Tangled Love

I remain silent, unable to let him into my thoughts. I can't tell anyone, the thought terrifies me.

Jake sighs at my silence and reaches up, wiping away a tear with his fingers. I immediately freeze, sucking in a deep breath from the way his fingers feel against my cheeks. He places one hand under my chin, tilting my head up so that I'm holding eye contact with him.

"The teacher wouldn't allow Trish to leave." He mumbles apologetically.

"What about you?" I ask him quietly.

"I'm not going to let a teacher stop me." He responds, giving me a small smile. I swallow the lump in my throat and search his eyes.

"Please talk to me," Jake pleads, his voice softening. I close my eyes and shake my head, leaning back against the wall. The words that I want to tell him are at the tip of my tongue but no matter how hard I try, I can't speak the truth.

"My life is completely messed up." I eventually mumble, being vague.

smiles, his tone playful. He reaches forward and pulls me into his chest. His body feels warm and for the first time since my dad died,

for years. I'm surprised that someone like Jake Melvin is the first person to make me experience it. I can hear the soft thumping of his heart through his shirt and I

to be okay." Jake reassures me

whisper in response. His arms tighten around me and I relax against him, breathing in his warm scent. A comfortable silence falls upon us until

cheeks. Jake doesn't respond and looks at me intensely, almost as if he wants to say something. Before he does, his phone begins to beep inside

of rubbish on the floor. From the corner of my eye, I see Jake smile before glancing down at his phone. The smile on his face

"I have to go."

a hand though his hair. He stands up off the floor, holding out a

close our bodies are. As his chest rises, it lightly

Jake whispers. He inches forward, raising his hand to tuck a piece of stray

do that?" Jake asks suddenly, looking at me with his head slightly tilted to the side. I glance away, unable to keep eye contact with him as I'm afraid he'll be able to see right through my lies.

I mumble. Jake raises an eyebrow and opens his mouth