Chapter One

Elena’s POV:

I took the glass of champagne and made my way toward the man who had emptied every bottle of alcohol available in the bar.

“Hi,” I said, leaning on my arms on the counter, assessing him from head to toe.

“Hi, princess,” Jake replied, still busy drinking.

His husky voice made me shiver, and I tightened my hand around the glass.

I did not know why but I had always loved it when he called me princess.

My eyes searched his face to find traces of the Jake I knew. The boy I played with and saw him sleeping on our couch thousands of times. The one who used to make me laugh with his silly jokes and pulled pranks on every single person in the neighborhood.

I recalled inquiring him once why he liked to make people laugh, and he responded. 

"It’s better to make people laugh than make them cry."

The man standing beside me was nothing like the Jake Carter I had a crush on. This man looked hollow from the inside, hopeless and helpless. However, his handsome face has lost some youthfulness due to the five o’clock shadow on his face. But he still looked as attractive as before, or maybe even more. The fitted black tux and loose black tie around his neck made him look sexier than any other man at the wedding. I was hoping he wouldn't notice me checking him out.

"That will be embarrassing," My mind mumbled.

 I wish I had my camera with me, so I could take his pictures without him knowing. 

"Why he has to look so sensual?" I asked myself.

I knew he was coming here to attend the wedding because Brandon threatened him. I knew I will have to see him, but I didn't know I would feel such strong emotions for him after so many years.

I wish he hadn't come. I was living a perfectly healthy life without him.

"Waiting for him," My mind taunted me.

I should have known that he would come. After all, my brother told him that if he didn't come himself, my brother would come to get him himself.

“How has life been in the past six years?” I asked him.

“Cruel,” He replied, taking a sip of whiskey from his glass.

His eyes were stuck on the couple, watching them with mesmerization. I knew he was happy for them, however, he was feeling the pleasure of giving himself pain.

“You should start a new life,” I said, feeling my heart bleed watching the misery on his face remembering the memories of the last six years.

“It’s not that easy, Elena,” He said, turning to face the first time.

My name sounded so sexy when he said it. I felt a shudder in my body, making me uptight.

“It is not easy, but you can at least try, Jake,” I whispered, controlling my rigid breath.

“What if I don’t want to try?” Jake asked, downing the remaining whiskey in his glass.

"Why not?" I asked him, waiting for his answer.

"Sometimes, living is harder than fighting for life," he said.

"Sometimes, giving yourself a second chance is better than giving up," I said.

"I think I should go now," Jake said.

My heart started to beat faster. I didn't want him to leave without answers.

He turned around to leave, but when Noah announced its time for the bride and the groom's first dance, Jake stopped.

Everyone stopped and stared at Brandon and Madeline swaying on Ed Sheeran's song “thinking out loud.”

Jake was distracted at that moment staring at Brandon and Madeline.

I took that as a chance to hold his hand in mine, lacing my fingers and gripping his hand so he wouldn't leave.

My eyes went to his face; his blue eyes were on Brandon and Madeline like he was happy yet sad for some reason that no one knew.

Brandon and Madeline stopped dancing, and Noah invited other guests to join them.

I saw my dad dragging mom to the dance floor, and I smiled.

Noah took his wife's hand and started swaying. I could see how shy she looked as she was dancing with my brother.  

The way Jake was staring made my heart ache for him. I grabbed his arm and give it a light tug.

"Come on, dance with me? You cannot say no to your princess. Can you?” I said, pleading to heaven above that he would stay for longer.

He shook his head at me with a broad smile on his face.

“You are still as stubborn as you were six years ago,” Jake said, taking my hand and walking us toward the dance floor.

I put my hands on his shoulder, and he placed his hands on my waist, grabbing me and swaying with me. We were on the dance floor with other couples dancing around, but I didn't notice them. My eyes were fixed on Jake's face.

“You haven’t changed as well. You still don’t know how to refuse my silly demands,” I whispered in his ear.

He stared into my eyes for a few seconds, then cleared his throat.

We started to sway to the music enjoying the few moments with each other.

“How long are you staying for Jake?” I asked him, hoping he would say he was here to stay forever.

“I am staying here for a few months. Dad’s office needs some attention.” Jake replied.

“Where are you staying?” I asked him, trying not to sound like a stalker.

“I’m staying at my house. We're going to be neighbors for a while,” Jake said.

Unintentionally, his hand brushed my bare back, and butterflies exploded in my stomach. I felt fragile and cold as his touch gave me such an intense shiver.

He removed his hand before I could relish the feeling of his cold hand on my skin.

“Sorry,” Jake mumbled.

I felt stupid for not believing my twin brother. He told me Jake had no idea I had a crush on him. I guess he is a better judge of people and knows how to read people better than me.

“It’s fine,” I said, taking a step closer to him and wrapping my arms around his neck.

Jake looked uncomfortable at the closeness of our bodies, and it pained me to see him moving away from me.

“I think I should leave, Elena.” He said, looking desperate to leave.

My name sounded foreign to my lips. I was so used to hearing him call me princess that my name coming from his mouth felt strange. I didn't like how he was treating me as if I was a stranger.

I nodded and kissed his cheek like I used to do when I was a kid when he would give me my favorite chocolates. My lips lingered on his cheek a little longer than intended.

Jake looked a little shocked and somewhat flustered, after receiving the kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you for coming here. I'm sure your best friend loved it," I showed my gratitude to him for appearing at the wedding.

"But you didn't have to come if it was such torture," I added.

"What can I say? Maybe torture is actually the only pleasurable thing left in my life," He said sarcastically.

"Maybe it's the other way around. You don't want to feel pleasure because torture is something you crave," I said.

He started at me, knowing that I was right. For the first time, he really looked at me. His eyes went up and down on my body, making me clench my stomach.

"You know me better than I know myself, princess," he said.

My heart stopped beating for the moment when I heard him call me princess. Time really turned frozen, and everything faded from my view.

"Pull all the pranks for me, and please make Brandon's life hell," Jake muttered before turning and leaving the venue while I stood frozen in my spot.

I was staring at the retreating figure of Jake when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to find Eric, my twin brother, looking at me with a silly grin.

“May I have this dance, princess?” He said, taking my hand and twirling me around.

“I don’t like your stupid moves, Eric. Sway your body slowly and please, try not to embarrass us in front of everyone,” I said to my brother, making him grin.

“I am not that bad of a dancer. I assure you my crush wouldn’t run off after having one dance with me,” Erin teased me with a smile.

I glared at him and stepped on his shoe, making him hiss in pain. He glared at me, then covered the pain with a tight-lip smile.

“He was sad, Erin,” I told him.

“We don’t know how it feels to lose the one you love,” Eric said.

“I have eyes, and I can see when someone is in pain, it has nothing to do with experiencing something,” I said to him.

“I have eyes too, and I suggest you stay away from him, else you will end up like him, in pain,” Eric said, leaving me on the dance floor.

I moved away from the dance floor and asked myself if Jake was worth all the pain I would endure making him mine. 

And the answer that I received was the one I knew.

"He is worth enduring all the pain to become him mine," My brain said to me.

I woke up with a jolt and looked around in panic. 

Was I dreaming? Did I dance with Jake at the wedding? I asked myself.

My eyes landed on the dress I wore at a wedding sitting on the chair in my room, and I sighed. I got up from the bed and picked it up, pressing it to my chest.

It was real! We danced yesterday, and he was here.

I jumped in excitement and screamed with bubbling happiness, then my eyes landed on the clock. 

It was nine in the morning.

Why am I awake so early? I groaned in annoyance, but then an idea popped into my head. It was an awesome idea to capture Jake. He won't be expecting me, and his emotions are going to be raw.

"Maybe waking up early is a sign." My brain said.

I went into the washroom and showered, and then dried my hair. I pulled out my jeans high-waisted shorts and paired them with a white V- neck crop top and black and blue floral kimono.

Slowly, I made my way downstairs and sneaked inside the kitchen. Everyone was still asleep as they were tired after the wedding dinner, and sleeping soundly. Having nobody in the kitchen did make my work easy. I prepared pancakes, placed them in a box, and then took the small paper bag from the cabinet. I put the maple syrup with the box of pancakes on it and took the keys to the door.

After putting my jacket on, I sneaked out of the house and crossed the street. I walked in the direction of Carter’s residence. It was just a few streets away from my house. I pressed the bell when I arrived at his house.

I was nervous, and my hands were shaking. I was tapping my foot on the ground impatiently. I waited for minutes and pressed the bell again, but Jake didn’t come out.

I had the keys to his house because after his father died three years ago, Mrs. Carter left this house to go on a world tour with her fiancé. She asked my mom to keep the keys to the house for safety issues and assigned the caretaker. My mom and they were friends, so my mom did it for her.

I took those keys out and unlocked the door, and went inside. I shut the door and looked around in anticipation. The house was dead silent, and everything seemed untouched and clean.

"Is he even living here?" I asked myself.

 I placed the paper bag on the kitchen counter and looked around to find Jake. When I didn't find him on the ground floor, I decided to went upstairs to his room.

"This is wrong, Elena," My mind warned me.

"But, it's Jake's place. He is not a stranger." I reasoned with myself.

I pushed open his bedroom door, and my heart started beating faster. My mouth suddenly becomes dry, and my hands turn sweaty.

Oh My God! I'm in Jake's room. My mind screamed at me.