A realization struck me with the force of a storm—the thought of living far from him was unbearable. I never imagined he would become this important to me in no time. I've never felt this attached to anyone in my entire life. Him entering my world like an unexpected wave, crashing into my shore and leaving an impression so deep it could never be erased.
That night after the party, whatever happened was beyond my control. My vision was clouded with anger—anger that someone had dared to touch what was mine, what had become so precious to me. And in that moment, I understood: life without him was no longer an option. He was now a part of me, a piece I could never surrender.
After dinner, he had gone to bed, probably so exhausted and hungry that not a single trace of the food remained.
The room was cloaked in darkness, calm and comforting. Watching him sleep so peacefully brought an unfamiliar calm to my own restless heart. I sat silently by his side, simply admiring him, and it struck me—if I had been even a second late outside the apartment, something terrible could have happened to him. And that thought alone was unbearable, a weight I could never forgive myself for carrying.
I had finished my work earlier this evening, planning to surprise him. But the moment I arrived at the gate, I saw Alex forcing Jake into his car while Jake fought desperately against him. Rage consumed me. Without a second thought, I shoved Alex off him. At that instant, my fury burned hot, but above it all, Jake's safety became my only priority. I had to dragged him out.
I was lucky tonight, but I swore to myself—it would be the last time Alex even dared to get near Jake. If he ever so much as touched Jake's shadow again, that day would be his last on earth.
The calmness on Jake's face, the stillness in his sleep, and the way his hair fell so elegantly across his forehead—everything about him was a vision I could never have imagined. Gladness washed over me as I watched him sleeping peacefully under my roof. The thought that he had agreed to live with me still felt unreal. When he said yes, it was as if the ground disappeared beneath me and I was walking on air. That moment… I was on cloud nine.
As I silently admired the sleeping beauty beside me, the sharp tone of my ringtone echoed faintly through the living room. Careful not to disturb him, I rose quietly, shut the door behind me, and stepped into my room before answering.
"What is it?" I asked, already bracing myself for the inevitable annoyance.
"What are you doing tomorrow?" Raven shot back.
"Nothing," I replied flatly.
"What about tomorrow night?"
"Tomorrow night…" I glanced at the calendar. "It's Sunday."
"I know." His tone was dripping with impatience.
"Then stop talking in circles and get to the point."
"Want to have a drink tomorrow at the usual place."
I narrowed my eyes at the ceiling. "What do you want?"
"Come on, bro. Are you joining or not—or should I ask someone else?"
I smirked. "And who exactly are you going to ask besides me?"
"I can call…" His voice trailed off, and I could almost hear him scrolling pathetically through his empty contact list.
"No one," I finished his incomplete sentence for him, laughing under my breath.
"Be straight, okay?" His irritation was obvious, which only entertained me more.
"Fine, I'll come—since you've got no one else to go with," I teased him, pushing him further to the edge.
"Oohh right, someone else will be joining us tomorrow, so dress up accordingly."
I guess my teasing must have gotten to him, because Raven cut the call right after that warning.
I set my phone down on the table and lay back, staring up at the plain white ceiling. Raven bringing someone along? Who could it be? Does he even have anyone else to call besides me? I know nearly every contact in his phone. So then… who?
I folded my arms over my chest, sinking deeper into the couch. The questions circled endlessly in my head until the ceiling above me blurred out of focus. My body grew heavier, and slowly, my eyes closed. A long day had finally caught up to me, and sleep pulled me under.
Knock. Knock.
A sudden, sharp banging woke me up. My eyes flew open, and I sat upright, running my hands through my hair in confusion. Just to make sure I wasn't dreaming, I slapped my cheeks twice—hard. My face stung red.
But the knocking came again.
Knock. Knock.
This time it was louder, echoing through the room. A chill ran down my body, the kind that only comes from being awake at night, alone, and unsure of what waits on the other side of the door.
Knock. Knock.
The sharp sound echoed again. The slaps I gave myself had already reddened my cheeks, but at least they confirmed I wasn't dreaming—someone really was at the door.
A sudden draft swept through the room, sending a chill down my body and fully waking me up. I pulled the blanket tighter around myself, hugging it for warmth before tossing it aside. My legs carried me toward the door, each knock pushing me faster until I finally opened it.
"Sorry for waking you up—and thank you for opening the door."
Jake slipped past me, pushing the door inward and forcing me to step aside as he walked in like he belonged there.
"What were you doing outside in the early morni?" I asked, closing the door behind us quickly to block out the cold. I raked my fingers through my messy hair, trying to look a little more presentable.
"I went to buy some groceries." He set a bag full of items on the kitchen counter, then pointed at the table where a few dishes were already laid out—as if silently commanding me to sit and eat.
"What's all this?" I asked, pulling out a chair and settling down.
From the bag, he placed a bottle of chocolate milk on the table, then leaned closer to me—so close our faces were nearly level. "Here. Good morning." His hand ruffled through my messy hair with a warm, gentle touch.
His palm was soft and his gesture sent an uneasy flutter spiraling in my stomach. My face heated instantly, so I swatted his hand away and ducked my head, hiding the redness creeping across my cheeks.
Grabbing the chocolate milk, I opened it in one swift move and gulped down half the bottle to calm the storm inside me. Jake only smiled as he took the seat opposite mine, gesturing for me to dig in.
I reached for some bread, beginning my breakfast in silence.
"Right…" I said between bites, breaking the quiet. "Raven invited me for drinks tonight."
Jake lifted his eyes to mine, a spark of surprise in them. "Funny. Zara invited me for drinks tonight too."