Tangled Love

Moments pass and nothing happens.

No screaming and no fighting.

I press my ear against the crack in the door, listening out for their voices. All I can hear is the faint buzz of their conversation. They aren't yelling or raising their voice. What the hell is Tobias telling him?

I sit anxiously, my leg shaking up and down as I wait for Jake to leave Tobias' room.

"This isn't right." I mumble, standing back onto my feet. The door swings open and Jake walks out, his gaze landing on me.

"You were planning a surprise party for me?" Jake asks uneasily and I look at Tobias who's stood behind Jake. Tobias signals for me to nod so I nod automatically, looking back at Jake. An uneasy feeling sits in the pit of my stomach and I swallow the lump in my throat, knowing we're both lying for him.

"That doesn't explain why you ran off." Jake questions me and I glance back at Tobias, unsure on what to say. I've never been very good at lying and this time is no different.

"Yeah, uhm. . . sorry about that. I kind of freaked out." I mumble quietly. Jake narrows his eyes at me and Tobias suspiciously, his gaze flickering between the both of us.

not my birthday so why a

Emily really, to celebrate her getting out of the hospital. Ivory and I were planning it for you two and Emily walked in, hearing us." Tobias lies effortlessly and I have to stop myself from gawking at how easy lying came to

it hard lately so we wanted a night to just cut loose," Tobias shrugs and I smile tightly at Jake who looks like he's slowly believing the lies.

my mouth to let him know it's been cancelled.

in carrying on with a lie right?

widen my eyes at him, glaring. He avoides my burning stare, acting like I've suddenly grown invisible.

any special

responds before grabbing my hand and leaning over to place a gentle kiss on my temple. I close my eyes and inhale deeply, hating

Mum and Aunty Myra are out too, nice thinking Muffin." Jake grins at me and I smile back at him

disappearing behind his bedroom door to get dressed. My throat runs dry and I can't look Jake directly in the eyes.

we both lied to

around to see who can make it."

dropping my hand to let me walk back to my room. I

*****

I groan at myself in the mirror, tugging at my pyjamas. "I didn't even want this party," I mumble unhappily, a

"It is pretty random, isn't it?" Ivory replies, bouncing on her heels as she searches through her closet. Music plays quietly