Tangled Love

Emily's POV -

"Hey! I've missed you," I say happily, pulling her into a hug. Ivory rang me a few hours earlier asking if she could stay with me for a few days and Pops agreed to it.

"As long as you two don't be throwing wild parties here then it's fine by me Elly," he said before wondering off down his garden to the little allotment he spends most of his time in.

"Are you sure I'm okay to stay with you? I have a few other places I can go if it's any bother," Ivory says, looking at me gratefully. I shake my head —

"No way, you're practically family," I smile, feeling relieved to have some sort of distraction away from Jake.

"Why have you been kicked out?" I ask, taking her bags off her and setting them down beside the couch. She scrunches her face up, popping herself down on the couch before letting out a breath —

"Tobias kicked me out for a few days. . . Something that he and Jake had to do apparently."

At the mention of Tobias, I remember how he'd kissed me and my hands flew to my lips, tracing my bottom one.

"Are Jake and Tobias okay with each other?"

"Yeah they seem a lot closer, do you want some pizza? My treat." Ivory grins at me and I nod at her silently, causing her to fist pump the air before leaving the room to make the call.

So it seems Tobias hadn't told Jake about the kiss.

I sit down on the couch and immediately feel bad for him, he should know. If I've learned anything over these past few months, it's that secrets always find a

into the room, taking a

pizza, should be here soon."

"With extra

 extra cheese," she chuckles and I hold my palm out for a high five. Ivory slaps me back, a wide grin spreading across

serious. I sigh, knowing the topic

so much." I say truthfully and

shake my head, talking isn't what we need right now. We need to have some distance between us, time to sort things out for good.

say, giving her a tight smile. She nods at me understandingly

out, slapping her hand over her mouth. I

I respond eagerly and she grins, settling further into the couch.

already in love with him. Her eyes shine brightly and her entire expression beams as she speaks about

off somewhere into the distance like a love sick puppy. I wave my hand in front of her face, holding back a laugh.

to

me for teasing her.

her. She deserves the best in the world and it seems

but he's a friend of a friend of Tobias'. I haven't told

respond . She gives me a questioning look before replying

year ago. When they found out I lost my virginity to him, they kidnapped him from his house in the middle of the night and left him stranded in the next town over... They stripped him naked and left him without a phone.

my mouth hanging wide open.

out, choking back a