Kyle:
Jake is really pissing me off today, but again when does he not?... If I didn't know better I would think dad got in prison again just to leave this delinquent of a child at my door step... Nah, it's not that far fetched.
This was probably one of the reasons he let the cops catch him with a fuck ton of evidences_ letting me babysit adult Jake is definitely payback for the times mom said she loved me more than him, childish bastard_ ofc, that's besides the fact that prison felt like home more than our childhood house after mom's death... can't blame him, I only spent a couple of weeks there and there was nothing I wanted more than to get out of the shit hole...it was quiet for fuck sake, our home was never quiet ,
But that's because mom used to fill in the silence_ cooking, chatting with girlfriends, screaming either profanities at dad or Jake, or orders at her restaurant's staff members _It felt wrong being there and not hearing her noises.
I don't blame dad for selling the house and the restaurant, especially since he promised he wouldn't if either one of us didn't want to, we_ grief struck Jake and pathetic me_ told him to do whatever the fuck he wanted.
Back to Jake, no asshole-Jake who is currently laughing at a joke he made I didn't care enough to listen to, because frankly he was very predictable, it was probably something about Monica being 'not my girlfriend '.
" Care to repeat mister comedian?"
" Nah, it was nothing, just how you missed your shot with the she's not my gf bullshit."
Can't say I'm pleased at being right, again I never am when it concerns Jake.
" I promised mom not to cause permanent damage, breaking a nose won't be permanent. Choose your next words carefully."
Did he know I can knock him out in .2 seconds ? Yes. Did he give a fuck? Absolutely not.
" How could you be so smart but at the same time so dumb? Ok, I'll do you the favor and explain it to you. You get mad when I mention her with other guys, yes?"
" You wanna play? Right or left?"
" I'm not choosing the fist you're punching me with, that's sick man. Me and you both know that you have feelings for her yet you're in denial because of some stupid sense of morality. Meanwhile, she's going on dates, yes plural."
Somehow I wasn't angry at that, I was almost scared. Dk why.
" ...How would you know how many dates she's gone on ?"
" ..Because I set her up already on one.. and currently looking for the next candidate since she wasn't very fond of the first? She didn't tell you? Damn I guess you're not as close I thought you guys to be."
I inherited a lot of stuff from my father _ his looks, his fighting skills and instincts_ and definitely his non-existent patience. Sure. Jake is my brother but he's about to be a very-in-pain was.
... The only saving grace for him was the doorbell _ I was about to break my promise _ and although I wanted an explanation _ preferably a 100-pages essai_ the person at the door could give me a faster one without rage baiting me with each sentence.
" Hey! K? Can you open the door? It's cold and I'm wearing a skirt, help."
" Go help your 'not gf' brother, she's cold~"
Him insinuating she said it in a pick me way reveales how much he doesn't know her.
As I turn around for the door I pick up his bike keys_ my old bike, old because I bought a new car recently, that's still registered in my name so...sucks for him I guess_
" This isn't over, and btw you just lost your bike privileges."
Jake knows that when I decide something there's no going back but he's still whining when I open the door for Monica, after taking off her coat and giving her the blanket she loves I go to the kitchen to prepare hot cocoa for her while Jake is still bitching at my back. When it's ready, I take it to her just to find her cuddled up on the couch and all I wanna do is cuddle up next to her, but I won't.
" Here, now care to explain why you are here on a Sunday? Thought Sundays were no-studying days . Is the math problem you couldn't solve last time what brought you here?"
" No, tho I would love to get some help on it."
.. She's deflecting, from what? I'm about to find out.
I don't have to do anything tbh, Monica cracks under the slightest pressure_ at least with me_ so I just look at her waiting.
" Ok, fine. Just stop looking at me with those eyes. I'm grounded. I'm only allowed to go to school or your house, and I didn't feel like spending time with my parents."
She mumbled rather quickly.
" What made them ground you?"
I was very curious here. Monica was a very good girl from A to Z.
She , in response, kept repeating I I I while looking at Jake nervously_ probably it was way too embarrassing to say in front of him, she's an open book with me_which reminded me...
" Actually... When were you going to tell me you let Jake set you up on a date?"
If I wasn't reigning my rage inside with an obvious fake smile, the look on her face would have made me crack a real one.
After she got a hold of her self she glared at Jake, as if he wasn't supposed to say anything, which fuelled my anger.
" Really? Throwing me under the bus? Ok, just remember you started it."
" Hey, I forgot about the last part, don't!"
But it was too late, she had managed to sit me down_ I don't know how, with her there's no explanation_ captivating all my attention as she spilled the story.
" I asked Seb to find me a date,yes I know I shouldn't but I was desperate."
If she wanted a date so badly she could have told me I would have given her one. Probably the best she had. No, you can't. Platonically I can.
" He didn't know other guys except for his teammates so he asked Jake, not knowing Jake had it out for him and would use the chance to ruin his enemy's friend's date, without him knowing it's me."
" I didn't." I guess it's bad whatever he did next if he felt the need to repeat that.
" He set me up with a guy who... Get this... first, was disappointed I wasn't a minor and second, asked me if I liked it up the ass."
" Oh, fuck." He whispered as he ran out of the house, can't blame him, I was itching to kill someone or break something preferably on Jake's head.
" I have to mention, I wasn't totally unsafe , Jake was watching from a distance, he stepped in before the guy could lunge at me for throwing perfectly good gateau on his not so decent face. "
She probably thinks him stepping in makes it better. It doesn't. I know why I'm mad, I have known since I first felt the cursed feelings for her, it's why I gave up so many opportunities to teach at great universities and applied at hers_ no offense to the uni, but it wasn't my first choice, nor was it in the top 100 I considered_I knew that at one point I will have to face the feelings, still I tried to ignore them the hardest I can.
I would have never guessed anger was the motive for me to finally open my eyes, I love Monica. No, I have been in love her for a few months now.
As opposed to when Monica's favorite ml reach the realization and hit a moment of clarity, I on the other hand? The realization made it even more confusingand frustrating than before.
I know the exact moment I fell for her without her knowledge, it was that cursed night at the end of last year, a prom night.