Chapter Four

Elena's POV:

"Maybe I imagined it?" I said to myself.

Then an idea popped into my head. I knew it was wrong, but it was the only way to find out what was going on in his head.

I stepped closer to Sam and put my hand on his shoulder.

I whispered in his ear. “Don't tell my brother that I said it, but I agree with you. Brandon is stubborn,”

“I will keep it a secret,” Sam smiled and replied.

Jake was still staring at us like he was ready to chew us alive. His eyes didn’t leave me alone once. There was anger and traces of betrayal in his eyes. I didn't understand why he was feeling that. And why his possessivness was pleasing me.

I made an excuse and went to my room. I entered my room, closed the door behind me, and glanced at myself in the mirror.

My face looked pale, and I felt dizzy. If I get too excited or worried about something happening to me.

There was a knock outside my door. I took a deep breath and opened my bedroom door to find Jake.

He entered my room and shut the bedroom door.

My heart started to beat faster at his presence. He looked drunk and angry.

“What are you actually trying to do, Elena? Why are you making things complicated for me? Don’t you think I’ve enough pain and guilt on my plate for a lifetime?” He asked me.

I stared at him, and his eyes were betraying him again, telling me how vulnerable he was from the inside.

“I’m not trying to do anything, Jake. I’m not making things complicated for you. I just want you to be the same as before. I want you to be like the old Jake that I knew. He was carefree, happy, and always smiling. I don’t like the new you. The sad and drunken one,” I said, looking straight into his eyes.

He took a step closer to me until my back was pressed against the wall behind me. His sexy cologne encircled my head.

“Why do you care, Elena? And why did you kiss me this morning?” He asked, looking at me with his intense green eyes.

“Why do you care so much that I kissed you? And why did you kiss me back, huh?” I asked him.

"Why?" I asked him.

“I asked you first, so answer me,” He said furiously.

I glared at him, and he glared at me back.

“You said you wouldn’t have done that if you were not dreaming and drunk, but you kissed me back when you were awake and completely sober, so I kissed you to prove my point,” I said.

“And what did you gain after that?” He asked me sarcastically.

"I don't want to tell you," I said.

“I’m not going to answer you again until I’ll get an answer to my last question,” I said stubbornly.

“Any hot-blooded male would’ve kissed you back, Elena. I did nothing unusual, so don’t read too much into that”. He said, stepping away from me.

I laughed at his answer. I knew what he was trying to do when he said that it was nothing unusual. He was trying to push me back, and I promised myself I wouldn’t let him do that. But it didn’t mean his words were not hurting me.

“How am I supposed to know that any hot-blooded male had done the same when you were the only one I have kissed?” I asked him.

"How am I supposed to knwo?" Iasked myself.

This time Jake’s eyes widened. He looked panicked and guilty at what he said earlier.

“Elena, it was wrong. You’re my best friend's little sister,” He said.

“And it makes me different from any other girl. How exactly?” I asked him.

“It makes you different from any other girl because I can sleep with other girls and forget about them the next day, but you’re not one of those girls, and try not to become one,” He said.

Did his words rip my heart? Yes, his words ripped my heart and shredded it into pieces.

I opened my mouth to tell him to get out of my room when my stupid vasovagal syncope disease (occurs when your body overreacts to certain triggers, such as the sight of blood or extreme emotional distress. It causes your heart rate and blood pressure to drop suddenly, resulting in fainting) decided to make its presence known.

My eyes went shut, and I started to fall. But I never felt the hard floor under me.

Jake was yelling my name, and it was my last memory before I shut the world off.

Jake’s POV:

I caught Elena in my arms and laid her head on my lap in panic.

“Elena! Elena!” I yelled her name.

She looked at me then her eyes went shut.

I didn’t understand why she fell unconscious suddenly and panicked at the sight of her lying unmoving on the floor.

I picked her up in my arms in bridal style and laid her on the bed. I placed my hand on her forehead; it was cold like the rest of her body. I picked up the water bottle from her nightstand and splashed some water on her face. She made a noise and then turned to her right.

“Elena,” I said her name.

“Go away,” She mumbled lightly.

I sighed in relaxation but wanted to know if she was fine before leaving.

“Elena, are you fine?” I asked her.

Her eyes popped open at my question, and she looked at me confused and then sat on the bed.

“What are you doing in my room?” She asked me.

“You fainted, and I was just trying to see if you were fine,” I said.

Her hands fisted the sheets, and her head snapped my way.

“Why do you care, Jake?” She asked me sarcastically. “Don’t you think it’s wrong to take care of me? I am your best friend’s sister,” She added.

I took a deep breath.

“Elena, what did you expect me to do? Leave you on the floor?” I asked her.

“Yes, you should’ve left me on the floor because taking care of someone is a crime, right?” She asked me.

“Okay, that’s it. Next time, if you would pass out, I will leave you on the floor”. I said, showing my hand in surrender.

She glared at me, reminding me of the day we first met. She glared at me the same way, and I found it cute. I felt my mouth twitching in a smile.

“I never expected anything else from you,” She said and got up from the bed. She made her way to the vanity table and combed her hair.

“Where are you going?” I asked her worried.

She turned to me and said, “I’m going back to join dinner, where I was supposed to be in the first place, enjoying.”

I wanted to tell her that she should be resting.

“You fell unconscious just a few seconds ago, and your body was cold. You should call a doctor and get checked”. I said, trying not to sound caring.

“I’m perfectly fine,” She said, then pulled out a bottle of medicine from the drawer and popped two tablets in her mouth.

I felt something twisting in my chest when I saw her taking medicines.

“Why are you taking meds, Elena?” I asked her.

She opened her bedroom door and walked out, ignoring me completely.

I clenched my jaw in irritation and followed her.

She made her way downstairs. And before she could make her way to the backyard where dinner was arranged. I took hold of her wrist and pulled her back. I didn’t realize my force was that strong, and she collided with my chest.

“What are you doing, Jake? Leave me,” She said, looking into my eyes.

For a moment, I was frozen and forgot what I was supposed to say to her.

Elena was looking beautiful even when she was angry, glaring daggers at me.

“I asked you something, and you didn’t answer me. And I’m not going to let you go until you tell me what those medicines are for?” I said.

“Jake, stop acting as if you care,” She said, gritting her teeth.

She was infuriating me. I wanted to tell her, yes, I care for her. I care for everybody in her family because they are the only people left in my life that I can call my family.

I placed my hand behind her waist and pulled her closer, trapping her between my arms.

“I’m not going to let you go, so tell me?” I asked her.

She stared at me and her face softened.

“I’m fine. I took those tablets to keep myself calm. After my parents’ accident, I was diagnosed with vasovagal syncope; it’s nothing serious but occurs when I feel extreme emotions like excitement or distress”. She said.

“You never told me”. I said.

She leaned closer and whispered in my ear. “You have been gone for six years, Jake. Many things have changed.”

" Fof six years? Do you realize it?" I asked hi

She placed her hand on my chest, and I stared at her not knowing what was happening to my brain. I didn’t want to let her go. She felt perfect in my arms.

We heard the sound of someone clearing their throat loudly and jumping apart.

Alyssa was standing there looking at us with her wide sapphire color eyes. Her gaze held amusement and confusion.

"I was coming to check on you, Elena. You suddenly disappeared," Alyssa said staring at Elena.

"Yeah, I wasn't feeling well. I just went to my room to freshen up. But I'm fine now, let's go back."

Elena dragged Alyssa with her, not even looking back at me once.

I had no idea what was wrong with me. Why didn't I want to let her go? Why did my heart begin to beat faster? Why couldn't I stop staring at her?

I hadn't felt this way since I lost Hanna. She was the only woman who could make me crazy.

Why it had to be her? I asked myself but didn't receive any answer.

"I needed a drink," I mumbled to myself.