Him

Explosion

I would like to say after my great night with Jake, I was woken up by the birds chirping. They might be chirping but I cannot hear them. All I can hear is screaming. Emma woke everyone up this morning with her screams.

I haven't gotten out of my tent yet. She most likely found a bug in her tent or something. Although if it is a spider I completely understand! Spiders are gross. Scary little bugs that pretty much everyone I know is afraid of.

"Should we check on her?" Jake asks suddenly.

I turn and face him. "No," I move closer and cuddle up to him. "I want to enjoy being with you a little longer."

He looks down at me and smiles. I move my face closer to his. Just as I am about to kiss him Emma screams again.

"Katie! Help me," Emma shrieks.

I groan. I do not want to get up and help her. Jimmy should help. He is in the tent with her. Unless he's not in there anymore.

Slowly I pull some shorts on. Jake hands his sweatshirt to me and I pull it on as well. After smoothing my hair a bit, I unzip the tent.

It’s funny how event though she’s been screaming for a while no one else has given her any help. Why am I the one she called for? If it was me, I would have screamed for everyone! Not Emma though, no. I guess everyone else is incapable of helping. Oh well.

“What Emma? What is so bad that you had to call for me and no one else?” I yell.

There are giggles next to me. I look around and realize Emma isn’t even by her tent. In fact, no one is actually near me. Turning around I notice a head pop up and then down quickly. Slightly irritated, I walk towards it. This better not be some stupid prank.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

“Come with us,” Hazel whispers.

“But wh-“

Fiona grabs my arm and pulls me with her.

“What are you doing?” I yell.

Giggles are the only sound that escape my friend’s mouths. They are pretty much kidnapping me right now. I’m not sure what the punishment for kidnapping is, but they will soon find out. I don’t even have my phone with me to call for help.

“Kidnapping is illegal. I hope you all know that. You better hope your parents can get you good lawyers. You are all going to need them. Where are we going anyway? Why won’t anyone of you tell me?” I whine.

“Gosh, shut up Katie! We are almost there,” Hazel says.

“You are such a drama queen,” Emma laughs.

“Me? You are the one that was screaming all morning!” I yell.

They pull me just a little farther. We are in a small clearing surrounded only by trees. To the right there is a small bench. Hazel pulls me over there and we all squeeze onto it. Everything is silent for a while. It is actually really peaceful. There is a small breeze blowing which is perfect since the bench was right in the sun.

“So Katie, I guess we should tell you why we drug you all the way here, huh?” Fiona says.

I look at her with a ‘duh’ look on my face.

They all giggle a bit.

“We really wanted to be alone with you so we could all talk,” Emma starts to explain.

“Yeah, we actually feel bad for how we have all been around Jake,” Hazel says.

I look down and rub my wrist a bit. I had woken up before him this morning because my wrist was hurting. I took a look at it and there is a bruise on it. I didn’t say anything to him though. Mainly I didn’t know how he would react to it.

“Hazel you and I talked last night. It’s all fine now!” I reassure her.

“I know you and I talked, but not all of us together. We all would like to tell you how we feel or I guess felt about your relationship with Jake,” Hazel says.

“Oh. Go ahead then, I guess,” I say sounding unsure. Do I really want to listen to them talk bad about Jake. It’s too early for that. But she did say ‘felt’ so maybe they have changed their minds about him. That I will be okay hearing about. Jake and I are good together. He told me he loved me and I really feel like he meant it.

“Okay, I guess I’ll start,” Fiona says. “Well, at first, like before you and Jake even started dating I thought wow. What a great guy to help Katie keep her mind off Owen. I honestly didn’t want you to be with Owen. He’s a good guy but I don’t think he’s for you. Anyway, so I was happy that you found someone else. But he got kind of sketchy. Like I don’t know, I thought, he was hurting you. Silly now though. But now seeing, how he came to camp with everyone, I feel like he’s trying! So I’m happy for you!” Fiona says.

“Aw Fi! Thank you! He is trying! He feels so bad for fighting with Owen and everything!”

“My turn, since Hazel doesn’t have to say anything because you talked yesterday!” Emma says.

“Okay,” I giggle.

“Well, I loved Jake in the beginning also! He was mysterious and seemed so interested in you right away! I liked that. Like Fi said, he was a bit sketchy, but I guess he was just nervous, haha. Which is totally understandable. I mean we are friends with the three top wrestlers! And your brother is also on the team! But I can honestly say now, he doesn’t seem so bad!” Emma says.

“You both love me!” I shriek grabbing them and pulling them into a giant hug. “I am so happy you all like him, I wouldn’t have continued to be with him, if you all hated him the whole time. I mean, talk about awkward!”

“Enough of all this mushy stuff!” Hazel starts. “How was everyone’s night?”

“Mine was great!” Fiona blurts out.

We all grow suspicious then.

“And what was so great about it?” Emma asks.

“Oh, um. It was just nice. Riley and I had a good time together, that’s all.”

“Hmm, limited amount of details. That can only mean one thing!” Hazel says.

“Oh, like you and Johnny didn’t do anything!” Emma says.

“And what about you and Jimmy?” I ask.

We all start laughing. I guess Jake and I aren’t the only ones that had a great night together. Poor Owen. He was all alone in his tent. Oh well, I’m sure he was fine.

“I am seriously so happy you all like Jake now. I couldn’t stand eating lunch all divided. I felt like I was entering a war zone whenever I entered the cafeteria!” I says.

“We felt the same way!” The twins agree.

“Yeah, but Jake was really sketchy that day we saw him talking to-“

“No more like fighting with her!” Emma interrupts Fiona.

“Who?” I ask.

“Jake,” Fiona says.

I laugh a bit. “No. Who was he talking or fighting with?”

“Oh, Marisol.” They say casually.

“Why would he be talking to Marisol?” Hazel asks them.

“I don’t—“

Marisol? Why would they be talking? That’s so weird. I didn’t think they even knew each other! Well I guess Marisol did go to another school before she came to mine! I bet they knew each other! But wait. Why would they be fighting? I need to find out. My curiosity is coming for me!

“Katie, are you okay?” Hazel asks.

I look up at her. I realize I am the only one still sitting down. “Oh, yeah. I was just thinking how weird it is that Jake and Marisol were talking!”

“Seriously!” Fiona says.

“Marisol is not even something I thought Jake would ever talk to! So strange,” Emma adds.

“We better hurry back!” Hazel says.

“Why?” I ask.

“The guys went to get us breakfast! They’ll be back soon,” Emma says.

Oh, so that’s why Jimmy was gone. They are such jokesters, aren’t they? Nah, more like brats. I can’t believe they tricked me like that. Well actually I can.

-------------

How should I bring this up to Jake? Should I just be straight forward? Hey Jake, my friends saw you fighting with Marisol. Why? No I can’t do that! What if he thinks I am spying on him? Maybe I can casually bring her up and see how he reacts. That could work.

“What are so deep in thought about Katie?” Jake asks.

“Oh, um. I was just, you know. I… this homework is tough,” I ramble.

“You finished it all ready,” He says.

“Well yeah, I did. I was just thinking about Marisol. You know her?” I ask.

Jake freezes for a second. Ah, so he does know her! Wow, that was easier to figure out than I thought it would be.

“Uh yeah. She’s in our study hall, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

“You’re not friends though, right?”

“Oh I mean, a little bit now that I found out she has a dau—“

Oh my gosh. What did I just do? Jake smart enough to figure out what I was saying. Crap!  She trusted me to not tell anyone. I hope maybe he’ll just leave it at that.

“You know about Laci?” He asks.

He knows Laci? How does he know Laci? “How do you know Laci?”

For the second time today he freezes. He looks out into the water for a minute. Oh we are at the park right now. So yeah, now that I think about it, maybe this isn’t the best place to have this conversation.

“Yeah I know her. Marisol went to my old school and she left because she got pregnant,” He finally says.

“How do you know her name?”

“Why are you asking me all these questions? I went to school with her so I knew! It’s not that big of a deal.” He yells.

“Right, sorry. Um I guess I’ll be going now.”

I get up and head to my car. It was dark out so Jake and I are the only people at the park. Bringing up Marisol wasn’t a good idea. He is so angry.

“Katie.”

“I’ll just see you tomorrow.”

I hear Jake get up behind me.

“Why do you care so much about Marisol and I?” He asks grabbing onto my wrist.

“Oh now you want to talk. Okay, well my friends so you and her fighting one day. I was curious.”

“What do you have your friends spying on me or something?”

“No of course not. They just happened to see you.”

“You don’t need to know everything I do! I can have a private conversation, or I thought I could. But you obviously don’t trust me. Do you?” He yells.

Instantly I am pushed backwards. This time I am pushed into something. My back instantly hurts after I hit the stairs to the slide.

“Jake, stop!”

“Why, so you can go talk to your snitches of friends.”

He is so close to my face. I can feel his breath against me. I am trying to not be scared but I am. Jake is losing control right now. It’s like he’s exploding.

“And you know what Katie. Marisol and I talked about Laci. You want to know why?” He decreased the distance between us. “I’m Laci’s dad.”

My mouth drops. How could Jake be her father? “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because it is none of your business!” Jake pulls me away from the stairs and pushes me again. This time I fall straight down. My face hits the ground hard. I need him to stop.

“Jake, you’re hurting me.” I cry.

He picks me up and steadies me. A tear slides down my cheek. Why is he doing this? He’s never been this bad before.

“Don’t cry Katie.”

“Leave me alone!” I yell.

“People are going to hear you, and come out here!”

“Good, I don’t want to be around you any longer!”

His hand slides across my cheek hard! A throbbing pain comes soon after he moves away from me. I fall down without him there holding me up.

“Never talk to me again Jake. I never, ever want to see you again!” I yell as he walks away from me.

As soon as he is out of my sight I cry. I cry for, I don’t even know how long. I am so upset and in a lot of pain. I am not even know what happened. I thought he loved me! Why would he do that? He’s supposed to protect me from danger, not cause it!

After thinking and mostly crying I get up and walk to my car.

Driving home is a bit hard with my headache and swelling eye. I hope my parents are asleep! I don’t want them to see me! I don’t want anyone to see me! I enter the house as quiet as I can and run up the stairs.

“Katie, you’re home! Good, can I talk to you for a second about Maya?” Eli asks.

I have my back to him. “Um Eli, I’m really tired. Can we talk in the morning please?”

“Well it’s really important.”

“I’m tired Eli! Please, we’ll talk in the morning!”

And with that I enter my room and head into my bathroom. I take my clothes off slowly, trying not to hurt my bruises, and step into the shower.

This has possible been one of the worst days of my life. Why would this happen to me? I know I am pretty nosy. He probably just hates that I want to know everything about him. But can you blame me? And now, not only did he hurt me, but I found out he is a father. So that day at the church, it was him and Marisol arguing. And Laci is their daughter. But she doesn’t want him around. Why would he move and come to this school? Is it so he could use me to get to Marisol?

After a long shower I lay down on my bed and instantly fall asleep.