This Summer

Wanting His Side

Emily's POV

The stereo plays softly in the background and the smell of freshly baked cinnamon buns and velvet cake fills the entire house. Aunt Maria suggested that we bake cinnamon buns for Jake at the last minute, hoping that it would cheer him up.

My mother agrees, and she requested that I bake them, saying I make them better. We both know that is a big lie, but I don't argue with her. Mark continued to slice the vegetables that I had been slicing earlier before we went outside to talk. We haven't seen Jake till now and I find that a blessing and none of us argue when Aunt Maria requests that we should leave him upstairs until the breakfast is ready.

When the plates begin to overflow on the marble countertops, I and Mark begin to take them outside to place them on the glass table located in the middle of the garden. Our house isn't a simple house. If I had to describe it, I would call it an old-fashioned mansion. The house sits on a little hill, away from the center of the village. Its walls are painted white so that it outstandingly stands out from all the rest of the steel-grey and blackish-grey houses.

The house is fenced by an enormous garden that stretches approximately one thousand and three hundred square feet. Every morning, the grass flattens beneath the wind in its beautiful shimmering waves, each blade turned momentarily to reflect the brilliant sunlight. The sweet smell of the flowers cut through the soft scent of the dewy morning grass. Although I see these flowers everyday It's impossible for me to ever grow tired of them. Each flower is a delicate bloom, their petals pure works of art.

Inside our house, the rooms are all furnished with furniture that gives you the feeling of a cozy, warm and welcoming home. Paintings hang everywhere around the house, giving the house more color. Almost all our doors are made of glass, with the exception of the front door and bedroom doors. All the rooms, including the guest room, have floor-length windows that overlook the most beautiful parts of this village. My bedroom balcony overlooks all the greenery in Rochefort-en-Terre, and at night you can see the flickering lights of restaurants, bakerys, cafes, everything you can think of.

When I think about it now, I understand why Aunt Maria wanted to bring Jake here. He would get to have a clear mind and no one here knows him. A place to get away from everything. He can sit in any cafe or restaurant and enjoy the simplicity of everything, the simplicity of how life works here. He would be relaxed, calm and at peace here.

"Emily dear, your mother and Mark are outside. She wants you to take out the cinnamon buns and join them while I get Jake." Aunt Maria informs me and I nod.

I wear the oven gloves and take the pan out of the oven, then join my mom and Mark outside. Mark had three slices of cake on his plate. At this rate, his basketball scholarship is already suffering because of how many sweets he's eating. I set the rest of the dishes, before sitting down beside Mark.

"I take it that you're really enjoying the cake, Mark?" My mom asked him as we both watched him in amusement.

"I absolutely adore this." He moans and shoves two more spoons into his already overly stuffed mouth. "I live for this cake alone."

"You are such a child sometimes." I shook my head as I laughed.

He looks at his cake with affectionate eyes, "Is this what they call love?"

I stared at him amused. It's official, he has finally lost his mind.

"Behave Jake or I'll give you a hard time."

Mark's body immediately stiffens at the mention of Jake's name. I put my hand on his and gave it a light squeeze.

"Finish up your cake." I leaned and whispered to him.

He smiles affectionately at me and turns back to his cake.

"Good morning, everyone." Jake greeted them politely.

My mother is the first to respond, he seems to be very polite every time he is around her.

"Good morning, dear. I'm really glad that you changed your mind and decided to join us for breakfast.

Jake sits at the head of the table beside me, and Mark's eyes glance at him for just a second.

"Well, I'm not sure I had a choice." He forces a smile and turns to look at his mother who just glares at him.

"What are you doing today, Em?" Mom asks me.

"I was going to take Mark and Jake around town. I want to show them some places around town so whenever they wish to go around town, they know a few places." I explained, "Then I'll take them to Naia museum."

"Oh, that museum is just wonderful, Jake." Aunt Maria gushes. "It's a very interesting place."

"I am not going anywhere." Jake says a little too harshly.

And, of course, I am once again thrown away by his rudeness.

"I mean, I just want to get my phone and come back here." He corrected himself in a much calmer tone.

"Jake, there are so many beautiful things here to see. You should go out and enjoy the beauty." My mom tried to convince him.

"I just really love my room."

I can't hold the laugh that escapes my lips, and I caught his attention. My lips are sealed when I look into his eyes.

"May I ask what is so funny?" He shifts his weight on one elbow and moves closer to me.

"You just really love your room." I repeated his words and let out a chuckle, "I'm sure you can come up with a better excuse than that."

"Excuse me?" He says grutturally.

"You heard me loud and clear."

"What are you doing?" Marks says lowly, but enough for me to hear.

"You are the ones who don't want me here." His voice was accusing.

"Jake," Aunt Maria warned him.

"That is just another excuse you are making. I never did anything that would indicate that I don't want you here."

"Oh, so do you want me here?" He bitterly questions.

"I've never implied otherwise." I say, not backing down.

"Em, enough," Mark commanded impatiently.

"Well, he implied it." Jake pointed at Mark.

"Jake, what has gotten into you?" Aunt Maria tugs at his sleeve to stop him from speaking.

"No, let him speak what he thinks he knows because he knows nothing." I slam my palm against the table, making all the plates shake. I ignore it and continued, "All we have tried to do was to be good hosts and you have been nothing but a complete asshole. You yelled at me for no reason and I tried to offer to be your guide and you ridiculed me. I call that a 'A class asshole.'"

"Seriously?" He scoffs, ignoring the parts where I proved him wrong, "And all that he said last night counts as good hospitality?"

"You heard?" Mark asked him the obvious.

"Can you blame him for sharing his side of the story? If you are so worked up about all that he said, then share your side."

"Emily!" My mother gasped.

I see what I think is pain pass through his eyes quickly but I can't be certain, because as quick as it came, so it went.

"I'm going back to my room." He shoves his chair backward with force that he sends it flying across the yard.

"Em, you took this too far." My mom scolds me, her frown ruining her beauty.

"I know what she was trying to do, and I don't blame her for getting so worked up." Aunt Maria doesn't seem as mad at me for triggering her son. "She tried. He is just going to keep making excuses for not wanting to do anything."

"How did he hear what I told you last night? Mark asks me, and I try to answer him as calmly as I can muster.

"He was technically in the same room as us." I sighed.

"You should have reminded me."

"I didn't know you would tell me what he did. I didn't even know that you knew him."

"Em, you should go and apologize to him." My mother doesn't suggest, she orders.

"What!"

Mark and I say simultaneously.

"You attacked him with no motive, so you should apologize. Now."

"It's alright," Aunt Maria interjects. "He's used to these kinds of arguments."

I felt like someone stabbed my heart when she spoke those words. No one should ever be used to these kinds of arguments. But he is.

He shouldn't have to be used to these kinds of arguments, and I just gave him another reason for him to feel attacked, hated and unwanted here.

Great.

***********************

"Are you going to be like this for the rest of our time together?" Mark threw his head back against the headrest, sighing.

"What do you mean?" I acted like I didn't understand, but I couldn't tell him that I was thinking about Jake.

"Look, I'm sure that he doesn't care about a single thing you said."

"Mark..."

"I am serious. He is just a troublemaker and we don't even --"

"Mark, can we not....not talk about him?" I gripped the steering wheel tighter.

I just can't hear bad words about him, not even one. It churns something inside my heart and I just can't understand why.

"Yes, and you haven't even told me where you are taking me to."

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even realize where I was driving to. I was supposed to take Mark to the cafe.

"I'm showing you around town first, and how amazing it is here. Before I take you to a cafe, my mother used to take me to." I lie and hope that he doesn't notice.

"You know we have been dating for a long time and I still don't know much about your life here."

"Yeah?" Like I haven't even noticed, I thought to myself.

"Yeah."

"Well, there's not much to know anyway."

I told Mark all that I could remember. Well, not everything but the stuff I deem important to tell him. Some memories in my mind seem to be.. missing, like I know that a piece of a puzzle is missing but just can't find it. However, I tell him what I can and leave out whatever is not of importance. He listens to me and smiles whenever I tell him about something that makes me happy. He gives me an understanding look when I say something that has bothered me. Mark is so understanding, and that is exactly the reason why we became best friends so quickly.

I took him to the cafe near the bookstore. It was one of my favorite cafes in town, most likely because it's next to my favorite place.

"I really love this place," I told him and inhaled deeply.

"I can tell." He leans over the table across from me and holds my hand in his.

"This is the bookstore I always go to." I lift my chin in it's direction and he turned around to look at it.

He looks back, "It looks very beautiful. So vintage and so you."

"Do you want to take a look inside when we finish our drinks?"

"Uhhh.....no."

His rejection catches me by surprise, but I quickly recover and don't let my face fall.

"But, if you want us to go, we can."

"No." I shook my head. "It's okay."

"I really do wish I could love books as much as you do." He tells me.

"You're very thoughtful, Mark."

"Not enough."

"Hey, it's alright. There really is no need to feel bad about this."

"You know that I love you though?" He doesn't say it, he asks me if I am sure of that.

"Of course, I know."

I pull my hand away from his and wrap my fingers around my cup. I closed my eyes and listened, listening to the light music that was playing in the distance. I listen to every note that plays, every change in melody, in tone, every high and low and it doesn't take me long to realize the person playing this music.

"Do you recognize this piece?"

I opened my eyes to look at him, "Yeah, it is Stjepan hauser. His music is just breathtakingly beautiful." I say as I sway to the music.

"You are breathtaking, Em."

I smile, "You know how to make these little moments special." I don't know who is talking, me or my heart?

He opens his mouth to speak, but I speak first, "Don't. Don't say anything that'll be sweet, I can't handle it."

"No." He chuckles, "I was going to tell you why don't I pay the bill and we go back home to chill?"

"Oh, I can't go back home now. I'll pass by the bakery, first. My mother couldn't go today, so my grandma is there and she'll need some help. And I'll also pass by the store because Aunt Maria needs something." I lie, I can't tell him the truth even if I wanted to because he just wouldn't understand.

"Okay, can you try to speed things up, so that we can have some time left tonight?"

"Yes, I will try to finish early," I promised him and meant it.

"Will you drive me home?"

I nod, and he snaps his fingers to call the gracon and have him bring the bill. I pin my hopes on what I'll do, and that he likes it and forgives me for what I did earlier.