Behind the mask

Chapter 9

The next day.

She was a bit frightened to walk into the kitchen, she knew he was in there and so was Rose. She heard them laughing a while ago. She didn't know what to say to him. She took a deep breath and walked in.

"Hi Jack. " she said. When he saw her, the smile on his face disappeared. Her heart dropped. She didn't think it was that bad.

"Hi." He looked away.

"Hi Rose. " she looked at her.

"Good morning. How was your night?"

Terrible. "It was good and yours?"

"Not bad either. "

"Rose I'm going out. " Jack said.

"To where?"

"I don't know. Anywhere."

"You're not having breakfast before you leave?"

"Nope." Emily's heart dropped again. She was hoping that they'd eat together so it would provide room for them to discuss but he seemed to be avoiding her.

"When will you be back?" Rose asked him.

"I don't know. "

"Okay. Don't stay out late. "

"You're not my mom." He grabbed his phone on the counter and headed out. When he got to the door he turned back to Emily.

"Wanna come?" He asked her. She was surprised. She looked at Rose. She didn't see her the day before and she really hoped to spend time with her, talk to her and ask for her opinions. She knew Jack better. She didn't know what to say to him if they were alone and she wasn't ready to answer questions or reply to things he could throw at her off guard.

"No." She replied. He looked angry and disappointed. He left without saying another word. The kitchen was silent for a few seconds before Rose talked.

"Looks like you're gonna eat breakfast alone this morning. " she said.

"I know." Emily grabbed a stool and sat.

"If you wanna talk about it, it's fine. If you don't wanna talk about it, it's fine. So either way, it's fine."

She sighed. "I don't know." She rested her elbows on the counter and buried her face in her Palms for a few seconds. "I just" she raised her head. "I'm just in an awkward situation where I don't know what to do. All of this feels like a joke to me."

Rose walked to her side and sat on a stool beside hers. "Jack right?"

"Yes." She whispered.

"You know what.... Jack is..... Jack is..... an idiot."

"What?" She looked at her.

"Yeah. I don't know what he was trying to prove by skipping breakfast. 'Rose I'm going out'"she mimicked him. "He's a dick."

"Rose don't say that."

"What? He isn't even romantic. He's a pussy."

Emily laughed. "Rose stop. He's always been nice to me and he has always been trying to be close to me even at school."

"So now you wanna give excuses for him right?"

"No but it's not his fault I've always been mean to him."

"Yeah. He's pretty hurt."

She sighed heavily. "I know."

"You should be a little nicer to him and talk to him."

"I'm trying to do that."

"In this case, I don't know which side to take cause you both have a problem."

"We do." She smiled.

They paused for a while.

"So why did you turn him down this morning?"

"I wanted to talk to you." Rose looked at her. "I.... needed someone to talk to." She paused. "You know a lot about him and I wanted to know what your opinion was on of all this going on but it seems he's told you."

"Yeah. "

"And now I know you seem confused too and the only thing you have to say is that he's a d**k and a pussy." She smiled.

"I'm not confused you guys are. You just have to figure it out and he truly is a d**k and pussy."

"How can he be both?"

"He can be both. Why can't he? Haven't you heard people say 'go f**k your self'. You have to be both before you can." They laughed and went silent for a few minutes.

"How come he tells you everything?" Emily broke the silence.

"He doesn't have anyone else to tell."

"Why? He doesn't have friends?"

"I'm he's friend."

"Like he doesn't have guy friends around."

"Well, kinda. It's a long story."

"Tell me." She leaned closer to Rose.

"I don't think I should. You should ask him if you really wanna know." Rose looked away.

"He won't tell me. "

"He will. He likes you. "

"He seemed pretty mad before he left."

"He can't always be mad at you."

"Was it that bad?" Emily asked after a few seconds.

"What?"

"What happened between him and his friends, was it that bad?"

"Why are you asking too many questions?"

"I'm just curious to know."

"Do you like him?" She looked at her.

"I really don't hate him."

"No. That's not what I mean. I mean, do you 'love him'" she whispered the 'love him'.

Emily cheeks turned red. "I don't know." She looked down at her fingers.

""Feel free to tell me. I won't tell him. He's my boss not my boyfriend."

"He told you that too." She looked at her.

"Yeah. He doesn't tell me everything but he told me that." She paused for a while and continued. "So back to the question. It's a yes or no thing. If it's not yes, it's no and if it's not no then it's yes."

"Rose, I don't kn-"

"No." She cut in. "Don't tell me you don't know. There is no way you won't know when you are in love."

"But you can't be sure it's love."

"Emily, are you not sure it's love or you just don't want to admit that you're in love."

"Okay okay. Yes. "

"Yes?"

"Yes. I like him."

"Like?"

"Rose just stop already." She blushed again and Rose laughed. "You promise not to tell him, right?"

"Sure."