This Summer

Unattended Emotions

Jake's POV

I see her standing squeezing some oranges. I don't know what it is about her that makes me want to get to know her. I see her standing there and all I can think about is walking over there and getting her to talk to me.

I shake my head trying to get rid of these ridiculous thoughts and clear my throat.

"Excuse me."

Really? Excuse me? That's what I can think of. Hi, it would've been just fine. What the f*ck?

"Good morning, Jake." She gave me a small smile.

I feel my heart pumping blood faster the more I stare at her luscious lips.

"Umm....good morning." I answered her, "Have you seen my mom?"

"Yeah." Her voice is so soft, "She's speaking with my mother and Mark. But she will be back shortly."

She breaks eye contact with me for a second to throw away some of the oranges she's done with, then looks back at me.

"Tell her that I left, can you?" I don't know why I always feel so uncomfortable around her. I feel nervous and I always want to dart out of anywhere she is.

"Do you know how to speak French?" She suddenly asks me.

I debate with myself whether to say yes or no. The truth is that I do speak French.

"I don't."

"Well then, you won't be able to communicate with the people here." She explains, "Only a few people in this village understand English. You are going to need a guide."

"And I'm guessing you will be my guide?" I sound incredulous but I really don't mean it that way.

"No." I caught a glimpse of a frown forming on her beautiful face before she turned around to wash her hands. "But there is am office some blocks down from here that can help you."

"Thank you for the information. So long for now." I tipped my head forward and turned around to leave.

I'm a jerk, but that side of me only seems to come out around her.

"Jake!"

My mom. Exactly the thing I need right now. I need to buy a new phone. I know that I told her that I broke it, but that's not the truth. I want to cut all ties with Maddie. I don't want to speak to her, read her texts, or deal with any of her troubles. I'm done. It was a mistake that I am never going to repeat again with any girl ever again.

I also need some fresh air. I want to walk this town's streets and memorize them so that I can start jogging from tomorrow. I know that I will definitely need a guide, and I know that Emily implied that she wants to be mine, which absolutely baffles me. But something about her being around me all the time makes me feel uneasy.

"Mom, I have to go." I waved at her and still continued walking forward.

"No, you are not." I hear her footsteps getting louder and I know that she is running after me, but that doesn't stop me.

"You have to eat with us." She commands and I shake my head.

"I need to go out. Right now." I jerk my arm away and she stops me again.

"Stop acting like an overgrown child and go back inside and have breakfast with us."

"My phone broke and I need a new one. Now," I said through gritted teeth.

I thought she would get it by now.

"Do you know where to find one?"

"No, but Emily told me where I could find a guide to help me."

"Do you have any money?"

My eyes widen when I remember that I didn't collect any money from her.

"Oh yeah, I need money mom."

She looks at me like I've completely lost it, "And do you think that I'll give you the money with you behaving like this?"

I could buy the phone by myself. I got a job in a publishing house and have my own money, but I'm not ready to tell her yet. So I keep quiet.

"Yes," I said unsurely.

"You are getting nothing from me until you eat with us." She orders me.

"I don't want to stay here." My eyes move towards Emily for a fraction of a second and her eyes caught mine because she was already watching me.

"You can't force me."

I'm pretty sure everyone by now would have gotten the hint by now. Maybe she did, and still, she wants me to stay for breakfast.

"Oh really? Then go ahead, let's see how long you'll last with no money." She challenges me and walks towards Emily.

"What do you need help with?" She asked her and I shook my head at her and walked in the most dignified way back to my room. Which is by stomping like a three-year-old.

My mom is one of the world's most tenacious women out there and she has one hell of a mind.

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

I walked around the small room. I couldn't sleep here last night. I don't usually sleep peacefully most nights, but after what happened last night, with Mark here, I feel like I'm suffocating. I don't want to pick up and leave for my mom's sake. I am trying to give her what she wants before I leave, but the circumstances are making this decision extremely hard.

I still haven't unpacked anything. I didn't have the time, and I found it useless to unpack. I am sure my mom will rent a hotel or something and get us out of here. That would be a rational decision, given what they know.

I walk to the window and open it to let in some fresh air.

"The right thing to do would be to lock the r****t up!"

"Mark!" She hisses, "Keep your voice down."

Well, that's too late, Emily. I have already heard him say it and anger is boiling up inside of me.

"You are taking his side! And you don't know anything."

"And you don't know either. Aunt Maria says that we don't know the truth and we should be nice and see if he will tell us."

Really? My mom told her that? That"ll just tell Mark. That simple?

"So you plan on befriending him just to know the truth? You know I already tried that." Indicating by Mark's tone, he calmed down a bit, which brought my suspicions back up again.

So much for wanting fresh air. Emily is like the rest of them. Acts friendly in front of me and all she really wants is to hear me admit it. I now get why they're together. Birds of the same feather flock together. Judgemental bastards.

I closed my window and lay down on my bed, inhaling deeply.

After some hours, I heard a knock on my door. I don't answer. I heard the knob turn and then footsteps.

"Jake." My mom calls my name softly thinking I am asleep.

"Hmm?" I kept my eyes closed, not bothering to glance her way.

I really don't want to hear or listen to anything.

"Breakfast is ready." She settles down beside me.

This bed is too small for me and with her on the bed, I feel even more cramped.

"Okay. I hope you enjoy it."

"Jake, I'll give you the money you need for the phone. I just want you to get to know them."

I ran my hands over my face, "I don't want to get to know sh*t about them. They are a sh*t excuse for people and I don't want to hang around them. Why can't you get that?"

I sat up and managed to get out of bed with her still sitting down on my bed calmly.

"You don't know Adele or Emi--"

"Yeah, I think I know her well enough."

"No, you don't. Now, come down with me please." She holds my hand, "Please just give them a chance, Jake. They are great people, I promise."

"Mom--"

"Come on, Jake. They won't bother you." She promises.

I know for a fact that all her promises will go to waste. I just know it. I sigh. That is all I can do. I sighed and followed her downstairs.

"Behave, Jake. Or I promise I will give you a hard time." My mom's act of bringing me downstairs worked like it always does. I just had a really hard time saying 'no' to her.

"Good morning, everyone," I say politely, and I see my mom smile and take her seat.

"Good morning, dear. I'm really glad that you changed your mind and decided to join us for breakfast." Adele was the first one to answer and look at me.

"Well, I'm not sure I had a choice."

My mom's smile disappears as fast as it appeared, and she glares and rolls her eyes at me.

"What are you doing today, Em?" Adele asked Emily.

"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." She explains, "Then I'll take them to Naia museum."

God, the nerve of this girl has.

"Oh, that museum is just wonderful, Jake." My mom smiled, "It's a very interesting place."

"I am not going anywhere." I say too harshly, and when I look into my mom's eyes I correct myself.

"I mean, I just want to get my phone and come back here." I said in a much calmer tone for my mom's sake, again.

"Jake, there are so many beautiful things here to see. You should go out and enjoy the beauty." Adele tries to convince me.

The truth is that I actually do want to go and see that museum, but not with them. That would just be dreadful.

"I just really love my room."

I hear a small laugh escape her, and I can't ignore it. I turn to her, and her lips clamp shut when our eyes lock.

"May I ask what is so funny?" I shifted in my seat so that I was closer to her.

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

"Excuse me?" I said gutturally.

"You heard me loud and clear." She says sassily.

"What are you doing?" Marks says lowly.

This guy really thinks he is subtle, but he is extremely far from that.

"You are the ones who don't want me here."

"Jake," Mom warns me.

"That is just another excuse you are making. I never did anything that would indicate that I don't want you here." She leans towards me, anger evident in her voice.

"Oh, so do you want me here?" I bitterly asked.

"I've never implied otherwise."

"Em, enough," Mark commanded impatiently.

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

I didn't call her out in front of everyone, because she would just deny it in front of everyone. I will confront her when we are alone. That is if I even speak with her again.

"Jake, what has gotten into you?" My mom tugs at my arm to stop me from speaking.

"No, let him speak what he thinks he knows because he knows nothing." She slams her hand against the glass table, shaking all the plates. "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 an 'A-class asshole.'"

"Seriously?" Parts of what she said is true, but I know that this is all an act, "And all that he said last night counts as good hospitality?"

"You heard?" Mark asked the obvious.

Literally, not subtle. How can anyone be this stupid?

"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."

I will call her out when it is time.

"Em!" Adele gasps.

Pain flashes through me for a fleeting second before I mask it.

"I'm going back to my room." I shoved the chair backward with so much force that I sent it flying across the backyard.

And that is why I haven't gone on any dates that Kyle has ever arranged for me. Always so curious.

Fu*k them.