While walking back home, Jake noticed that Jeremy had called him several times, the same thing was for his father, but since he always kept his phone on silent at best and on airplane mode at worst, he hadn't noticed anything.
Jake stared at the name "Dipshit" on his screen, the well-chosen name for his father, and he didn't know how to feel. Ever since his mother died, Mathew distanced himself from him and Aiden. All he did was work, work, and more work. They barely saw him for ten minutes at most every two or three days.
Jake knew that Mathew was trying to distract himself from pain with work, but this didn't make him any less angry with him. He didn't care if his father didn't want them to see him cry, he wanted him to stay by his side and cry together. He needed him the most back then, but what happened? In just a few days he lost both of his parents. One left this world, and the other behaved as if he had no relations with any of his sons.
This was the case for almost two years until a few months ago...
Usually when taking the drug, Jake wouldn't walk out of his room, no matter what. He would lock himself there and paint or write until he fell asleep. However, that particular day, while high, he had completely forgotten his mother's death and was convinced that she was waiting downstairs for him. While walking down the stairs, he bumped against Mathew who had just come back from work.
At first, Mathew thought his son was drunk. Given the fact that he was aware of Jake's depression, Mathew thought Jake was trying to drown his pain with alcohol, but Jake wasn't drunk. He didn't smell of alcohol nor did he behave like a drunk. Much to Matthew's surprise, Jake was indeed hammered.
For the first time since his wife died, Mathew felt something else that wasn't grief, pain, and sadness. And that was pure anger. He was so angry at his son, he wanted to beat the shit out of him and maybe sober him up during the process, but what reason did he have to do so? Wasn't all this his fault for neglecting him when he knew very well he had clinical depression and insomnia?
Realizing this, Mathew felt his heart breaking, but what almost broke him was when Jake shoved him away and almost incoherently spoke. "Mom is waiting for me."
That one sentence made Mathew fall apart.
Jake didn't think much of it back then, but when he woke up the next morning when his IQ came back online, he wanted to beat the shit out of himself.
However, ever since that day Mathew cut his working hours in half. He wouldn't go to work on weekdays, and he came back home almost at the same time Aiden came back from school every day. When he wasn't home, he would make Jeremy stay home with Jake, so he wouldn't be alone... as if Jeremy needed that old incompetent asshole to tell him that.
This sudden care from his father made Jake feel rather uncomfortable and awkward. He had grown numb to his constant ignoring, but now out of the blue, he cared about him.
Jake snorted and decided to call back only Jeremy. Even though it was almost one in the morning, his best friend picked up his phone.
"Kenny isn't Barbie's boyfriend. He's obviously gay!" Jeremy sleepily mumbled.
"They made him straight in the new series though," Jake said.
"They did?" Jeremy asked surprised.
"Mhmm."
There was silence for a second and Jake thought that maybe Jeremy went back to sleep, but what actually was going on was that Jeremy frowned and looked at the screen of his phone in confusion. "Jake, you idiot, why the fuck are we talking about Kenny being gay or not at one in the morning?"
Jake shrugged even though he knew Jeremy couldn't see him. "You started it."
"Whatever. Did you meet her?"
"I did." Without even noticing it, a gentle smile curved Jake's lips.
"How did it go?"
"..." Remembering how utterly terrified Ryder looked... "Well, she was somewhat interested in me..."
"That's great!" Jeremy exclaimed. "Did you exchange phone numbers? You should send her a message in the morning."
"..."
"Jake?"
"..."
"Jake? Are you there?"
"I might have forgotten to tell you something..."
After giving a brief explanation, Jeremy thought Jake should be very thankful that this conversation was done on the phone, or he would have pulled some Jackie Chan moves on his sorry ass. WHAT THE FUCK DOES "SHE HASN'T SEEN MY FACE" MEAN? What "broke into her backyard"? Is this guy fucking crazy?!
Yet Jeremy refused to give up his hopes. Whatever. As long as Ryder hasn't called the police on Jake, there's still hope.
"You... you sissy brat... I'm coming over after I drop Leah at kindergarten." After saying that, Jeremy brutally ended the call.
An animalistic noise filled the room. It could scare any human miles away. It certainly scared Jeremy away."What the fuck Jake???" He shouted. But Jake, being Jake, ignored him and let out that animalistic noise again.
For a moment Jeremy wasn't sure what was happening and even less what he should do. What is this situation?
Jake was lying down on the floor, wearing only a pair of black boxers, his face pressed against the floor, and he was kicking the floor like a four-year-old kid who didn't get what he wanted.
"Are you high?" Jeremy asked not daring to touch him. But he just took that damned drug yesterday... why again today? Is he getting addicted?
However, this thought wasn't long-lived, for Jake's answer killed it immediately.
"As you can see my dear friend, I'm down... Here on the floor. If I was high, I would be on the ceiling. Does this look like the ceiling to you? Because it doesn't to me. Why? Because this is the fucking floor. So no. I'm not high." And all of that was said in one breath. Jake had no idea how he could even speak so fast. Maybe he should be the next Eminem.
"What?" Jeremy was still confused. "Jake, what is wrong?" Did he hit his head or what? If it were before, Jeremy would roll his eyes and shrug this situation off, for this is how Jake usually behaved before his mother's death but now... Jeremy was truly terrified that this guy finally snapped and turned silly.
"What is wrong? I will tell you what is wrong. I'M STUCK." Jake screamed at the top of his lungs and just to make it more dramatic, he let out that animalistic noise again.
"Where?" Jeremy asked while looking at Jake, trying to figure out where he was stuck, but Jake was lying in the middle of the floor in the fucking middle of the room. Where could he be stuck for God's sake?
"In the book you idiot," Jake shouted, rolling his eyes.
As soon as he came back home, Jake started to write. It's not like he could sleep or anything. He wrote and wrote and then it was morning. However, the more he wrote the more he frowned. The image of Ryder back in her backyard wouldn't leave his head and he couldn't concentrate anymore. He wanted to put that image in his book, but he couldn't. This only angered him to the point of screaming. And that explained the animalistic noises.
"Thank God!" Jake heard Jeremy say. The moment the words reached his ears, he got up immediately.
"What are you thankful for??? I'm stuck you, idiot." Jake punched his shoulder fiercely. However, instead of punching back like he usually would, Jeremy laughed. And obviously Jake didn't expect that. "Are you mentally challenged?"
"You are an ass, Jake," Jeremy said between laughs. So, it turns out it actually was the normal behavior of pre-clinical-depression Jake.
"I know that, but it doesn't explain why you are laughing at my critical situation? Because it is a serious situation."
Jeremy smiled at his friend, unable to hide how relieved and happy he felt at this moment. "It has been almost two years or even more since you last had these kinds of breakdowns because of writing a book."
The indication behind that sentence was clear. Jake frowned and reflected on himself. He wasn't quite behaving like himself today... Jake decided to blame it on his sudden spurt of inspiration from earlier.
Coming to this decision, he lay down on the floor again and started making those animalistic noises once more.
What followed that was a strong impact on his head, making his mind go in circles. What the fuck...
"Stop fooling around, you moron." Jeremy glared at him, but his eyes were filled with joy. That glare didn't look threatening at all. He was holding a six-hundred-page book in his hands.
So he hit me with a book. Wow!
"What are you trying to achieve with all this noise?"
"I'm trying to get inspired." Jake glared at him.
"How? By acting like a freaking bear in labor?" Jeremy said to him. "You better shut up before the neighbors call the police for kidnapping someone."
Jake stood up, took his laptop, and walked to the bathroom, intending to hide in his bathtub.
Jeremy shook his head smiling. God damn it, he really missed the old Jake. "I'm going to make you breakfast. Is there anything you want to eat?" He habitually asked, not expecting any answer, for Jake never gave him one. He wouldn't even eat what Jeremy made him. At most he would munch on some bread before stopping eating even that.
Yet this time...
"Can you make me a sandwich?" Jake's voice came from the bathroom.
Jeremy was shocked to such an extent, that he became a living statue. He must be dreaming. For sure, he must be dreaming. He's willing to eat?!!! Fucking hell! Jeremy ran downstairs like his life depended on it.
Meanwhile, sitting in the bathtub with a laptop on his lap, Jake was thinking about how he needed energy. While coming back from Ryder's house he had almost fainted twice. He can't have that happening again, can he?
Since he couldn't sleep, at least he could try eating something, even though it wouldn't taste like anything to him.
In the end, Jake ended up eating half a sandwich which almost drove Jeremy to tears. He even decided to have a party with his daughter for this happy occasion. Aiden and that incompetent father weren't invited. They would only ruin the mood.
And so Leah, Jeremy, and Jake had a mini-party in Jake's room which was practically just Jake teaching Leah how to paint, Jeremy eating ice cream, his eyes glued to the duo who was messing with paint, while Des Rocs - Nothing Personal blasted from Jake's phone.
"You could use a little action
Run away and lead a life without consequence
Reaching for a book of matches
Strike a light and you'll see the real mess that I am..." Jake sang along. Leah giggled in his arms. Her tiny hands covered in teal paint touched Jake's face leaving a small handprint on his pale skin. A smile softened Jake's eyes as he looked down at Leah.
"Jay is so pretty when he smiles." Leah pinched Jake's cheeks, giggling at the funny look Jake made. "Daddy, I will marry Jay when I grow up."
Jeremy choked on his ice cream. "Cough, cough. NO, YOU WON'T!!!"
Leah hugged Jake's neck as if someone was trying to steal him from her. "Jay is pretty and he is good to me. I want to marry Jay!"
Jeremy glared at Jake. Never in his life, did he think that his best friend would steal his daughter's heart. "Jake is your uncle."
"No, he is my husband."
"Sweetheart, Jake is your daddy's friend. You can't marry him."
"Then you're not my daddy anymore."
"Wha- You little brat!" Getting disowned by his own daughter, Jeremy snapped.
Just then, Jake laughed, which made the bursting with anger Jeremy, freeze and look at Jake like he was Santa.
This is also the exact moment when Mathew opened the door of the room, almost tearing up upon seeing his son laughing after all this time. He, originally, wanted to talk to Jake about not staying outside that late anymore, but after facing a laughing Jake, he forgot everything he was supposed to say.
However, when Jake saw Mathew, the smile on his face faded away and was replaced by a frown. "What do you want?"
"Oh... I... Nothing. Just passing by." Mathew mumbled and closed the door, leaving.
Jeremy snorted, however, he couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for lil old Mathew. He truly was trying, but Jeremy didn't blame Jake for being cold to his father. After all, it had been quite a while since they had a proper conversation. Two years were more than enough to turn people into strangers.
Jeremy left with Leah after it got dark and Jake was once again alone in his room. He tried to pass the time by writing or painting, in other words working, for that was actually his job, yet he couldn't quite concentrate... again.
At some point, he ended up sitting on his bed, a tube of ice cream in his hands, while his eyes were glued to the clock hanging on the wall. The ice cream had melted a long time ago, but Jake failed to notice it. His thoughts were all about Ryder.
Should I go see her again? It should be okay, right?
She wasn't angry at me yesterday... and she wasn't scared of me either after talking for a while.
I should go...
I shouldn't... this isn't normal. I can't even show her my face! I will sound and look like a creep.
But I want to go...
I... I need inspiration.
That's right. I need to go there because I need inspiration.
NO!
Ughhhh!!! What the fuck is wrong with me?!!!
I'm not going. I'm never going again. That's for the best. What right do I have to go to her? To even talk to her?
I'm not going!
So, Jake went to Ryder's house again that night.
It was almost midnight by the time he arrived, and much to his surprise, Ryder was working on her backyard that night as well. Was this a habit of hers?
There was the sweet melody of a piano playing on her phone, while she walked around the backyard. Apparently, her task tonight was to clean the place.
While she was picking up some wood pieces from near the fence where Jake was standing, humming along with the melody, Jake finally decided to talk.
Needless to say, Ryder almost had a heart attack. And so her response to Jake's "You changed the light bulb" was a scream mixed with a cry as she fell to the ground, trembling like a beaten kitten.
Jake didn't know either to laugh or feel sorry.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Ryder roared in a hushed tone. Her parents came back home today, and the last thing she needed right now was for them to know that their precious only daughter talked with a creep, that she had no idea who he was, in the middle of the night. Fortunately, their bedroom was on the other side of the house, the farthest from the backyard so, the chances of them waking up from all the noise were low. "You scared me to death."
Ryder angrily threw one of the pieces of wood to the fence before standing up.
Jake was wearing a dark hoodie again. It covered half of his face and all Ryder could see, be there a working light bulb or not, were just a fair-skinned chin and two pink lips like two soft petals of a rose.
"You really like to be mysterious, don't you?" Ryder glared at the hood. She walked a few steps back from the fence to keep a safe distance from Jake and then spoke again. "Why did you come back again?"
Jake placed an arm over the fence and rested his chin on the crook of it, a faint soft smile hanging on his lips. "I bought ice cream while I was passing by and thought to share it with you." It was the melted ice cream he had forgotten he was holding in his hands and only became aware of it after he had already walked half the way to Ryder's house. He was even holding the spoon Jeremy used!
Jake's eyes shifted to the drafting table standing in the middle of the backyard. "You finished it?" He flicked his chin slightly, gesturing at it.
Ryder glanced at her just finished project and nodded. "Yeah. I'm going to sell it." She bent down and picked the wood pieces, going on with her cleaning. Maybe if she ignored him he would leave. But even after ten or so minutes of ignoring him, with the only thing breaking the silence being the melody of the piano playing, the young man didn't leave.
Actually, Jake was quite enjoying looking at her working, that soft smile still on his lips. He would rather stand there all night, looking at her, than go home. There's nothing at home that could keep him distracted from his own thoughts and pain.
However, after a while, Ryder couldn't take it anymore. "Why aren't you leaving?"
"I like the atmosphere here," Jake answered honestly.
Ryder snorted. She picked up a heavy Medusa head from the ground and tried to lift it up to the headless wooden statue's shoulders. "What is there to like?"
Jake bit his lip, his heart hiccupping for a second. "It's quite romantic."
The cognac eyes of Ryder widened, almost popping off her skull as the Medusa's head fell from her hands, almost breaking her foot. This was the second time she almost hurt her feet because of this guy. Frustration mixed with embarrassment bobbled up as she scorned him. "Stop talking nonsense."
She rushed to her phone to stop the music as her cheeks reddened.
On the other hand, Jake took off the lid of the ice cream tube and merrily dug a plastic spoon in it. Hmm... this actually doesn't taste like nothing. It tastes like strawberry... "Are you sure you don't want some?" He asked Ryder when he noticed she was glaring at him. The already red cheeks turned scarlet. Ryder looked away without responding to him. "What a pity... I bought it for you."
I can't tell her I accidentally took it with me, can I? Or the fact that it is actually melted... and kinda warm... Why does this taste so good?
Jake couldn't remember the last time he could taste what he ate.
"Why would you do that?"
Under the dark hoodie, Jake's ears turned red. Did I sound like a creep by saying that? Shit! Should have just told her the truth. Too late though... "I felt like it."
Ryder frowned, but before she could say anything else, Jake hurried to change the topic. "Do you only make tables?"
Ryder shook her head and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I do whatever I feel like doing."
"For example?"
"Drawing, painting, sculpting, wood carving, have tried making stuffed animals... a lot of things... but I'm not very good at it."
Fucking hell... she truly is amazing! "Jack of all trades, master of none." Jake chuckled.
The corners of Ryder's lips lifted. "Something like that."
Seeing her smile, Jake felt like he could get drunk just by looking at her. His eyes softened as he bit the tip of his thumb. So beautiful...
"Have you tried writing?"
Ryder didn't answer right away. She straightened her back and stared blankly at the dark sky for a moment, thinking about it.
"I have, but I prefer reading more." Suddenly, she remembered something. "What you said last night... Sometimes tears can ease the pain in one's heart... Where is it from? I know I have read them, but I don't remember in which book."
Jake hid his mouth behind the crook of his arm and stared at the girl in front of him. The corner of his lips twitched. Why are we talking about this now?
That quote was from one of the books he had written. Usually, he would blurt out the things he wrote in his books while talking. It had become a habit and he did it without noticing it.
But doesn't this mean Ryder has read his book?
Jake didn't know how to feel about this. Happy? Embarrassed? He felt as if his ego has been fed. But he couldn't tell her it was from the book he wrote. He didn't even remember which book was it from. In the end, Jake just kept his lips sealed.
Seeing that he wasn't responding, Ryder snorted again. What's so fun in acting so mysterious? "How old are you?"
"Young enough." Twenty is young, right?
Tired from cleaning and talking, Ryder sat on the ground, her legs crossed as she pulled blades of grass that were already in a miserable state even without Ryder attacking it like that. "Are you still running away from life?"
Jake's chest suddenly felt heavy. With a voice that didn't reach Ryder, he muttered at himself. "More like hiding from it."
The question was too personal and Ryder knew he wouldn't answer anyway. "Are you going to show up again?"
Jake was taken aback by such a question. Is this permission to come again? It sounds like that to me...
On the other hand, Ryder thought it was a very reasonable thing to ask. He had come three nights in a row, always showing up at the same time, at midnight, and for what? To talk? Is this guy so lonely, that only Ryder is willing to talk to him? That is so sad...
"I don't know..." Jake slowly answered.
Hearing that, Ryder suddenly felt like she was losing something. Were three nights enough for her to get used to this kind of situation? Isn't that a bit stupid coming from her?
"I think you shouldn't."
The turquoise eyes became dull upon hearing that. To hide the frown from the girl sitting cross-legged on the ground, Jake bit his lower lip. "Why?"
Don't drive me away.
Suddenly, one sentence crossed Jake's mind, and his eyelashes trembled.
I'm broken... can I just stay among your broken things then?
"Because I don't know you," Ryder said. "You won't show me your face, tell me your name, or even where you know me from. You might not be dangerous with bad intentions, but it still makes me feel uneasy."
Jake chewed on his lower lip for a bit, and hiding the desperation in his tone, he asked. "What if I give you another hint?"
He's willing to do so if it meant he wouldn't lose this... how could just three nights be enough for Ryder to become his way out of his painful reality?
Ryder widened her eyes, not expecting Jake to say something like that. She was convinced that keeping his identity a secret was really important to him since he has refused to give any proper hints to her. Ryder didn't expect the guy to offer hints as soon as she tried to shoo him away.
"And why would you do that?" She narrowed her eyes at the guy whose face was covered by the hood. "You want to come again?"
Is that even a question? Isn't it obvious enough?
Jake hesitated a bit, then shyly nodded. Ryder was bewildered, even a bit scared, but she couldn't sense any danger or ill intent coming from the young man.
"Why?"
A sigh flurried past his pink lips and Jake bit the tip of his thumb again. "I like talking to you."
"I..."
"We never talked to each other before... it's... it's nice." If it was two years ago, Jake wouldn't shut up for weeks if Ryder just said a word to him...
"I still don't know your name though. It feels a bit weird for me."
"Then how about you give me a name?"
His voice sounded two parts hopeful, three parts desperate. Ryder felt a bit helpless against that voice.
"Wouldn't that be weird for you?"
"I don't mind. People have called me a lot of names before." Aiden calls me all sorts of things, Jeremy as well... but then I have also been called a lot of nicknames by the readers and media since I haven't shown my face... if calling me another name is all it takes for her to let me meet her, I'm willing to change my name to Larry.
But Ryder instantly felt bad for the guy. He must get bullied a lot.
Without even noticing it, Ryder had started to think of names for the stranger. Jake looked at her pinching her lower lip as she thought and smiled a bit.
How can she be so cute?
"Can I call you Midnight then?"
Jake's lips twitched in displeasure upon hearing that name. She has read that book too?!!
Midnight was a character from one of his first books. The book was about a young man, who because of being possessed by demons, would go on a killing spree every midnight, the sight and scent of the blood being the only salvation from the mental and physical pain these demons brought him. That fucker was a total psycho. Jake felt wronged. Why should she call him that? Does Ryder think of him as a psycho?
Yet, upon noticing Ryder beaming proudly like a little child, he didn't have the heart to refuse. "Why not."
"Great then..." Ryder stood up from the ground and patted her clothes in a poor attempt at dusting off the grass and dirt from them. "Give me the hint."
Jake chuckled. "Hmm... I already gave you one."
"No, you didn't." Ryder frowned.
"I did. I told you that we haven't talked before."
The answer angered Ryder whose face turned red and her cheeks puffed. "What the hell am I supposed to do with this half-assed information?" Her arms crossed over her chest. "Give me a proper hint or don't bother showing up again. I will call the police."
Jake smiled. "Okay, okay... hmmm... let me think about it... What if I tell you my height?"
"No. I can find that out myself."
How... Jake was at a loss for words. How could she find out herself? "And how do you plan on doing that?"
A smirk lit up Ryder's features. "You're not standing on your tip toes, or you would have gotten tired after a while and tried to rest for a bit. However, except for shifting your weight from one foot to the other, your height has been the same all this time. All I have to do is measure the height of the fence, approximately add the size of a head to that number and ta da~, I have a rough estimate of your height."
Jake was speechless. What is this Sherlock Holmes shit?!! People can actually do that? SHE can do that? How-...
"Tell me your eye color."
"No."
"Hair color?"
"No."
"You're being unreasonable."
Goddammit, I'm fucking sacred now, okay? She's like Sherlock Holmes! If I tell her my eyes and hair color, by tomorrow, she will know my name.
Nu-uh. I'm not risking it.
"... hmmm... I'm handsome?"
However, Ryder felt so frustrated and annoyed by him, that she wanted to throw hands. Irritated, she picked up her phone from her working table and walked to the back door of her house to leave. Seeing that she had had enough, Jake panicked. "I have a mole on my right hand."
Ryder stopped walking and slowly turned around. One of her feet was inside the house, one outside, her hand on the handle as the door was slightly pushed open. "Elaborate." She narrowed her eyes at him.
Under the hood, Jake blushed. How long has it been since he had felt his face heat up like this? It felt like centuries. Suddenly, feeling awkward, he scratched the back of his neck. "It's on my thumb and it's very small..."
He would usually stare at it while writing or painting...
Jake anxiously stared at the cold and collected expression on Ryder's face. It still wasn't good enough? His hands were sweaty for some reason, and he had started biting on his lower lip again. It felt like a long time before Ryder finally nodded.
"This will do." She waved at him with a small smile on her lips, gentle and soft... Jake's cheeks turned a darker shade of red than before.
Fucking hell... why is she so beautiful?
"Good night then," Ryder said.
"Does this mean I can come tomorrow?" Jake asked.
"Yeah... but you have to come after ten o'clock and leave before midnight." That way her parents would be asleep, and she wouldn't have to stay out in the backyard the whole night. Ryder thought this was a practical solution.
However, Jake had other thoughts. "Is this... Is this why you decided to call me Midnight?" He asked bewildered. Did this girl really name him after the time of the night she would kick him off her house?
"All of the three times you showed up at midnight. That's why." As soon as she explained it, Ryder walked inside the house and locked the door behind her.
EXTRA:
Jake at home: *opens the "Who killed Midnight* document on his laptop*
Jake: *reads at loud* With hands covered in blood, the smell of it intoxicating his thoughts, Kai cracked the smile of a lunatic at the terrified young girl. The knife in his hand felt scorching hot, thirsting for more blood. "Why don't you shed a few tears for me, honey?"Jake: ...Jake: *slams the laptop shut* FUCKING HELL HOW AM I LIKE HIM?!! HA?!!! WHAT MIDNIGHT! THAT GUY IS A FUCKING LUNATIC!Natalie was hired by Mathew a year ago, which was the only good thing he did for Jake back then. After that, he pretty much let it all to Natalie to deal with. It was only recently that he would ask Natalie after every session about Jake's condition or call her from now and then when Jake's behavior was too unpredictable. The last time he called her was three days ago when Jake stayed outside the whole night and came back home only early in the morning, high as a kite, talking nonsense.Now, Mathew was waiting behind the closed door of Natalie's office, where she and Jake were in the middle of the session.Natalie was a middle-aged woman, with kind features and a soft voice that always gave Jake the impression of a children's storyteller. Jake was one of her favorite patients but also one of the most stubborn ones who just wo
Nevertheless, he headed to Ryder’s house. Maybe it was because his stomach was filled or because this time he had Ryder’s consent for visiting her that his footsteps were quicker than the previous nights.He walked to the backyard, strangely in a good mood, but as soon as he got close, a loud shout startled him. Sure enough, when he checked behind the face, what faced him wasn’t only Ryder but also another girl with wild curly hair and a petite body.Jake recognized her immediately. That was Jasmine… that girl was quite the odd type. She had a rather violent nature, but back when he was still in school, Jake had also noticed that despite the fierce attitude, Jasmine was extremely kindhearted. She was the only person Jake had seen around Ryder.If
Mathew, who accidentally fell asleep while waiting for Jake, sitting across the front door on the stairs, sprung up on his feet. The sudden movement made him lose his balance and fall off the stairs. What Jake heard from the other side of the phone was a loud crash and then a groan, soon followed by a curse. "Son of a-" Did he... did he just... Whatever. "Are you coming?" Jake asked while walking down the road at a snail's speed. The fight he just had with Jasmine really exhausted all his energy. He felt as if he could even fall asleep right in the middle of the road. "I'm coming, I'm coming. Tell me the address. Sit somewhere and wait for me. Don't tire yourself." Jake sent the address via text to his father and sat down by the side of the road. The ground was cold, and it froze his buttocks, but he was too lazy to stand. A frozen ass was tolerable. His eyes were glued to the little stuffed cat in his hands and a smile cracked the gloomy expression on his face. His long slender
He was lying on his bed, a warm blanket was thrown over his body. The curtains over the window were pulled closed, only a crack left open for a few sun rays to invade his room. On his desk, there was his laptop, a video playing on it. It was there where the voice came from. It was his mother. Old videos of his mother, talking and laughing playing around the house with a little Jake and a baby Aiden... Seeing her, Jake teared up, feeling like he had wool stuck in his throat, choking him. In the end, he could only say one word, half talking, half sobbing. "Dad." Mathew was sitting in the chair. His arms were crossed on the desk, his head resting on them, apparently sleeping. When he heard Jake's voice, his body tensed. Worried eyes landed on Jake, looking at his face that was on the verge of sobbing. Mathew didn't even think about it before walking to Jake and cupped his face, wiped the tears that escaped from those beautiful turquoise eyes while he checked for scars or whatever mi
After playing for a few hours with Leah while Jeremy fled to work, Jake finally carried the little lady to the backyard along with a huge canvas and dozens of paint tubes and brushes. He put on a six-year-old white t-shirt that had long since been covered in paint on Leah and wrapped a belt around her waist tuning the t-shirt into a long dress. A small blank canvas was put in front of her, a brush in her hand, Leah furrowed her brows in concentration and started to make a mess on the blank canvas.Seeing her occupied like that, Jake smiled and turned his focus to his own canvas. The painting wasn't even halfway done, but he had already hit a wall and couldn't finish the painting no matter what.That was the case two days ago. Today though, it was different. Jake put on some music on his phone, the song Riptide by Grandson blasted in full volume as he sang along."I get high to leave all these problems on the groundThen to my surprise, they're right there when I come back downI do it
Needless to say, both Jake and Jeremy had very peculiar tastes in women. One had a crush on a hermit who looked as if she didn't know what a hairbrush was and didn't quite have an understanding of how society worked, while the other was into girls that looked like they could either beat him up or stab him in an alley.The Grinch often came to the restaurant with her family, and they would almost always fight. The fights were so loud, that it was impossible for people who worked there not to have an understanding of what was going on with them. Apparently, the girl's parents were quite rich and were dissatisfied with their daughter's appearance. They would nag and nag at her about how she was studying for a degree in business, yet looked like Shrek dressed like Death.Today, however, this Grinch had come here alone, which was a first and probably the only chance Jeremy could have. He had already had a crush on this girl for a few months, which had never happened ever since Leah was born
Nina saw Jeremy's back as he left and didn't move her eyes from it until Jeremy walked into the kitchen. Only then did she turn her gaze at the little girl sitting next to her. Leah's eyes were practically sparkling as if she was seeing a unicorn or something. Nina, who had never been looked at with such a gaze, couldn't quite get used to it and blushed again."Isn't your mommy coming?" Nina asked the little girl, feeling a bit like she was taking advantage of a pure soul for her gains. Still, she couldn't stop herself from asking.Her daddy was cute okay! A woman gotta know if a cute guy is taken or not!Leah on the other hand, the pure soul who somehow managed to bully everyone that wasn't Jake, cast an innocent look at Nina as if she didn't understand. "I don't have a mommy. Daddy said that mommy isn't a good mommy and left, so we don't need her anymore. He said that he would find me a new mommy if I wanted one."Nina looked at Leah who practically sold out her own father and could
The first guy who called his name saw that Jake was trying to leave and rushed to block the way, pulling the headphones off his ears. "Why in such a hurry? We haven't seen you ever since you went mental back to school two years ago. Let's hang out."Jake looked the young man up and down and wondered how this guy could survive with a brain with so many holes. Yet on his face, there were no expressions. This wasn't the first time people who knew him from school stopped him in the middle of the street to make fun of him.Some of them were people who used to be his classmates, but most of them were people younger than him who just knew him because of Aiden.By his side, Kim was utterly dumbfounded by what she was witnessing. She heard the three guys call Jake mentally sick, but she wasn't sure why they would do so. He looked pretty normal to her... if she didn't count his weird taste in books.The more she heard the boys mock Jake, who happened to be her crush, the angrier she felt. After
Jake, who was with one foot in dreamland, snapped his eyes open, fully awake now.Didn't we drop this topic?Why did it come back to haunt me?"It's really nothing. Now sleep. You have to go to work tomorrow."But Ryder wouldn't let it go this time. "But he looked like he wanted to tell me something.""You know my dad. He always talks nonsense.""But you threatened him and then you blushed when I asked you about it, so it's not nothing or nonsense as you claim it to be. Even now, you're rubbing your fingertips. You do that every time you're nervous or thinking about something. So what is it?"Jake groaned. "Why do you always pull this Sherlock Holmes thing on me every time I don't want to tell you something?"Ryder smiled and turned around to face him. The dim moonlight entered the room, and she could vaguely see Jake's face in the darkness. This made her feel like she was back to four years ago when she was close to him but couldn't see his face. No matter how much she tried to reach
4 years laterJake had no idea where his father took it, but Mathew was going through a baby fever lately and wouldn't stop nagging Jake about it. He would suddenly drop by Jake's apartment and follow him around asking for babies. He would suddenly pop out of nowhere when Jake was book shopping, and shove books about how to conceive a baby in his hand. One moment Jake was looking at a cover with dragons on it, and the next one the titles "It starts with the Egg", "The Fertility Diet", "The Trying Game", "Making Babies" and more, almost blinded him.Mathew wouldn't be stopped at anything.He was dead set on it. He needed grandchildren at any cost."I want grandkids, Jake!""Dad, I'm not even married.""Make me a grandfather, Jake!""Go ask Aiden.""But he's still in college. He has to study.""Ryder has to study too!""But she graduated this year."Jake took a deep breath to calm himself down before looking at his father again. Mathew looked like a child begging to go to Disneyland, bu
2 years agoEver since Ryder changed schools, she came to find out that being alone isn't actually that bad. She could read all she wanted with nobody interrupting her, and she could concentrate more in class. She also came to find out that she didn't actually mind it. Being alone... Ryder slowly started to like it, even though sometimes it was too lonesome.Yet a certain someone who suddenly got an interest in her wouldn't let her be alone no matter what. Apparently, this crazy punk named Jasmine had set her mind on adopting her.Ryder just couldn't understand how the mind of this girl worked. Still, the more time she spent with her, the more Ryder got used to her... The more she got to like her. Even though it took quite a while for Ryder to trust Jasmine, the two of them became friends and would spend a lot of time together.Ryder still liked being alone, but she also found out that occasionally spending time with so
"Where are you now?""I'm behind the house. Are you coming down, or should I come up?""You come up. I'm not done packing yet."That word again... Packing...Jake frowned when he heard it.Several months after the two of them got together, after spring and summer came and went, and when September was finally here, his Ry would leave for college. She was majoring in mechatronic engineering and would leave tomorrow. The place was only a few hours away from here, but Ryder wanted to live on the campus because it was more convenient, but that meant that he couldn't see her as often as he used to.He breathed out a heavy sigh and jumped over the fence.A lot happened during these months. Ryder introduced him to her parents, and she also met his father. She eventually found out that Jake was a writer... that writer... The cold war with Aiden gradually died out... Even though things were still a bit awkward between Jake and him, it was better than they had been before. Aiden even apologized
Jake smiled and put the phone back in his pocket. He lifted his head right in time to see Ryder running to him with a wide smile on her face. The girl he has liked and loved for so long threw herself in his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck tight. The happiness this simple thing brought was unexplainable."Did you miss me that much?" Jake chuckled when Ryder's cold nose was buried in his neck.Ryder nodded. "I have been a third wheel for half the day. I was miserable."She pulled back and saw Jake's smiling face. That smile made her unable to breathe. Her heart beat faster against her chest as if trying to leap out. That handsome face was his should never have a sad expression on. Should never be washed by tears. Her Jake was so handsome when smiling. Lethally handsome.Being stared at by those cognac eyes, Jake wanted to bow his head and kiss her, but just as he was about to do so, his plans were ruined by a roar coming from behind Ryder."RYDER QUIN! YOU EXPLAIN TO ME... now..
When Jake walked into the house, two grown-ass men jumped on him, hundreds of questions thrown at him in rapid fire. One grabbed his face looking for any wounds, looking at his eyes that had turned red from all the crying, and the other checked his wrists in fear that this time instead of scratching them to the point they bled, he had started cutting them."Do you know how scared I was?""Where did you go?""Why did you leave?""Are you okay?""Does it feel uncomfortable anywhere?""Does anything hurt?""Do you need to go to the hospital?"Jake barely had time to answer any of those questions and kept shaking his head to tell these two that he was fine, but the questions didn't come to an end.At least not until Mathew and Jeremy saw Jake smiling.The moment they noticed that he looked genuinely happy, they almost lost it, terror making their minds go blank.It's over. He has turned silly.Mathew started crying on the spot. "His brain died. Oh God, my poor precious son! It is all my f
In the morning, Jake was the first to wake up. His eyes opened halfway as he stared in confusion in front of him. He still felt tired both in body and soul, which was a pretty familiar state to him. However, this was the first time, despite the tiredness, he felt rather calm and warm. He was still trying to fully wake himself up to understand why things were different this time when something on his head moved.In a daze, he realized it was a hand stroking his hair. His heart fluttered, and Jake looked up to meet the owner of the hand only to see two cognac eyes looking at him sleepily."Morning," Ryder muttered. The hand that was resting on Jake's back lifted and reached out for her phone. It was four in the morning, and it was still dark outside, but the light in the room was left on.Jake was convinced he was dreaming. How else could he be in such a situation if it wasn't a dream? He was lying down in a bed with Ry, his Ry holding him tightly, stroking his hair. The first thing he
Truth be told Ryder was quite shocked when she heard Midnight's voice in Aiden's house. She was even more shocked when she saw that Midnight's voice came from Aiden's brother. EVEN MORE SHOCKING WAS THE FACT THAT SHE GOT TO SEE HER MIDNIGHT HALF NAKED!He looked so adorably hot, Ryder was lost for words.Her Midnight was so handsome >w
The voice was low and tender, but it broke the silence of the night and echoed in Jake's head, giving birth to a bone-shaking fear that overwhelmed his entire soul, almost making him fall apart. He finally noticed Ryder sitting on the swing seat, hugging her knees. He unconsciously tensed and took a step back, but his back hit the fence. Maybe it was because he didn't expect Ryder to be out here or maybe it was because of the thoughts and speculations that felt as if a hand was squeezing his heart, but his knees went soft, and Jake fell on the ground.His teeth bit deep in his lip, but tears welled up in his eyes and flowed down his cheeks involuntarily. For a moment it was as if they were back on the first night they met.One girl.One boy.One staring.One crying.Both frozen in time.Both looking at each other in disbelief.And just like back then, the crying young man broke the silence with the same two words."I'm sorry."Ryder felt her chest tighten. Her heart hurt with every he