots through my side. I grip onto it tightly, waiting for the pain to subside.
"It's not Ebola," I explain, breathing in and exhaling out slowly.
"It's always better to be safe than sorry. Ebola kills quickly." Trish continues, her eyes wide as she inspects me from head to toe.
"Would that be such a bad thing?" I mumble under my breath. Trish leans in towards me, her eyes vacant. I know she didn't hear me and I sigh, plastering a smile on my face —
"I'm fine, Trish. Let me copy your notes that I've missed." I mumble, reaching for her book. She nods and pushes it further in my direction. I begin catching up, my eyes flickering from book to paper. Trish shuffles her chair closer to me and bumps shoulders with mine.
"I have so much to tell you!" Trish squeals under her breath. It's a completely innocent interaction but the force of the impact against my bruised muscles causes me to hiss in pain.
I suck in a breath and yelp, jumping backwards. Her eyes widen and she stills, watching me squirm beside her. I close my eyes and silently pray the tears building up inside my eyes will disappear.
"Excuse me," I mutter, my jaw clenched from the pain. I quickly stand up and head straight for the door, ignoring the murmurs of my classmates behind me. I don't care anymore, all I want is the pain to stop. I run through the empty hallway, pushing past the double doors and heading straight for the girls bathroom. Tears roll down my cheeks and I wipe them away quickly.
I'm strong, I can do this.
I release a small whimper and squeeze my eyes shut.
I'm not strong at all. . . I'm lying to myself.
I hear the door push open and I hide my face behind my hands, hoping whoever it is would leave me alone.
"Emily?" His voice is low and lined with concern.
"Leave me alone," I respond, my words muffled behind my hands. I glance up through my blurred vision to find Jake standing against the doorway, a worried expression on his face. Upon noticing the tears in my eyes, he walks towards me and crouches down.
I immediately feel my stomach twist in nerves and I want to shuffle backwards but for some reason, I don't. His blue eyes watch me intensely for a moment, scanning over my features. Eventually he looks directly at me, blue eyes darkening —
"I think it's time you tell me what's going on with you." Jake says firmly.
I remain silent, unable to let him into my thoughts. I can't tell anyone, the thought terrifies me.
Jake sighs at my silence and reaches up, wiping away a tear with his fingers. I immediately freeze, sucking in a deep breath from the way his fingers feel against my cheeks. He places one hand under my chin, tilting my head up so that I'm holding eye contact with him.
"The teacher wouldn't allow Trish to leave." He mumbles apologetically.
"What about you?" I ask him quietly.
"I'm not going to let a teacher stop me." He responds, giving me a small smile. I swallow the lump in my throat and search his eyes.
"Please talk to me," Jake pleads, his voice softening. I close my eyes and shake my head, leaning back against the wall. The words that I want to tell him are at the tip of my tongue but no matter how hard I try, I can't speak the truth.
"My life is completely messed up." I eventually mumble, being vague.
"Oh look, we have something else in common." Jake smiles, his tone playful. He reaches forward and pulls me into his chest. His body feels warm and for the first time since my dad died, I feel safe.
The feeling of safety is one that I haven't felt for years. I'm surprised that someone like Jake Melvin is the first person to make me experience it. I can hear the soft thumping of his heart through his shirt and I sniffle, burying my head closer to him.
"It's going to be okay." Jake reassures me despite being oblivious to the truth.
"You can't possibly know that," I whisper in response. His arms tighten around me and I relax against him, breathing in his warm scent. A comfortable silence falls upon us until Jake gently pushes backwards, his eyes meeting mine. I feel embarrassed and reach up, wiping away the last of my tears.
"Sorry, I must look a mess right now." I mumble, a red tint covering my cheeks. Jake doesn't respond and looks at me intensely, almost as if he wants to say something. Before he does, his phone begins to beep inside his pocket. He reaches for it but doesn't break eye contact with me and his stare makes me feel vulnerable and exposed.
I clear my throat and look away, focusing on a small piece of rubbish on the floor. From the corner of my eye, I see Jake smile before glancing down at his phone. The smile on his face vanishes as his eyes scan over the message —
"I have to go."
I nod quickly but can't help feeling dis-heartened. Jake notices my disappointment and sighs before running a hand though his hair. He stands up off the floor, holding out a hand for me to take. I reach out, placing my hand in his and I'm not surprised that his hands radiate warmth just like his body.
"Thank you," I say quietly, noticing how close our bodies are. As his chest rises, it lightly bushes mine before falling back down again. Butterflies flutter in my stomach at his close proximity.
"Anytime," Jake whispers. He inches forward, raising his hand to tuck a piece of stray hair behind my ear. I automatically flinch without realising.
"Why do you do that?" Jake asks suddenly, looking at me with his head slightly tilted to the side. I glance away, unable to keep eye contact with him as I'm afraid he'll be able to see right through my lies.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I mumble. Jake raises an eyebrow and opens his mouth to respond but his phone beeps multiple times.
"Fuck," He mutters under his breath, clearly annoyed at the person on the other end. He answers the call, holding his phone up to his ear. As he listens, his blue piercing eyes never leave mine. I find mesmerised by the swirls of ocean blue waves in his eyes.
My eyes briefly flicker down to his lips and I feel my breathing shallow out as I imagine kissing him.
Jake inches closer and raises his hand, letting it glide down a strand of my dark hair. His eyes follow the movement of his fingers and I feel the ferocious beating of my heart inside my chest.
"Don't let him leave, I'll be there in twenty," Jake murmurs, breaking the silence. His tone is low and lined with a danger I haven't heard before.
His voice snaps me out of the trance and I blink, taking a step back. It's my turn to raise my eyebrow at him questioningly.
"Who's that?" I say warily. Jake shrugs, acting completely laid back and calm.
"Business. I'll see you later," Jake says quietly. I can respond with is a simple nod of my head. Jake takes a step back, his eyes flickering over me one last time. He sighs unhappily before disappearing out of the bathroom. I watch him go and silently wish he'd turn back around again.
Chapter Ten - The party before my birthday.
"Party at mine! Everyone's coming." Ivory grins excitedly, handing me and Trish a note with an address scribbled messily across it.
Only an hour remains before school will officially be over for the weekend. I immediately open my mouth to let her know I can't make it. It's my automatic response to any social situation. Trish grabs hold of my arm, pulling me back before I can speak.
"We'll be there, count us in!" Trish smiles. Ivory does a small cheer before moving onto the group of people beside us.
"Trish! I don't go to parties, you know that." I tell her. Trish
pouts sadly, giving me her best puppy dog eyes. It's so hard to resist her puppy dog eyes.
"Please Em! It's your birthday tomorrow so think of it as your birthday party! I know it's not your scene but do this for your best friend. Please?" Trish whines, her voice dripping with persuasion. I roll my eyes at her but can't help my lips from tugging up into the smallest of smiles.
"I'll see what I can do," I respond, feeling the nerves and excitement beginning to build up inside me. I've imagined my first party for so long . . .
I pull out my phone and find my mothers number before taking a deep breath and calling her. Trish nervously sits beside me, her leg bouncing up and down in anticipation. I cross my fingers on my left hand and Trish does the same with both of hers, mirroring my actions. I need all the luck I can get. Mum finally answers after a few rings. I breathe in deeply, ready to throw my acting skills in her direction.
"Hey Mum! So it's really close to exam week and I'm behind on homework. I was wondering if I could spend the night at Trish's house. You remember my friend Trish from school, don't you?" I ask, blabbering way too fast.
"Emily slow down! Yes I remember Trish." Mum says on the other end. I bite down on my lip, waiting for her to decide whether I can stay with Trish tonight.
"Fine, can study at her house tonight but remember you need to be home early tomorrow morning for your birthday."
My mouth flies open in shock. Mum actually agreed to let me stay out for the night. I did lie to her but she doesn't need to know the real reason, right?
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I say quickly, ending the call before she can change her mind. Trish's eyes light up and she squeals loudly, holding out her arms. I squeal back in response and lunge for her, embracing her in a tight hug.
"I can't believe this! My best friend is going to part-ay with me tonight!" She pulls me back happily, placing her hands on either side of my face. I grin widely, feeling the excitement practically burst through me.
"Maybe Jake will be there?" Trish teases, wiggling her brows at me suggestively. I feel my cheeks heat up in embarrassment and lightly slap her arm.
His Mission (HIS SERIES Book 1) Page 5