Ella’s POV

When Jake had left, I found the strength to get up, take a shower, dress and set up the table so we could eat together.
I tried to make it normal, but it wasn’t really normal at all, was it?!

He wanted answer, answers I owed him, but had no idea how to give him.
Jake had been the only man in my life in what feels like forever and I never even thought of the possibility that it would or could change.

He was perfect for me, but then… the kiss… Matt… I had no idea how to deal with this. I never meant to hurt Jake in the first place.

I never wanted to have someone else in my life, but he appeared, out of nowhere and he always weaseled his way back in my mind, even if I tried to shut him out.

I sat on the couch waiting for Jake to come back, it would happen anyway and I needed to tell him everything. We needed a clear plate and he had to understand that he still meant the world to me, but I would be willing to go, if he didn’t want me anymore.

And what would happen with Matt? I had no idea; I tried to eliminate all thoughts that were floating in my head around him, which was… until he called me.

I had no idea where he had my number from and I was completely shocked when he spoke to me, but my heart did a little flutter and I felt guilt wash over me right away.

I looked at the clock after the call ended and knew that Jake would be back any second, when my phone beeped again.
But it wasn’t Jake who I expected to write, it was Matt again, reminding me.

I read the text over and over… shaking my head… I couldn’t. Even though I also owed him a talk I couldn’t meet him behind Jakes back. What I did before was wrong, but now just doing the same thing over and over again, wasn’t just a mistake.

I deleted the text without answering, even if it felt heavy on my heart.

I put the phone back on the desk when the door opened and I heard clothes rustling in the foyer. I licked my lips standing up, but then sitting back down. I had no idea how to behave; my palms were getting sweaty and my mouth dry.

Why was this so awkward now, he was Jake.. my boyfriend… It shouldn’t be this hard.
“Babe?” Jake’s deep voice carried through to the living room and I tried to calm my nerves.

“Hey” I finally stood up again and took a few steps towards him. “Feeling better?” He asked when I was the one who should be asking that, right?!

“Yes.. I’m sorry-” I started but Jake shook his head. “Come here” He opened his arms and I went into them without a second thought. He hugged me close and leaned down so his mouth was at my ear, I felt his hot breath fanning over my cheek.
“I missed you” I heard his smooth voice, and like always it sends shivers down my spine. Would he believe me when I told him, I missed him, too?

I really wanted to say it, but kept it inside, not sure if he would be calling me a liar, after what happened and that we still haven’t really talked it all out.

“I set up the breakfast table” I finally said and pulled away from his embrace. Jake seemed a little conflicted but nodded and we sat down together.

We didn’t eat, just sipped on the coffee and stared at everything but us. “Jake, if this is too uncomfortable, I will leave…I told you my-”
“I don’t want you to leave, Ella.” Jake said firmly and looked me deep in the eye; I had to look away, feeling like he could see right through me.

“Okay” I nodded and finally looked back up. “Will you now tell me what happened… and what… what- I mean.. how… shit” Jake looked frustrated and pulled on his hair.

I nodded “Yes… okay. During this week, me and this guy… no.. don’t get me wrong. He was coming to the gym, but there was nothing. We talked… normally, as friends. I didn’t see more into it, and when I closed up the gym cause Erik had to leave early, he was there to accompany me. When we were outside, we talked and then he kissed me.” I swallowed thickly, thinking of how I had enjoyed the kiss, until I realized what I was really doing there, hurting Jake, and cheating on him even.

Jake stared at me, I saw him gripping the table hard, his knuckles white. “He kissed you” He pointed out and I nodded not really sure, why he would point that out? I wondered and opened my mouth to ask him when he was cutting between it.

“Ella you told me on the phone, you kissed another man” He stared me down, his body shifting forward to me and I frowned.

“I-I… well… He kissed me, so we kissed…” I stuttered and Jake cursed under his breathe.
“So he took advantage of you, what did you do then?” He asked and I was perplexed, “When I realized what was happening, I pulled away. I was shocked and didn’t expect him to do that, I mean… I told him he shouldn’t be doing that.” I tried to recall my words form the night before but it mostly left a blank space.
“God, Ella!” Jake got up and pulled me into his arms, I was not really sure what was happening right now but, I hugged him back.

“Jake.. what… I mean-” He set me back down “You telling me everything, right? It didn’t happen more, did it?” Jake asked holding me only a few inches away from him and I nodded.

“That was it, that kiss. But I don’t really understand-” I tried again and Jake looked away, like he was deep in thoughts.

“You said that guy, was in the gym, right? Show me who that was.” Jake demanded and I immediately began shaking my head.

“No, no Jake.” He looked at me frowning “Why not?! He kissed my woman, I need to have a chat with him so he won’t ever lay his hands on you again, Ella!” Jake almost jelled and made me flinch a little.

“I don’t want you to do that. What if it ends up in a fight? I don’t want anyone to fight… and he is not really a member” I quickly added which makes Jake frown even more.

“Well, what the hell is he doing in my gym, if he is not even a member?!” Jake asks and I shrugged, I had honestly no idea, just heard some words, he was friends with anyone and that’s how he ended up there.

“It’s all fucking his fault! Why would you try and protect this guy, if there wasn’t more than the kiss? That he kissed you?! I don’t understand! I need to do this, Ella! I need to make clear to him, that you are mine. That there is no chance for him! Apparently you didn’t make that clear enough.” Jake narrowed his eyes and I licked my lips, well.. Apparently he was right with that, too.

“I am not protecting him, I am also protecting you.” I say and Jake closed his eyes for a moment, when they met mine again I see in them, hurt, anger but also love. And again guilt squeezes my heart painfully.

I told him the truth, the problem was, if Jake would ask me, if I enjoyed the kiss with Matt. I couldn’t lie to him, because I did, I did enjoy it and I shouldn’t have.

Would that change the whole situation between us?
Yes, it probably would. Because now he was entirely blaming Matt, because he was the one making the first step… but it wasn’t in the end his entire fault… it was mine as well.

I debated with myself, to open up and tell him that, but instead I bite the inside of my cheek and remain silent while more guilt spread through me at how hurt Jake still looked.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Jake” I say softly and lay my hand on his cheek. “I didn’t plan for that, I didn’t even thought about that.” I inhale deeply and continue “I spend some time with the guy, friendship like; I didn’t plan or want it to get further. We were having a good time, but he must have mistaken that for something more… and then he kissed me, maybe-”
“God Ella, you are so damn irresistible. I knew that from the moment I saw you. I knew you would bring me a ton of joy but probably equally trouble. You are so innocent and adorable and damn sexy, but you don’t even realize it” Jake lets his thumb run over my cheek down to my lip and I look up at him, no idea what he was meaning to say, but then his thumb was replaced by his lips and I closed my eyes.

“I cannot really blame anyone to see in you what I see, can I?” Jake said when he pulled away, love and lust now replacing the hurt and anger.
I frowned, what was he seeing? And what was he getting to now?!
Matt’s POV
I waited for an answer to my call, to my text… but nothing came. Stubborn woman, we both knew she wanted to… Or did I want it more than she did?!

The day passed and the next one began, it was weekend and I knew Ella was probably not working, so it was to no avail to head to the gym.
Not that I would love bumping into the boyfriend, or well.. maybe I would. I didn’t know what to think about the guys, leaving Ella alone for so long, there must be something going on with him.

But I didn’t want to cause trouble at her work so she would be blamed for it in the end, so I decided against it.

I went out for a jog and when I came home all sweaty and exhausted I took a quick shower. I walked with a towel around my hips into the kitchen seeing my phone lying there. My heart sped up when I saw the missed call sign.

Was it finally Ella? I checked and immediately felt disappointed when it was Dan’s face greeting me there. I called him back anyway.

“Hey bro, I was inviting everyone for a small get together at our place, what you say?” Dan asked and I ran a hand over my head, I didn’t really feel like- what the hell was I talking about I did feel like drinking especially with the situation I was in right now.

“When?” I asked and heard Dan laugh “I knew you were in, I invited the other guys plus another few friends… tonight at… eight?” Dan said and I nodded “We can watch some sports together and fucking have a good time, the girls are out as well, so we have the house for ourselves”

“Sounds good, man” I said and realized I had only a couple of hours till I should be at Dan’s and still needed to get dressed and eat something, drinking to an empty stomach wasn’t a good idea really.

At eight on the spot I stood in front of Dan’s house, waiting for him to open up. I heard voices coming from the living room as soon as Dan let me in and gave him a quick hug.

“Hey, thanks for the invite. Could use a stiff drink and something that brings me to other thoughts” I said while Dan nodded “Damn, what’s wrong with you guys… You are not the only one” He shook his head and I walked into the kitchen. I poured me a drink and saw Brian and Johnny were already there as well.

“Hey man” Brian said and looked me up and down “Still not further?” I shook my head “Didn’t answer” I held the cup up to my lips and swallowed. “Shit” He took his glass drinking it empty.

“I can’t believe all you guys having trouble with the ladies” Dan’s voice carried over to us and I frowned, who was he talking to now.

“We don’t have troubles, really. Not anymore…” A voice answered and didn’t that voice sound kind of familiar, I just didn’t know where to put it.

I turned back to Brian and Johnny, who were talking about why Zack was taking so long, when Dan appeared with a somehow familiar man.

“Guys, this is Jake. Jake, I don’t remember if you met the guys before… Shads, Syn and Johnny” Dan said motioning from us to Jake and I nodded but was still wondering where I had seen him before or knew his name from.
“Hey, nice to meet you guys.” He shook each of our hands and we handed out some drinks, while my thoughts returned to Ella. I was wondering what she was doing now and if she thought about me at all… and right when that thought hit me, I realized where I had heard the name from before.

Hadn’t Ella called me Jake, when I first called her from an unknown number?! And hadn’t I seen the guy in the gym before… I put my cup back down and stared at the open doorway where Dan and Jake had just left.

That couldn’t be right, could it?! He couldn’t be… How was the possibility of him being…
“Shads, you listening to me at all?” Brian elbowed me in the side and I shook my head, “What?!”

“Have you heard a word I said?” He asked and I shook my head again “No, what did you say, again?” I asked and Brian sighed, like he had the hardest job in the world. “I asked if you tried to talk to her again, after the call?”

“No.. I.. I need to find Dan” I walked away, letting Brian stand there alone. I walked into the living room, people scattered around. For Dan just calling everyone today, he had a lot of people showing up.

If this guy, this Jake… really was Ella’s boyfriend, why the fuck was he here? And where had he been? And did he know about Ella and me? About the kiss?!

Was Ella alone now? Would that be my chance to finally talk to her again, meet her?!

I found Dan and Jake outside, I walked closer but held a good distance so they couldn’t see me, that couldn’t be him. He didn’t really look like such a douche, was this the guy Ella was in love with? The guy that was holding her heart, and that was why she didn’t call me back?

“So you talked with her?” Dan asked and Jake sighed “Yeah, we talked. It was a little weird though… I mean, knowing what I did, she was nervous, so was I. I had no idea in which direction the talk would go. But I can tell you, it’s not as bad as I thought.” Jake seemed relieved and I frowned.

I had to listen in, hoping to find out a name, hear who they were talking about, so I was sure it wasn’t Ella. I mean, that really couldn’t be… a friend of Dan, how fucked up could this story be?!

“So you asked her if she is still seeing him?” Dan asked and I waited for his answer, who is she?!

“No, well… it turned out, that she wasn’t the one making the move… so that wasn’t really necessary” Jake answered even if a little uncertain if you asked me and I really got the feeling that this had to do with me and Ella, but it still wasn’t confirmed yet.

“You sure? I mean, I guess you wouldn’t be here, if-” I couldn’t hear the last words that Dan spoke cause, suddenly Brian was standing next to me “What the hell are you doing here, letting me stand there all alone with short shit?” He demanded and I rolled my eyes “Ssshhh”

“What?” He demanded and I motion towards Jake and Dan “I don’t know, I have a feeling this guy… he is… Ella’s boyfriend” I said and Brian’s eyes widened, “What?! How come you think that?”

“I heard her say that name… and he is talking with Dan about the trouble with his girl…” I try to summarize and Brian frowns. “Let me check that” Brian moved forward and towards Dan and Jake, he lays his arm across Dan shoulder “What are you guys bitching about?” He asked and Dan sighed.

“About the ladies…” Dan said and Brian nods “That’s why I don’t have such a burden; relationships mean trouble, what about you, Jake?” Brian asked and I could really kiss him, or well… better not, his ego is big enough already.

“Yeah, I have a girl and if you find the right woman, you will think about this differently” Jake said and Brian laughed “Believe me I found a lot of women already, so where is the Mrs.?” Brian added and Jake smiled “Ella wanted to see her friend tonight, so I finally gave in to Dan’s annoyed calls and texts, even though I really didn’t wanna leave…”

“Ella” I whispered and still couldn’t really believe it. It was true, this was him… fuck!
But he was here, and he talked like he and Ella were good, what did that mean?!

I took a few steps back, if he was here… that meant, he wasn’t with Ella…
I needed to talk to her, to know if this was the end already or if I still had a chance…

Notes

Uh Oh!?
What is going to happen?! What do u think?!

No Vote now...
But next time hopefully :P